Plan Ahead
- Make a list of the items you would like to get.
- Take advantage of all of the flyers from where you plan on shopping. This will give you an idea of what will actually be going on sale.
- Now list the items you want, that are going to be going on sale. I would recommend organizing the list based on importance and which items will sell out the fastest.
Research
- Once again, take advantage of the flyers. Look at both the ones that come from places you are planning on shopping at and the ones that are competitors to those places. Many stores will have the same things on sale, and this will help you find out which one is really going to have the best prices.
- When you have an idea of what you want, look up the current prices of those items so you can compare them to the sale prices. This will help you decide if the sale price is actually worth it, or if it may be better to just wait.
- If you are shopping in-store, make sure you know the layout of the places you plan on going to (especially if it is a place you do not visit often). You should also find out what time the sales will start where you plan on shopping.
- For online shoppers, you should figure out which sites you plan on using. Have your account all set up and your payment information ready to go. Make sure you know if the site has any specials (discount codes, free shipping, etc) beforehand. Some sites have special benefits if you are a new customer. You should also check to see if they have a newsletter or online flyers.
Additional In-Store Shopping Tips
- SLEEP! After you have done all of the planning and researching and you have enjoyed a day full of food and family, make sure to get some sleep. The sales start early (ridiculously early if you ask me) so make sure to set an alarm to help you wake up if you plan on waiting in line or going as soon as the sales begin.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Some people get a little crazy on Black Friday. Every year there are reports of fights breaking out and people getting trampled in crowds. Also, make sure to be more aware while in parking lots. These sales bring out a lot of people, which means more people rushing around in and out of cars which could lead to accidents.
- Please refrain from taking your small children. Big crowds full of grumpy people who have not had much sleep and/or are hungover. Do you really think that is the best place for your kids to be? Not to mention how much easier it can be to lose them.
Additional Online Shopping Tips
- I would tell you to sleep, but there's not much of a point.
- Most sales start at 12am EST. Make sure that if you do not live in the EST areas you adjust for your time.
- Be prepared to deal with overwhelmed sites. Some online stores will go down or become incredibly slow due to the sudden amount of visitors.
- Be smart and quick. Popular items sell out very fast, so if you are trying to take advantage of the sales AND meet free shipping requirements, you need to know exactly what you want (remember the plan from earlier) and check out quickly. What I like to do is have some items that I need to get or I was already planning on getting saved in my cart (some carts have a save for later option). When the sales start, I add the stuff I want the most and try to check out asap. If I need more to meet a free shipping requirement, I add something from the saved later area.
- Speaking of free shipping requirements, why not just avoid them? Amazon Prime and Walmart+ both offer free trials. Amazon Prime members also get to have access to deals before non-members and even get some deals that are only available to those with a Prime membership.
- Don't just spend, earn as well. There are several sites that you can use to earn cash back from almost all of your shopping. (I'll provide some links at the bottom)
- Unlike a lot of online stores, Amazon slowly releases items throughout the
dayweekend. Look ahead and make a note of when the items you want will be available. They also tend to have most of the same deals that Walmart has. If you miss out on something you wanted from Walmart, keep an eye on what Amazon has scheduled.
Helpful links and Addons
- *Swagbucks: You can earn cashback from the most popular online stores and by buying gift cards. This is also a great site for everyday use. You earn "Swagbucks" that you can redeem for gift cards, charitable donations, or Paypal deposits by taking surveys, watching videos, and shopping. I have been using this site for several years and can promise you it is legit and their customer service is very nice.
- *Honey: Honey is a site that helps you find discount codes and pays you cash back for your purchases. On some sites, it helps you find the cheapest price for an item. They also have an addon for Chrome.
- *Ebates: This is probably the most popular cash-back site. They also have addons for both Chrome and Firefox.
- *Compare book prices at FindBookPrices.com
- *Compare movie prices at GetDVDPrices.com
- *Compare music prices at GetCDPrices.com
- *Keep up with Black Friday news and flyers with BlackFriday.com
The most important thing to remember when shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday:
Here is the unbelievable yet true story of Sybil Dorsett, a survivor of terrible childhood abuse who as an adult was a victim of sudden, mysterious blackouts. What happened during those blackouts has made Sybil's experience one of the most famous psychological cases in the world. (Goodreads)
The narrative in Sybil is quite unsettling. The abuse that was supposedly done by the mother is completely appalling. I also found the relationship between Sybil and Dr. Wilber to be troubling. I was aware of the controversy surrounding this case and did my best to avoid focusing on any of the issues that had already been highlighted while reading the book.
However, it was just obvious at certain points in this book that something sinister was going on. I wholeheartedly agree with those who think Dr. Wilber abused the circumstance to further her own interests.
Did Sybil truly suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder? I don't think that is the case. However, I do feel that she was a profoundly troubled individual who needed both assistance and attention (I also do believe that DID is a very real condition).
The novel was genuinely well written despite everything else. The fact that so many people believed every word is a testament to that fact.
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5
Book Information: Goodreads
Author Information: Goodreads
1. Russian Roulette 4/5
2. Lucky Girl 3/5
3. Bad Dracula 3/5
4. Sunny Afternoon 4/5
5. Fool 2/5
6. Some Love 4/5
7. My Dear 3/5
I have always thought of Red Velvet as the perfect combination of SNSD and f(x). They have almost everything that makes f(x) special with the glossiness of SNSD. For this mini album, they have pushed themselves closer to the f(x) side of the spectrum. However, most of the songs feel like they are lacking an extra spark of something that keeps them from being easily forgettable.
Overall rating: ★★★☆☆ 3.3/5
A teenage misfit named Hawthorn Creely inserts herself in the investigation of missing person Lizzie Lovett, who disappeared mysteriously while camping with her boyfriend. Hawthorn doesn't mean to interfere, but she has a pretty crazy theory about what happened to Lizzie. In order to prove it, she decides to immerse herself in Lizzie's life. That includes taking her job... and her boyfriend. It's a huge risk — but it's just what Hawthorn needs to find her own place in the world. (Goodreads)
The book's summary and title are much more intriguing than the actual content of the book. The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett makes you think that Hawthorn will be finding out all these lies surrounding Lizzie. Instead, this book is more centered on Hawthorn growing up from an extremely self-centered and slightly bizarre teenager to one who is able to accept herself and the world around her. All of the characters are annoying and cliche and the story spends so much time going nowhere. I had to force myself to finish it.
"When Althea Leary abandons her nine-year-old son, Jasper, he’s left on his uncle’s farm with nothing but a change of clothes and a Bible.
It’s 1952, and Jasper isn’t allowed to ask questions or make a fuss. He’s lucky to even have a home and must keep his mouth shut and his ears open to stay in his uncle’s good graces. No one knows where his mother went or whether she’s coming back. Desperate to see her again, he must take matters into his own hands. From the farm, he embarks on a treacherous search that will take him to the squalid hideaways of Detroit and back again, through tawdry taverns, peep shows, and gambling houses.
As he’s drawn deeper into an adult world of corruption, scandal, and murder, Jasper uncovers the shocking past still chasing his mother—and now it’s chasing him too." - Goodreads
Right from the beginning it draws you in and makes you want to know what is really going on. Why would a mother abandon her son? Over the course of the book, you slowly learn the truth of what has happened and why in a way that makes it feel like you have been there with Jasper the entire time.
I think D. M. Pulley did a wonderful job with both the world creation and characters. Everyone is believable. The majority of the book is very well written, but I did have some issues with the last half. I am not sure if it was just rushed or if something went wrong with editing, but there were a few parts that felt disjointed or like something important had been cut out. Other than that, this was a very good book.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving an eARC from Netgalley.
Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3.5/5
Book Information: Goodreads
Author Information: Goodreads, Official Site, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
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