Living in a family of avid shoppers, I am no stranger to the busy and long day of Black Friday shopping. Most stores offer large sales on Black Friday that kick off the festive holiday season. Annually, the day after Thanksgiving, millions of people rush to stores and malls to save money on sales, whether it is to start their Christmas shopping, or even just to buy items at a lower price for themselves. After participating in the annual Black Friday shopping trip with my family, I have discovered some “hacks” on how to make the most of the trip while also having fun.

One way to beat some of the crowds is to start shopping early. Being one of the first ones in the store creates a rush of excitement when shopping and trying to cross off all the items on your list. Some stores open as early as 5 a.m, but checking the store hours before arrival is important since some stores follow other special hours. Going early is a good way to beat the huge crowds Black Friday attracts, as stores and malls tend to get busiest in the afternoon. The whole day is busy no matter where you are shopping, so getting prepared for a long day is so important.

With so many stores to choose from, an important thing to do is pick a few stores you want to go to the most and head there first. When shopping, it is easy to be distracted by other stores that are offering a good sale and lose track of your goal. Going into the day with a goal and list is important to make the most of the day while getting all of the things you needed or wanted to purchase.

My mom, who is a Black Friday shopping expert, says that the best way to make the day as smooth as possible is to have a positive mindset while shopping. Even if you don’t secure all the items you wanted to purchase on Black Friday, you can always finish your shopping on Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday offers similar deals to Black Friday, just they are online instead of in the stores.

My mom, who participates in Black Friday every year, said, “Don’t be discouraged if the day doesn’t go exactly to plan. The best part of shopping is having fun and making memories with your family and friends.”

While partaking in the busy annual shopping day, it is important to remember to stick to your goal and keep a positive mindset. All day, stores will be buzzing with eager shoppers but going earlier in the morning will be the best, in the long run, to beat the even larger crowds in the afternoon. Mark your calendars for November 25, Black Friday shopping is a fun way to spend time with family while getting the “first taste” of the holiday season.