Black Friday Or Nah?

Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Decisions, decisions! The truth is, there is absolutely nothing wrong with both; it just all depends on lots of factors like what day you prefer to access some pretty smoking hot deals and if you're willing to wake up early to fight the crowds for them! Office Depot has made the decision easy for us by coming up with the "Are You Black Friday or Cyber Monday?" Assessment. Looks like we are split! All signs point to Cyber Monday for Co Founders Karen and Sakura. But, after utilizing our Black Friday Survival Guide last year, we think we are pretty equipped to handle both shopping days. One thing we always look forward to on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the major sales on technological devices. Karen is big on arts and crafts and really wants to enhance the quality of printing she gets so this laser printer from Office Depot is on her wish list. Sakura is the Queen of picture taking so she is beyond excited to get her hands on the Canon PIXMA™ MG5520 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-In-One Printer. If you want to preview Office Depot's Black Friday deals, check them out here.

From now until Black Friday and Cyber Monday, gets lots of sleep, save up your money, and make a list of all the things you wish to purchase!

*Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Office Depot, however, all views and opinions are solely that of The Sorority Secrets.

Black Friday Survival Guide

Ready, set, SHOP!!  Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year, is upon us.  With all of the sales & great deals going on, we love taking advantage of this hectic day.  But facing the masses at the mall, just to get those killer boots on sale, is no easy feat.  Have no fear fellow shoppers, we're here to help you make the most of Black Friday... and successfully survive the day!

First and foremost, eat something.  You're stuffed from your Thanksgiving turkey, and might be experiencing a mild hangover from yesterday's food coma.  Have a light breakfast, and throw an extra snack (granola bar, protein bar, trail mix) in your purse for later.  Trust us, that mall food court is going to be BUSY... you'll be happy you packed a treat!

Bringing someone with you is key.  You can help each other wait in lines, carry things (honestly, a girl can only carry so many shoe boxes by herself to the register), you can give each other a second opinion, and keep you company as you navigate through the crowds.  Team effort here!  Having a trusted person's opinion can really help when sale shopping.  Just because it's on sale, doesn't mean you need it... see items #7-9 on our list about that topic as well.

Before you get too shopping happy, don't buy everything in sight just because it's on sale.  Ask yourself: "do I own at least 3 outfits in my closet that I could mix & match this with?"  If the answer is no, think twice.  If you're not sure (and want to buy it while it's on sale), just make sure that the store you're purchasing from allows returns.  Make note of their return policy, and save your receipts too!

Black Friday is a great day to get lots of bargains, but they still can add up fast.  Set yourself a budget that you feel comfortable with before you head to the mall.  That way you can feel happy, not guilty, about your purchases once you get home.  After all, Black Friday is supposed to be FUN!  On your mark, get set... GO and get your shop on!

Black Friday Tips

Thanksgiving is in 10 days which means Black Friday is right around the corner!  To become a professional Black Friday Shopper, you must have a game plan and know all of the tips and tricks!  This special day only comes once a year and there's no way you can hit up the department stores without a game plan so we got you all of the tips and tricks you need to know!

1. Sign Up for E-mail Alerts from your Favorite Stores
Stores typically send out promotional alerts and deals out to their loyal customers!  There's a huge chance that they will also send out a special coupon on Black Friday so make sure you are signed up for your favorite stores to take advantage of their coupons and deals.

2. Check for Pre-Black Friday Sales Online
There's a lot of stores that will do Pre-Black Friday Sales online so make sure to start checking online around the day before Thanksgiving to see if there are any special deals going on. This is where tip #1 comes in handy so you can get discount alerts right in your inbox!

3. Check Out Black Friday Store Hours Before
Black Friday store hours vary year to year from store to store.  Make sure you know exactly when your favorite stores open so you can plan out your day and be the first in the store!

4. Get an Early Start
Make sure to set up 3 alarms to get you up bright and early for the big day!  Make sure to do tip #3 and check out the store hours so you know exactly what time you have to be up! Make sure to calculate the time for you to stop and grab coffee on the way to the mall!

5. Take Advantage of Black Friday Sites & Apps
There are a ton of websites and mobile apps that will make Black Friday a million times easier for you!  Take advantage and check out the sites and download the apps before the big day.  These sites and apps will allow you to check out the Black Friday deals for each stores and even each items so you know exactly how much each items are going to be on Black Friday!  (BlackFriday.com)

6. Create a Wish List and Shopping List
Make sure to know exactly what you want and what you're getting on Black Friday so you don't waste any time.  As you know, things on Black Friday go out very fast so make sure to know exactly what you want and also so you don't forget!

7. Bring Cash
There are a billion transactions going on nation wide on Black Friday and there are a lot of credit card machine malfunctions on Black Friday.  Make sure to bring cash so you don't have to miss out on anything!


Happy Shopping!