Many people know the Black Friday Nightmare: Wake up at 3 AM, rush to get ready, and be there at 5. Power down some coffee on the way only to discover that they opened at Midnight! All the toys your children wanted are gone!

Pull yourself out of the cold sweat. Breathe! There’s hope.

In anticipation of the duels between customers for this year’s Black Friday deals, many stores are getting ahead of the curve. You can purchase the things as early as today at Black Friday prices. No stress. No mess. No coffee fit in the middle of Electronics over a PS3. You can be ready for Christmas without the Black Friday stress.

The stories of trampled employees are true. Black Friday mobs are among the most aggressive in the mob species. This picture was sourced from maggiemcneill.wordpress.

Now comes the thrill of the hunt! Search Google for that special toy. Hit Amazon.com early for that book you’ve been dying to read. If you’re not big on internet purchases, don’t be afraid to ask the managers at your favorite stores! Ask them at the coffee shop if they sell the bottles of flavored syrup that goes in your coffee. See if there’s a way for you to buy a little display case of cookies, candy bars, or another guilty pleasure. Find out about an eReader, what kinds of eReaders are inexpensive, and how much money you’d save on books. You may be surprised at their answers!

Here, Santa’s little helpers (warehouse employees) package merchandise bought on Cyber Monday– Black Friday’s more docile sister. This photo is sourced from CNN, where you can find tons of stuff related to elves.

Actually talking to the people who manage the businesses you buy from can be an incredible benefit. Most often, managers “get to” deal with complaints. If they get the chance to help a customer with actual questions that only they can answer, it’s usually a relief! They’re much more inclined and able to help you than most employees!

Imagine the absence of stress that fateful Friday morning. All your shopping is done. Put yourself in your favorite chair, with the book you’ve been dying to read. It all sounds like a lot of work to do your searching and shopping ahead of time. However, time is money. Are you going to spend it elbow to elbow with frantic shoppers greedy for your prize?! Or, are you going to save your own time, and stress, while still saving money?

The real deals are out there. The ones on Black Friday are for everybody, and anybody can compete over them. Get out there and find your deals! It’s better that way, for you.