Welcome to Day One of A Taste of Thanksgiving! Today is all about Black Friday.

I have been a Black Friday enthusiast for as long as I can remember. When I was a much younger lady, I loved to hit the mall for “Midnight Madness” and scour the racks for shoes, clothes, and accessories.

This all changed after I discovered couponing. Now I only focus on the drugstores. I find that by combining deals, coupons, and rebates, I’m able to bring home tons and tons of goodies for mere pennies.

Naturally, this kind of shopping doesn’t just come together by accident and it’s not for the casual shopper. If you want the most stuff for the least money, some inconveniences will have to be endured—getting up super-early, facing the crowds, etc.

I start 2-3 weeks in advance and put my lists together once the ads are leaked online. The info is posted on many blogs and websites, but I do things a bit differently, listing every sale item that offers 100% rebate in numerical order from cheapest to most expensive. By doing that, I can break my items into multiple transactions.

Here is an example of my CVS list for 11/27-11/29:

Hershey’s single candy, 1.4 oz, on sale $0.79 with a $0.79 ECB

Orbit gum, 14 ct, on sale $1.00 with a $1.00 ECB  

Viva Vantage paper towels single roll, on sale $1.99 with a $1.99 ECB

Gum Supreme toothbrush, 2 ct, on sale $2.00 with a $2.00 ECB

CVS alkaline batteries, 4 pk, on sale $4.19 with a $4.19 ECB

(I do 5 transactions, rolling the bucks as I go along.)

This is a short list because CVS does a 2-part ad during Thanksgiving week. I will start on Sunday with the first round of deals, and then go again on Thursday morning. (Yes, I did say Thursday; I shop on the holiday, right when the doors open at 7:00 AM.) If I’m still standing, I will shop for a third time on Saturday. Basically, I devote the entire week to nothing but shopping and cooking.

After my list is complete, I look through my stash of insert coupons and printables. Often, there will be ones that work into the deals and freebies can become moneymakers.

I do the same thing for Rite Aid & Walgreens that I do for CVS, but those stores are more difficult. You can’t use UP Rewards until the following day, so the out-of-pocket cost will be higher. Walgreens limits each person to a maximum of 20 transaction per day when using Register Rewards. Also, keep in mind that a Register Reward is issued by the company, not the product. If you buy Cover Girl which is made by P&G and use the reward to buy Crest, you will not get another reward!

If this sounds confusing, start small. Look at the lists online and pick only a few deals that you need/want. I try to get everything, but there’s no guarantee. Sometimes items aren’t in stock, or another couponer beats me to it—even on Thanksgiving morning! Just do the best you can, and try to remember that it’s supposed to be fun.

Common sense things to remember, but worth noting:

1.  Get a good night sleep. If you’re overtired, it’s much harder to face a multiple-store coupon marathon.

2.  Eat breakfast and drink at least 1 cup of coffee. You want to be full and focused.

3.  Plan! I plan down to the smallest detail, well in advance for Black Friday. I have a separate envelope for each drugstore that contains a corresponding list and coupons.

4.  At the store, follow the rules. Take notice of limits and don’t use extra rewards cards. Ask an employee which register is set aside for those shoppers doing huge hauls. Try not to make a chaotic situation worse.

5.  Schedule breaks. Especially important if you’re doing multiple stores. Take a break in between. Go home if you live close by, or sit in the parking lot for a breather. I always pack bottled water, energy shots, and a snack.

6.  Don’t bring kids or significant others. I can’t stress this one enough! Unless your loved one is also an extreme couponer, they will either slow you down or beg you to leave. Shop alone for the best results.

So, that’s how I do Black Friday. If anyone wants to copy my lists for CVS, Rite Aid, or Walgreens, I’m happy to share. Just ask!