Black Friday Essentials When Waiting in Line Outside

Many stores are launching their Black Friday sales starting at midnight. If you plan to line up hours before the doors unlock be prepared to wait. Fortunately waiting outside a big box store doesn’t have to equal boring, freezing or starving if you have these Black Friday essentials with you.

Mind-Numbing Games Download a couple of new games onto your Smartphone to help the time pass. Check out Paper Toss, a hypnotic game requiring players to throw a crumpled piece of paper into a small trash can. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/paper-toss/id317917431?mt=8) It’s free and could prepare you for all of those receipts you’ll be tossing out later.

Pocket Chair
Waiting in line for hours means when you finally start shopping your feet are already aching. Save your tootsies by bringing a Pocket Chair. Right now when you buy one at $14.99 you’ll get one free. (https://www.pocketchair.com/) It’s much better than lugging a big chair down the aisles or taking up valuable space in your cart once you get inside.

Hot Pizza
Since the party is shifting to late night rather than the traditional early morning Black Friday event, order a pizza while you wait. You may be able to sell off slices to other people in line and make some extra shopping money.

Printed Ads
Bring a copy of the printed Black Friday ads. Not only will this help you remember what you’re there for in the first place, it will also help you resolve any disputes at the register should something not ring up properly.

Patience
People are tired, adrenaline is pumping and stock can be limited. Despite all that, try to view Black Friday as a holiday tradition focused on generosity and giving. Even though no one’s forcing you to shop among the sometimes psychotic crowds that form on Black Friday, it can be easy for tolerance to run low. Maintain your patience and serenity as much as possible.

Paper and Pen
While you’re waiting you may want to draw up a plan of attack. Think about the store’s layout and compare that with your shopping list. Be strategic and hopefully you won’t have to wait in line again once you’re ready to checkout.

By Alison Storm

Looking for great online deals for Black Friday? Be sure to check out Amazon's Black Friday Deals Week! Be sure to stock up on heavily marked down toys, electronics, t video games, and more. Amazon has a special Lightning Deals section too--bargains change hourly, so keep checking! Sale ends 11/28/2011.