Saturday, November 13, 2010

Preparing for Black Friday (a giveaway)

Today was an unseasonably warm day in North East Ohio. When I headed out to take my son to a friend's house and make a quick stop at Target, I was amazed by the number of people that were putting up their Christmas lights. Why hadn't I thought of that? Of course, it is so much more fun to put them up in the freezing cold!

Seeing all of the Christmas lights made me think about how close Christmas really is. In less than two weeks, I will be hitting the stores along with thousands of other crazy people, to partake in the tradition of Black Friday.

I can remember going shopping on Black Friday ever since I was a little girl. I would get up early and go with my mom and my grandma. We would start our day at Elder Beerman - they always gave away a $10 on $25 coupon for the first of the shoppers. Then, we would head over to the mall and would meet up with my aunt and cousin and the group that they were shopping with for lunch at the mall.

When I was a "grown up", I can remember having to work on a few Black Fridays, but that didn't stop me from heading to the store - after all, the mall opened so early in the morning, that I could shop and still get to work on time. The one year that I remember, was the year that I headed to KB Toys to get the Deluxe Scrabble game for my mom. I got there and there was a line outside of the store, I waited in it, knowing that I only needed the one item and could see that it was in the front of the store. Only catch was, that the way things were organized, you had to snake through the entire store to get to the check out. I knew that there was no way that I could wait in that line and still make it to work on time. So, as I stood in line, I pleaded my case with another shopper that was close to checkout. She agreed to put the game on her purchase and I gave her cash to pay for it and was able to avoid waiting in the long line. The only catch was that I wouldn't be able to return it, but I was fairly comfortable that my mom wouldn't want to return it.

I like to be prepared before heading to the store for Black Friday. I spend part of Thanksgiving combing the ads and determining what store is best to hit first and which ones I need to get to by a certain time. I set out my clothes and a quick breakfast to go before heading to bed on Thanksgiving night.

This year, BJ's is offering to provide 4 (four) of my readers with a Black Friday survival kit.

    BJ’s Wholesale Club is kicking off this holiday shopping season by offering major savings for Black Friday on its wide selection of top quality, name-brand products, including gifts you may be surprised to find! We all know that Black Friday isn’t all fun and games as proper preparation leads to less headaches and optimum savings!

    From snacks to keep your energy up to hot drinks to stay warm while waiting in line, items included in BJ’s Black Friday Survival Kits will get [you] ready for the busiest shopping day of the year! [They]’ve also included multiple items to help plan your shopping strategy, like Black Friday tips directly from [their] Facebook fans and BJ’s complete Black Friday coupon book to use in-Club. The coupon book contains tremendous savings on the newest technology for TV’s (think 3D!), electronics like notebook computers, wireless printers and touch screen cameras, and small appliances from a digital convection toaster oven to a 20-bottle wine cellar! If you’re not a BJ’s member, don’t worry – [they]’ll include a free 60-Day trial membership, too.

    In addition, one lucky winner will receive a surprise “hidden gem” in BJ’s Black Friday Survival Kit: a unique item guaranteed to provide relaxation after the stresses of Black Friday!

Giveaway
To enter: Leave a comment sharing your favorite Black Friday memories.

Additional Entries (leave a comment for each additional entry):

Follow A Busy Mom of Two and BJ's Wholesale on Twitter.

Tweet about this giveaway. This can be done once daily, please be sure to leave a link to the tweet in your comment.

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Giveaway will remain open until November 18th at 6 am and is open to residents of US only. Winners will be selected using Random.org random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (Please make sure that your email address is either in your comment or clearly visible on your profile or blog) and will have 18 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. (Has to be quick, so that the Black Friday Survival Kits can be sent to you in time for Black Friday!)

"Headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. is a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States." You can also find BJ's Wholesale on Twitter and Facebook.

No compensation was received for this post. BJ's Wholesale is providing me with a Black Friday Survival Kit, as well as four to giveaway to A Busy Mom of Two readers. All opinions shared are solely my own.

42 comments:

Patti P said... 1

Last year was my first black friday shopping ( man was i Missing out), I also didnt check the weather. So off I went with flip flops, jeans, T and a jacket ... We got 2 inches of snow that morning ..enough said:( Taking my boots this year

bettycd said... 2

We were military and when stationed overseas, shopping was out of catalogs or via kind and supportive family. Playing catchup with BlackFriday sales when we were back in the states was sweet.

bettycd said... 3

following blog on twitter
bettycd

bettycd said... 4

following BJs on twitter
bettycd

bettycd said... 5

tweeted
http://twitter.com/bettycd/status/3923346014076928

eclairre said... 6

i always go with my sister, mom, and friend so it is always great girls fun!

Anonymous said... 7

I remember a large tv box, a small car, and lots of twine holding that huge box in place.... Ohhhh that was an adventure!
Jen


Jbs813 at gmail dot com

Tiferoonie said... 8

We go to the outlets near our house for black Friday. We always have a wonderful time no matter how crazy it gets.

Jennifer said... 9

Everytime I see how long the lines are...I leave, and go to Starbucks! LOL

Jennifer said... 10

I subscribe via e-mail!

debbielynne said... 11

My dad was at Wal-Mart in the cold in the middle of the night to get me a laptop, which he got.

cathy said... 12

pushing my now deceased gma in a wheel chair at 4am

myerscathy [at] hotmail [dot] com

cathy said... 13

follow on twitter
myerscathy [at] hotmail [dot] com

cathy said... 14

email subscriber
myerscathy [at] hotmail [dot] com

sarah said... 15

The best memory of black Friday is my mom and i getting up super early to go shopping. I just love the kick off to the Christmas season! We would also stop for lunch. I really treasure those memories with my mom, and someday I want to make those memories with my girls.

sarah06@mail2world.com

Miranda R. 7-8 said... 16

My favorite memory is sitting outside and drinking hot cocoa and making new friends as I wait for the stores to open up.

Jay said... 17

We laugh about hubby and bro in law going to get cheap price on sd card now they are so cheap.
rbjj32825[at]lycos[dot]com

jpkittie said... 18

I remember shopping with bff and having to use walkie talkies because the year before our phones wouldn't work inside the walmart! Good times :)

thanks for the chance

jpkittie315 at hotmail dot com

Christy said... 19

My favorite black friday memory is always going with my mom and sister!

Christy said... 20

Following your blog on twitter!

Laura said... 21

My favorite Black Friday memories are when my mom, cousin and I would brave the crowds at Toys R Us! I can't believe how crazy people can get that day! (or should I say night)
Laura
tcgirl11(at)yahoo(dot)com

Laura said... 22

I follow both on twitter @tcgirl11
Laura
tcgirl11(at)yahoo(dot)com

Laura said... 23

I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/#!/tcgirl11/status/4516532893786112
Laura
tcgirl11(at)yahoo(dot)com

Laura said... 24

I'm subscribed to e-mails
Laura
tcgirl11(at)yahoo(dot)com

jodi said... 25

I went out last year hugely pregnant and scored a princess vanity/piano for my daughter. Then I waited in line to check out fir close to an hour and had to make three separate trips to the restroom!

Jodibanocy at gmail dot com

Thanks!

Lacey said... 26

Oh, I have so many great Black Friday memories! I go every year, either with my sisters, or with my sisters-in-law (depending on which side of the family we're with for Thanksgiving). We grab a hot drink and head out in the wee hours of the morning (er, night?). Can't wait!

Unknown said... 27

One year hubby and I took our boys with us to walmart so we put them in a cart with their pillows and blanket on any other day we would have looked like hobos lol

Unknown said... 28

I subscribed

BeckyK said... 29

My favorite memories was from last year- spent the day with my sisters and mom and had a lot of fun!

Anne said... 30

I never shop on Black Friday, or only online anyway. My favorite memory is making gingerbread houses with the kids while everyone else shops.
ajolly1456 at gmail dot com

Anne said... 31

I subscribe by email
ajolly1456 at gmail dot com

Anne said... 32

I tweeted
http://twitter.com/lunaj1456/status/5005672395579392

Mary S. said... 33

My favorite black friday memory is from last year. I shopped online as soon as I woke up. It was great to be getting in the shower in the morning and already half way done with my Christmas shopping. A survival pack would be the perfect motivation to actually get me out of bed early this year.

hardms3 at yahoo dot com

Rebecca said... 34

One of my favorite black friday memory is when me, my mom, and my daughter, took my daughter black friday shopping for the first time! She was so little, but loved watching all the people! :)

rebeccamorgan@bzzingmom.com

Anonymous said... 35

My biggest Memory of black friday was popcorn tins on sale for 2.50 that was 18 cents off normal price. All these older ladies were fighting over them tins flying and no one ended up with any they were mangled.

Ashley said... 36

It's a tradition for me and my mom to go Black Friday shopping together every year.

hewella1 at gmail dot com

Heather said... 37

My biggest Memory of black friday was popcorn tins on sale for 2.50 that was 18 cents off normal price. All these older ladies were fighting over them tins flying and no one ended up with any they were mangled.
this is a duplicate post I posted before and hit anonymous instead of google

Heather said... 38

follow on twitter guitargirlut

Deanna said... 39

fave memory: my brother getting pushed by a buddhist monk at Circuit City so we could get the Simpsons complete season 8 on DVD. HA HA
deannalw47 @ hotmail.com
xoxoxo

Deanna said... 40

daily updates on my google reader!
deannalw47 @ hotmail.com
xoxoxo

Sippy Cup Mom said... 41

I worked in retail for 8 years and remember one year working in Toys. I remember the floor shaking as people and carts started running for the back of the store. It was a huge rumbling!

phxbne said... 42

my first one - 4am at Best Buy for a Nintendo DS