Hire a shopper for Black Friday

If you don't want to shop the day after Thanksgiving but don't want to miss out on the deals, here's an alternative: Get someone to shop for you.

By MSN Money Partner Nov 11, 2011 12:32PM

This post comes from Melinda Fulmer at MSN Money.

If you don't want to queue up between midnight and 4 a.m. to score the hottest Black Friday deals, a whole slew of shoppers are ready to check off your list for you.

With so many unemployed or underemployed this holiday season, more ads have been popping up on bulletin boards and in online classifieds such as Craigslist from people offering to do the standing, schlepping and wrapping for you.

"Black Friday Shopping Made Easy," exclaims one posting on Craigslist San Diego. There, this personal shopper will stand outside in the cold and pick up your doorbuster specials for a sliding fee -- between 10% and 25% of the total, depending on how much you're buying.

Another "Personal Holiday Wrapper and Shopper" in Phoenix charges a flat $50 fee to shop at a host of Black Friday stores, including Target, Toys R Us, Best Buy and Kmart. Holiday grocery shopping is a flat $30 and wrapping is $100 for up to 50 presents.

For some people offering the service, it's a way to earn a little extra money for their own gifts, while still engaging in what was a holiday tradition in years past. Post continues below.

Of course these shoppers won't guarantee that you'll get that $199 washer or dryer stocked in limited quantities at each store. And unless you are targeting the most elusive in-store deals, you're probably better off staying up late Thanksgiving night and snapping up deals online, given the large number of retailers offering free shipping this holiday season.

If you really want to do it yourself, but you can't stand the idea of dragging your kids along with you at these odd hours, one Austin, Texas-area Craigslist ad promises "Drop-In Child Care for Black Friday" at a flat overnight rate of $40.

Now that's one serious shopper who will try a new daycare provider just to score some deals.

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bargainelectronicshot dealsretailsavingsshopping

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5Comments

Best

Nov 12, 2011 9:31AM

So how's that work? You give them your credit card and they come back with it AND your big screen TV? Or better yet, do they just take your cash in advance???

Previous replies

Someone

Nov 12, 2011 6:11PM

Of course, the best way to save money at Christmas is just to plan, plan, plan before you go shopping. And make sure your gifts aren't just good for the person getting them, but serve the dual purpose of taking some of the stress out of your own Christmas. Just one of the ideas I learned from the Amazon Kindle Book "Have Yourself a Low Stress Merry Christmas".

I'll be sitting home on Black Friday planning to spend less money on things that just add stress to my Christmas and finding ways to make myself happier not poorer.

Previous replies

Windstorm1

Nov 12, 2011 11:16PM

Hiring someone is actually a great Black Friday tip, but I guess the item has to be worth it.

There are a lot more tips here: bestblackfridaysecrets.blogspot.com

For anyone that is going to brave the crowds you have to read this blog first! It has so many tips that you would never think of & I agree with the other poster about planning ahead, that is a must!

Previous replies

Everything else was taken

Nov 21, 2011 1:50AM

Didn't David send Uriah into battle on the front lines to be sure he'd get killed?

Previous replies

Jeremiah Davis (Miah28)

Nov 14, 2011 11:53AM

You don't need to worry about SAVING money ON Christmas items if you plan to spend money AT Christmas. Save small amounts for it all year long and look for deals AFTER Black Friday. My personal operation is to save 50 per pay period AUTOMATICALLY into a separate account for Christmas, so I don't have to worry about scrounging moneys together at the last minute or fighting the crowd for a special priced item. Frankly I couldn't care less about Black Friday ads, every year you hear about some poor person getting trampled, or murdered in a parking lot for a stupid christmas gift that they otherwise wouldnt get. I think Black Friday is completely irresponsible for businesses and should be illegal as it puts people in danger.

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