BLACK FRIDAY: 10 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Ok, so I know we got through a crazy Halloween season & our thoughts are still with those hurt in the tragedy that happened in NYC that night, but time has come to prepare for... (Cue horror flick soundtrack).

Now as previous Black Fridays have proven, a lot can go wrong if you do not prepare accordingly, That's why we have prepared these "Black Friday: 10 Rules of engagement" for you.

First things first where exactly did Black Friday originate:

According to Dictionary.com the first sign of the slang came early in the 17th century. Used as school slang in the sense of "Friday the day on which examinations were held".

By the 1960s it began to be used in the shopping sense referencing the congestion created by shoppers.

As time moved on it was later explained as a day when retailers' accounts went from being "In the red" to "in the black".

Cool right? Bet you didn't know that! The power of Google search my readers.

Ok so here are some of the most Note worthy Black Friday

10 R U L E S O F E N G A G E M E N T :

RULE #1

Use Black Friday sites & Apps to figure out a strategy. Black Friday apps such as: Black Friday 2017 Ads, Deals (which has a 4.7 star rating by the way) helps you find the best online as well as local Black Friday deals you need.

RULE #2

Avoid the lines & Chaos and opt. for a bottle of wine and shop from home online!

Dan de Granpre, CEO of Dealnews.com told Forbes that last year alone 70% of Black Friday monster deals were available at least briefly on the store's websites some time before the chaos. That's why you should research, and use Black Friday apps to plan accordingly.

RULE #3

Try and focus only on big ticket items. That's where you usually see the biggest savings.

Things such as electronics, furniture, home appliances usually have killer deals that are worth looking out for.

Now this is very important: If you make a big purchase that includes financing READ THE FINE PRINT!

It may seem like a deal in the moment but if the interest charges kick in too soon or are too high, then you may end up spending a lot more then you save in the long run.

RULE #4

Leave the kids behind if at all possible. Kids may want to partake in the "fun" but why put them through hours of long lines and possibly aggressive shoppers. Black Friday outings is not a place to take your kids, maybe tween's & up but definitely not anything below.

RULE #5

Bring your besty with you. First it's always fun to shop with a friend or someone you love, plus it can be tons of help! Cover the store must-haves quicker as one checks the electronics section and the other searches for the other items on your list. Long lines? Split up and see which one progresses faster.

RULE #6

Make a list of the items you wish to purchase before hand and include: Stores, prices and any added discounts you may be stashing.

RULE #7

Never ever wear red to Target on Black Friday, the masses will eat you alive with questions!

RULE #8

Get in early & get out early. Seriously avoid a potentially dangerous mob situations like the ones known to happen in places like Walmart on Black Friday.

RULE #9

Pay attention to all return & exchange policies.

During times of high volume

purchases some stores opt for a no return or "credit only" policy. Read the fine print!

RULE #10

Keep an open eye for inflated discounts. This pertains to some retailers which raise the regular item price lets say to: $155.99 and then offer it on "sale" for $75.99. Make sure the original price tag price is the actual worth of the item you are purchasing. This takes a small amount of online research.