When you think of Black Friday, do you immediately picture crowds of crazed shoppers shoving each other into carefully stacked product towers? Men and women trampled underfoot, begging for help as the merciless horde overtook them.

Essentially, the Apocalypse, but with trolleys and toilet paper? You’re not alone. We’ve all seen the footage, lived through the carnage, and don’t want to do it again. With a few simple tweaks, preparations, and things to avoid, sidestepping the madness is entirely possible and, dare I say it, effortless. 

Don’t forego the research. 

I can hear the huffing and puffing already but humor me a moment. The internet, our dear friend and ever-present companion, is a literal encyclopedia of information, and not using it to its full potential seems like pure foolishness. There are several helpful shopping tools to compare and check the total price of items before you believe the discount stickers and promotional emails. It’s no secret that retailers fiddle with costs to make them seem lower during Black Friday sales, so don’t be fooled. Plan, make lists (even if you’re not the list type), find out the original value of products, compare at different stores and never jump at the very first option.

Additionally, make lists of items you need and want. Things you need can be addressed first, and the wants second if you find yourself running out of time, price, and compare the essential or time-sensitive purchases to start. Knowing how to prioritize will save you a lot of hassle and may even prevent you from missing out on something you need, only to be left with something you want.

Don’t forget social media. 

If you’ve never done it before, it might seem strange to follow brands and retailers on social media, but it’s a smart move. For Black Friday 2021, find your favorites on social media and check out the big (and small) brands’ offers and discounts leading up to the big day. There may be something not advertised on the website or an early launch for followers and subscribers only. There are also often last-minute and flash sales on their social pages, so look out for special discount codes, coupons, and vouchers, some of which will extend the weekend into Cyber Monday. 

Don’t go at it by yourself.

Everyone knows shopping with friends is twice the fun, but it can also be practical, time and money-saving, and can spare you the horror of fighting off the crazies alone. Compiling your lists can also help you divide and conquer, with each of you taking specific items on different sides of the store or tackling other websites. Whether you love a brick-and-mortar shop or prefer home safety, having a friend to back you up is not only sensible but necessary.

If you’re so inclined, you can make a day of it indoors! Avoid the shops and stay home, armed with laptops, a steady internet connection, and snacks to start a yearly tradition of saving money and spending time with people you like. 

Don’t overlook your online accounts.

When it comes to online shopping, things are mostly smoother than the malls and stores, but as you’ve probably experienced a time, websites have their failings. You’ve probably felt the aggravation of having a website crash on you, or your order disappear before you had time to check out or even save the items to your Wishlist (the horror!), and the simple solution to that has a store account.

Yes, it can seem like a waste, especially if you’re going to be shopping there “just this one time,” but you’ll have to enter all that information later anyway and possibly risk missing those delicious Black Friday sales, so why not? Having an account also means you’ll get access to member-only deals, early launches, and possibly lower prices, so again, I ask you, why not?

The name of the game is, in a word, preparation. If you fail to plan, you plan to die, and spending a little extra time before the significant discounts hit getting yourself ready will ensure you look back on Black Friday with only fond memories and plenty of cash to spare.