Black Friday - Dreaded or Exciting?

Black Friday is the last Friday before Christmas. Are you ever ready for Christmas shopping?

There are so many gifts to choose from and so many stores to shop at. There are also the crowds and the noise to deal with. Are you ready for that? Or, do you prefer to shop early and take your time on choosing the right gifts for each person on your list?

Maybe you prefer to do most or all of your shopping online. Amazon's Black Friday Deals Week is already geared up for some fantastic gift ideas at great prices. There are many other options for online shopping at our fingertips.

Native American trading posts offer wonderful and unique gifts for those who want something different. Two trading posts I order from online are Prairie Edge Sioux Trading Post, and Crazy Crow Trading Post. These two places have all I need for my beading and other craft needs.

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day in the United States -- it is the traditional beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Black Friday is a term used by retailers for special sales and promotions -- it is to encourage shoppers to use the holiday weekend for early shopping and to get the best bargains.

There are some dangers involved in going out on Black Friday. In 2008 a Walmart employee in New York was trampled to death by people who became over anxious and broke through the doors a few minutes before the scheduled opening. A pregnant woman was injured in the same stampede and she had to be hospitalized. On the same day this happened, two people in California were shot and killed in a toy store when an argument broke out. These may be isolated incidents, but it is important to realize that the larger the crowds, the more possible are the dangers.

Here are helpful tips to keep in mind if you decide to be brave enough to tackle the Black Friday Shopping day:

*** If at all possible, leave your children at home with a reliable baby sitter. Too many children have been trampled, lost, or kidnapped when in large crowds. It is not easy to watch your children closely when trying to shop for the best deals. I remember one year when I was in a mall shopping on Black Friday. A little girl, about three years old, had wandered away from her mother. She was standing up against a shop window, crying huge tears, and very frightened. I asked her if she was lost and she nodded her head "yes". I took her in the shop and asked the manager to call security. The little girl would not leave me, so I stayed with her till security got there and they found her mother. I shudder to think what might have happened to that darling little girl if the wrong person had found her.

*** Make sure your valuables (wallet, purse) are not an easy temptation for a thief.. Women carrying purses should carry them tucked tightly under their arm or better yet use a fanny pack. Men should carry wallets in their front pocket or a fanny pack.

*** Do not carry large sums of money. Use credit cards if possible. Carry only the credit cards you need for this shopping. Make sure to secure your credit card receipts. Identity theft is often begun by snatching receipts with credit card #'s on them.

*** Do not leave items in your vehicle that are visible to others. This is a favorite time of year for a thief looking for opportunities. Put your gifts in the trunk. If you do not have a trunk then at least cover your purchases with an old blanket. It may even be worth it to take your gifts home and go back out on another trip.

*** Park your vehicle in a well-lit area and be aware of your surroundings. Jot down on paper where your car is parked in case you forget. Wandering around looking for your car makes one an easy target for being a victim. Have your keys out and ready before you leave the store and head to your car. If you do not feel safe going out to the parking lot or garage ask store or mall security to escort you to your vehicle.

*** If you have a cell phone, keep it handy in case of emergency.

*** Always be alert to your surroundings. A person paying attention and moving with a purpose is less likely to become a victim.

*** Wear comfortable shoes and clothes. This is no time to dress up in shoes that will kill your feet or clothes you have to keep tugging at.

*** Know what you want to purchase before leaving home. Take your list. Also take any ads with special prices and check those ads with the items in the store to make sure you are charged the right price.

*** If you choose to do some or all of your shopping online make sure it is a secure Web site. This helps ensure that personal information is transmitted safely. A secure site will have the "https" at the beginning of the address and a small padlock at the bottom of the page. It is best to use a credit card rather than a debit card. A debit card is attached to your checking account and that account will be affected if anything goes wrong. A credit card provider can easily reverse a payment if something goes wrong. Using a credit card ensures that personal information is transmitted safely

If you have any tips I did not mention, feel free to add them in the comment section below.

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© Copyright Phyllis Doyle Burns 2012

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