The Day The Minivans Ruled The Streets

[rysbrnr]

Black Friday, some people hate it, some love it. I don't usually go out shopping unless there's a kick-ass deal on something I want. This year, I needed another cheap desktop computer and a couple LCD monitors for my other computers I have.

I didn't sleep all night so I could go to Best Buy at around 3am. On the way to Best Buy saw other cars wandering the streets and it's not normal to see so many cars at 3am in CR. What made it wierd was all the cars I saw on my 7 mile drive to B.B. were minivans... ALL of them! Inside the minivas where these women driving like maniacs. They were tailgating, cutting people off, making swift lane-changes and speeding through Lindale Mall parking lot....at 3am! Could this be real? soccer moms driving like idiots??

When I got to Best Buy I was hoping to be one of the first 50 people in line. Think again... I was probably the 400-500th person! WTF?? The line started from the front door of BB and went all the way to 1st Ave near the old Ultimate Electronics building! This was 2 hours before the store even opened! I didn't think I gonna be able to get ANYthing I wanted. By the time 5am rolled around the line went ALL the way around the PERIMETER of Best Buy's parking lot! There was probably another 700-1000 people lining up BEHIND me!

By some strange chance of luck I was able to land a ticket for a desktop PC system and the LAST ticket for a 42" Plasma TV. I wasn't even planning on buying a TV but the deal was too good to pass up. If I didn't decide to take the ticket for the TV I'm sure one of the 700+ people behind me wouldn've taken it. And I still could have returned it later if I didn't want it so... "seize the opportunity" right? By the time I left BB today I had:

42" Panasonic HDTV Plasma tv
Terk HDTV off-air antenna
17" HP LCD Monitor
15" HP LCD Monitor
Canon inkjet printer
Compaq PC (1GB DDR2 RAM 250 Gb HD, AMD Athlon, CDR/DVDR with Lightscribe feature)
(2) Computer Speaker sets (left, right, subwoofer)

ALL for $1780 out the door! The Panasonic 42" Plasma alone sells for $1600 at Best Buy. The 17" LCD I paid $79, but I saw that it's normally price at $189 on a normal day. I think I came out pretty good on today's sale.

[Ricky]

holly crap thats a good deal. i got up and went to staples to get a 1g usb stick for 7 dollers

[rysbrnr]

I got two of those Sandisk Cruzer 1Gb flashes also! I had my other "scouts" at Staples get that for me. Anyone else snag some good deals this weekend?

[DustinsDuster]

i made it a point to stay home, asleep, and not make it out at all. i really didnt want to deal with all the people out there, so i just steered clear. i didnt know of any shopping i needed to get done at any of those crazy sale places, and i dont think i wouldve wanted to stand in line to get checked out for an hour even if i did...

[rysbrnr]

I hear ya on that... waiting forever just to get IN the store and forever to check OUT. This is only my second time in my life that I ever participated in this act consumerism. Imagine this though, say there was a local store that specialized in MOPAR products only and they were having a deal for 50% off stuff for the first 5 people in line... I garauntee you'd be out there waiting!

[Stutz]

I got the 12" dual subs with box and amp for $130. I had $80 still from old best buy cards that i had to use anyway so i thought y not.

[DustinsDuster]

I hear ya on that... waiting forever just to get IN the store and forever to check OUT. This is only my second time in my life that I ever participated in this act consumerism. Imagine this though, say there was a local store that specialized in MOPAR products only and they were having a deal for 50% off stuff for the first 5 people in line... I garauntee you'd be out there waiting!

probably, but i think we can both agree there wouldnt be a line going around the block for that one! theyd be lucky to have 100 people there, hehehehe.

yeah, i'd probably take a $5K loan out if Hemi crate motors were half off...

[ZacFields]

I don't know what all my parents bought yesterday, but I know one of the things they bought was a 50 inch Plasma tv with HD.

That means we get the solid oak entertainment center and the 32" tv that they had downstairs :) I'm so excited. We just bought a 27" LCD TV about a month ago so now we'll be totally set for TV's and that entertainment center is really really nice.

Maybe next year I'll get off my ass and go to best buy or something really early in the morning. Your story has inspired me to save up a few bucks and check it out next year :)

Zac

[krustindumm]

Could this be real? soccer moms driving like idiots??

They ALWAYS do. Usually it's because they aren't paying attention or are distracted, but that's who I'm looking out for when I'm driving for work.

[RandomHero]

i worked all day, i felt safe

[Stro]

I work 3rd shift so I got off work about 5:45 in the morning and it was an absolute madhouse at walmart and target on the west side of town. I went straight home and slept until 4pm.

[JustinS]

I worked for 15 hours on Friday alone, made some serious bank too. There is no way I would ever get up that early to go shopping, but to make some money I can make an exception. The day after Thanksgiving sale gets more fun every year I work it, this was by far the best as my third time. It's also nice to know that the holiday shopping has started, time to get to selling the big screens.

[DustinsDuster]

my girlfriend went out and bought a cheap MP3 player that morning that doesnt work. i feel bad for her, because its like she dealt with all that crap for a POS MP3 player...

[Drifte]

yeah dustin that happens a lot ive noticed. i also made it a point to stay in bed, i worked on the fourwheeler a little and took it easy. i dont want to deal with ignorance if i dont have to. but i amdit ive hit up bestbuy twice before for these sales.


i noticed people in line at coralridge bestbuy at 9pm thursday.