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Black Friday can be hard so here are some Black Friday survival tips to get you through it. Black Friday is an informal name for the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. This is where lots of stores offer huge discounts leading into the Christmas shopping season. The event began as a US tradition but has spread across the world with everyone wanting to bag a Black Friday deal.

Sensory Nightmare

But for some of us, Black Friday is a Sensory Nightmare. Those of us with sensory processing difficulties struggle with shopping on a quiet day so the thought of Black Friday is a nightmare.

Imagine going shopping on the busiest day of the year. People are bashing into you. It’s crowded and noisy with an abundance of unusual smells. Because of all this extra sensory input, those strip lights seem brighter than ever before!

We’ve all seen the NAS Too Much Information Video where the kid goes into the shopping centre?

I couldn’t think of a worse environment to be in!

But then we miss out on the sales

So What Can We Do?

If you’re brave enough to go to the Black Friday Sales be prepared!

Public transport and parking are also going to be much busier than usual on Black Friday. You may find a taxi or an Uber would be better than the bus or trying to park.

Sensory Kit

Take a sensory kit including things like:

• Ear defenders
• Vibes
• Music
• Sunglasses
• Chewigems
• Fidget Toys
• Food and water

Have A Plan

• Know where the nearest exits are if it all gets too much
• Find somewhere quiet in advance that you can escape to
• Prepare for the days after Black Friday to be self-care days where you rest, relax and reset your system

What’s The Alternative?

What’s The Alternative?

Shop online!

There are still some great deals to be had online. At Chewigem we like to offer the best deals we can on Black Friday. Our deals run all the way to Cyber Monday too, which gives you more time to browse for the things you want. Plus you can do it in your PJ’s whilst drinking a brew!

But it is still worth being prepared.

Our tips are:

• Make a list of all the things you want in order of importance
• Start at the top so that the chances of missing something you really want is  lessened
• Remember most things are returnable within 28 days 
• If you miss a deal try not to worry, everyone misses deals on Black Friday
• Once you’ve finished your shopping reward yourself with some self-care to relax

Conclusion

When it comes to Black Friday it’s worth thinking about it in terms of energy accounting. If you push yourself to go to physical shops but don’t have the energy to get through the shopping you won’t gain anything, in fact, you’ll end up with an energy deficit. If you stay at home and shop online some of the deals may not be as great as in-store but you can manage your energy and avoid sensory overload.

I hope that these Black Friday survival tips have helped you be ready to weather the storm. For more tips and tricks why not check out Lorraine’s video below!