While everyone was fighting the traffic, getting some great deals as they stood in line for hours, (and quite possibly sacrificed their bodies for that deal), my side of the family did the same thing we do every single Black Friday – drove 200 yards down the road from our “Thanksgiving Day” hotel in the mountains of Boone, NC and took over this little thrift store that supports a local ministry.
This is the fourteenth year we have quite literally packed out this store with thirty of us, and even though this sweet, little store is not one I would recommend to my fellow Frugal Fashionistas, it’s become tradition, and there’s just something calming about tradition. We even introduced a new boyfriend to this crazy, family stuff and he passed with flying colors. Anyone who will go in a sketchy little store, let alone make a crazy face for my picture is a total keeper.
I went back and forth about trying to score a new TV (ours is ten years old and one of them still has a VCR connected to the base), but we decided some of the deals we could get on-line will come pretty close. My nephew camped out at Walmart for five hours to score a deal on a laptop (but Walmart actually still has some great items available on-line).
My sister in love, nieces and I were sitting up in the lobby of the hotel at 1:00am debating if we should head out to Old Navy and/or Walmart. They made the 1:30am run, but I decided to go to bed, and score some of the Old Navy deals from the comfort of my laptop (deals also still available on line). Once I woke up, and ate my breakfast, then I headed over to CVS for my traditional stock up of their freebies. They did things a little differently this year. Many freebies are available through Sunday, so check out all the things you can get for free. (Make sure and ask for a rain check if some are sold out).
Since our extended family spends our Thanksgiving in a hotel, and we actually eat out on Thanksgiving (GASP), our traditional Thanksgiving meal is today (Saturday), so I am off to figure out how to thaw my turkey that has been in the fridge for FOUR DAYS while I was gone, and is still frozen solid. (Yes, it’s in the sink right now…I’ll let you know how it goes.)
I would love to know how you spent your Black Friday? Do you have traditions that go along with it or is it just a regular day for you?
I always hit the local Salvation Army store for their 75% off storewide sale. Walking out the door 90 minutes later, I had spent $56 for what I approximate to be at least $600 worth of clothes, shoes and books. I have been smiling all day!
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Jens Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Woot Woot – Alisa – those are some great finds. How fun! 🙂
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Congrats on the approved boyfriend! That’s a biggie, LOL!
We spent today at my mother’s house for Thanksgiving #2 after yesterday at my in-love’s. I. am. so. full. We’re also doing our own little family one tomorrow (my turkey’s not defrosted either! =\ ). After this weekend, I never want to see another turkey again.
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Jens Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 9:12 am
Seriously, I feel as if I have not had that “hungry” feel in about a week. Although, I am sure in another day, a hot turkey sanwich with left over mashed pot. will sound yummy. Just give me a few days to get there. 🙂
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My husband, younger brother and I headed out to Walmart for teheir midnight sales, it was a mad house! Then, we went home, laid down for an hour and a half and then went back at 3am to stand in line for laptops. Nobody was there, by 5am there were still 7 out of 15 laptops available and when we went back at 3:30 this afternoon they still had tv’s, Xbox’s, playstations 3’s, etc left. Clearly starting the BF sales at midnight w/ all the toys and clothes greatly reduced the 5am rush. Tomorrow I plan to go to CVS 🙂
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Jens Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 9:14 am
NO WAY! They still had the TV’s at your Walmart? I admit, I am SO jealous. They sold out at ours. So glad that you got a laptop. My nephew is thrilled with his and it is a GREAT deal.
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Oh I know this is so not the kind of comment you were looking for but I love Boone! I miss it and am so excited to be going back for New Years. It may not look like much but it definitley has a charm to it or maybe I’m just sentimental because my husband and I met up there while attending Appalachian. Now all I can think about is Mast General Store and candy and the little glass cokes. LOL
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Jens Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 9:15 am
And you are SO right. AFter we hit the thrift store, we go to the Mast General in Valley Cruz and then the Candy Store and then go to the tree farm (in that order….always, every single year. :))
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my daughters and I and three of their friends braved the crazy crowds and did the Black Friday thing. I scored a $25 cash card at sports authority so ended up getting a pair of snow boots for $4.99. One friend got a $100 card. We had a blast. I’m getting ready to post about it.
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Jens Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 11:43 am
@kirstin, A $100 CARD…SWEET! That makes the crazy fun all worth it. 🙂
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This year I shopped online on Thanksgiving evening, same great deals as on Black Friday. Then I slept in till 7 am, baked some chocolate chip muffins for breakfast and played games with the kids for most of the day.
We did go out about 6 pm to pick up some gift wrap at Walgreens buy 1 get 2 free. The kids also picked out some theater size candy for $.50 ea and we watched movies after dinner.
Much better than risking bodily harm fighting the crowds!
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Here’s my Black Friday…. http://debbielynne.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/black-friday/
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I headed to wal-mart at 10:30pm on Thanksgiving to get in on the $25 leapster 2 deal at midnight. It was the first time I’d done it. I did manage to get one though! People were wanting the games that were on sale for $19 which was only $5 off. Not that great of a deal.
I also wrote about mine http://newtomom.com/?p=701 .
I was at wal-mart at 8am to get a tire fixed. They still had some of the tvs and some other great deals. About 10, we did Target. I managed to get a leapster 2 game for $6 oop with the sale and some left over GC. Then I got free bag of dog food with a coupon I had. Then I went to pick up my free 8×10 collage at Walgreens. 🙂
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