The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

5 Tips to Help You Survive Black Friday





Black Friday is the biggest shopping holiday of the year, which means massive crowds and long lines. So how do you avoid the Black Friday craziness and still get the best gifts for everyone on your list? Follow me to Marshalls, of course! This holiday season, I've teamed up with one of my favorite stores to bring you my best gifting tips as I take on each week's mission, which I'm also sharing on Twitter and Instagram with hashtag #TheGifter. Last week I was challenged to find gift ideas for hard-to-shop friends. Tackling this week's mission, "Black Friday", here are my tips for scoring the best gifts on this busy shopping day:

(p.s. What are your strategies for managing Black Friday mania? Share your finds on social media with using hashtag #TheGifter to be entered to win a $500 TJX gift card, with one winner being selected each week!)

Off the Rack: Holiday Decor at Target


Target holiday decor

Oh, Target. You know me too well. A sequin Noel pillow; a houndstooth table runner; a monogram mug; Pottery Barn lookalike Christmas tree decorations. It's what budget-chic holiday dreams are made of. Did I buy any holiday decorations? No, but that's because my LO fusses every time I put him in his car seat, which also serves as his stroller seat. So I had to whisk him around the store quickly while making soothing car sounds ("Vroom! Vroom!" says the crazy lady.) He became suddenly quiet in the mirror aisle - apparently it's like an enchanted hall of mirrors for babies - so I carried one around with me for the duration of our visit to keep him happy. Next time I'll bring my Ergo. I ended up buying another Threshold mini mirror trio in the starburst pattern (already have the Moroccan trellis set in my half bath). I also bought a few cute things from the dollar bins in preparation for my sister's baby shower - yes, she's expecting her first and I couldn't be happier!

How are you decking the halls this season?