Black Friday marks the start of the holiday shopping season. Stores everywhere open at
midnight and early in the morning to offer once-a-year doorbuster deals.
Here are some tips on how I have survived and thrived during Black Friday.

- Use curbside pickup! One positive outcome of COVID is that so many more stores offer curbside pickup services. Avoid crowded aisles and make your holiday shopping a little more manageable by taking advantage of this wherever possible.
- If you have to go into a store for a doorbuster deal, it’s not a bad idea to bring a friend (the bigger the better) to help you make your way through any crowds and get to the register unscathed.
- For those extra bulky items (like rolls of gift wrap), I tend to order them online and get them delivered so I don’t have to wrestle with getting them through the aisles or doorways.
- Transporting all your gifts from your car to your home can be a hassle. You can make it a little easier if you keep an extra big shopping tote in your car that can fit multiple items so you can balance more on your lap and make fewer trips.