[AMS]

With a friend? By yourself? Tag team? Divide and conquer? How do you go about it?

My vote is to shop via on-line, but I am being outvoted. I need some great tips as last year our strategey was not good.

Can two really cover more ground then one? Do you go to the same store, each gather up two of each item and wait in separate lines trying to determine who will get to the register first? Or does one gather all while the other sits in line from the beginning?
Do you shop alone, skipping the crazy lines? Or is the maddness what drives you?

[kar522]

If the weather is decent (I live in the Iowa boonies)...I wait until late morning/early afternoon to venture out...I figure if something's gone, someone else wanted/needed it more than I did...Luckily, out where we live, most of the Walmart Early Bird stuff is still around by the time I get there...I guess that's one advantage of living in a county with 16,000 people.

Otherwise I baby-sit the grandkids in exchange for their folks getting me what's on my list or watch for even better sales a week or two down the line...or online...

[BlueTDimly]

Last year I went out with my FIL and just told him to buy everything I bought, then I paid him back for everything afterwards

I don't know if I'm going to get him to go to both CompUSA at midnight and out at 5 AM to the other stores this year

[cron]

I usually drag a sibling along if they're in town. It's more fun killing time during the wait in lines. Plus you can actually split up and pickup up items in a store faster.

[ladybugs227]

My sister and I go out every year, it's our tradition. We split up, grab everything that's on our list, then meet up via walkie-talkies. We almost never miss out on anything. We usually just do all the BF shopping at Wal-Mart, and pricematch the other sales.

I'd say always go with someone who won't hold you back and split up.

Sometimes, we drop off my Mom at Target or Best Buy, while we head to Wal-Mart. It's good to work in groups. The more people the better, I think.

[[Staples]Guru]

Divide and conquer...

My group of CC friends will over run CompUSA

[VivYip]

I decide which shopping center has the most stores that I want to hit and then hit them according to their opening times. I remember people mentioning that once they got the stuff they wanted from staples in-store, that they practically camped out infront of the kiosk and ordered the remainder online to get the best of both worlds (as in the laminator)

[BlueTDimly]

I hope the Staples they're building down the street from me is open by the time BF hits

The past two years I was at OD, because the lines were ridiculous in 20 degree temperatures. I'll bail on OD this year and instead just go to the local Staples and do some shopping at midnight online instead.

[NaomisCreations]

My sister and I go out every year, it's our tradition. We split up, grab everything that's on our list, then meet up via walkie-talkies. We almost never miss out on anything. We usually just do all the BF shopping at Wal-Mart, and pricematch the other sales.

I'd say always go with someone who won't hold you back and split up.

Sometimes, we drop off my Mom at Target or Best Buy, while we head to Wal-Mart. It's good to work in groups. The more people the better, I think.

That's how DH and I do this. I agree that it's good to go with others and have a plan!

The past few years, our Wal-Mart has stayed open. So we try to get there an hour before the sale starts. I make sure to bring the K-Mart and Target ads with me. While we are waiting, I'll go around and put things in the buggy that I want to price match. Last year I was able to get a bunch of video games and movies that were on sale at those two stores. If I hadn't done that I would never have gotten them. K-Mart is notorious for only getting a handful of the BF hot deal items.