Black Friday - Don't Be Caught In The Dark
Friday, November 20, 2009 at 4:41PM MAD21 By Heather (Balance with Purpose)
Long after turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes make you want to take a nap and hours after the final touchdown is thrown on Thanksgiving Day, retailers everywhere open their doors to the millions of people who are courageous enough and determined enough to brave stores in the hopes to get their hands on the perfect Christmas presents at the lowest prices ANYWHERE. Did you hear me? I said “lowest prices anywhere” and I’ll add, “It’s the last time you’ll see those prices or that one special gift.”
Okay, I’m lying, but it’s for the greater good. Let me be the first to tell you, friends, don’t believe everything you see on television or everything you read in the paper, including those pretty, glossy flyers that will arrive bright and early this Sunday.
Especially not those pretty, glossy flyers!!
Here’s the deal. I am not going to tell you not to go shopping with your mom or your best friend or your wife or husband next Friday. I would never do that. Go. Have fun. Continue traditions. Make new traditions.
Just don’t believe the flyers, unless you are willing to read the fine print. If you don’t believe me, read this. It tells you all the “dirty secrets.”
I don’t shop on Black Friday. Yeah, I know. You’re thinking I’m no fun at all, aren’t you? I’ll give you fun. I would rather go to the Turkey Burn at my local gym than shop on Black Friday. (Seriously, I do that and I have last year’s T-shirt to prove it.)
Here are my guidelines for your Black Friday shopping:
- Do not take a list of things you plan to buy on Black Friday. Impulse buy all day. It will be fun!
- Go extra early so that you can stand in the long lines before the doors even open. That will be really cool. Especially if you live north of Tennessee.
- Go with lots of people who all have different agendas. (Guys, you should definitely try to tag along with your wife and her mother.)
- Make sure you have your heart set on something big that you saw in the flyer. Even if the store runs out of that perfect gift at the more-than-perfect price, the store will get one in for you. For sure!!
If I’ve scared you away from the “fun” and “coolness” of Black Friday, here are some of the things I enjoy on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
- Leftovers, including the pecan pie I was too stuffed to eat the day before.
- Help my husband with online bargains. (The best part of Black Friday shopping for me is that they offer many great deals in the comfort of my own home – but be careful of the fine print.)
- Turkey Burn at the local gym, so that I can eat leftovers (see above).
- All day movie marathons in front of a fire with my kids.
- Movie break to put up the Christmas tree.
Whatever your plans for Black Friday, I want to wish everyone a very, Happy Thanksgiving! I pray that you all have much to be thankful for this year.
Heather Sunseri is a Christian, wife and mother of two young children. She has worked as a CPA for the past 15 years for thoroughbred horse farms and in public accounting in Central Kentucky. She spends her free time as an inspirational writer and enjoys the little things in life from long bike rides in the country to homemade pizza and family game night.
Black Friday, Finances, Financial in Finances
Reader Comments (13)
Getting up at 2am to NOT get the item I want on black Friday is part of the incredible fun of the season!
I truly love it!
I've braved 'Black Friday' a few times and don't plan on doing it again... at least not in the near future!
Thanks for the great advice and laughter this post provided, Heather.
Peter, how does one get up at 2am? Why go to bed if you're going to get up at 2am? You should just stay up. And be miserable, I might add. Of course, I've seen the pictures. I realize I might be alone in this opinion. Well, me AND Bridget (see above).
I enjoy some parts of Black Friday: Specifically the deals on holiday decor and small gifts (like $5 DVDs!). But I usually go to Target and then decide I'd rather be home eating leftovers.
I'm with you Heather, I'd choose pecan pie over Black Friday shopping any day :)
In my opinion, no deal is worth the Black Friday crowds. But that's just me:) I plan on enjoying the long weekend, leftovers, and friends and family. Happy Thanksgiving!
Okay, I'll be skipping the shopping and watching the movies and putting up the tree instead. Much more enjoyable to me. :)
I love your # 4 of what you do on black Friday. Movie marathon in front of the fire with kids. Do you watch Christmas movies too?
Too bad we don't have black Friday in Canada. Might have to adopt that idea for a different day in December with mine.
Eileen - yes, we watch Christmas movies, Harry Potter marathon, Star Wars marathon. It depends on the mood or what is on TV already.
I'm a fan of sleeping in on Black Friday. My husband worked with a company that wanted to sell bagels starting at 2:30 am. Nobody was hungry and the stores gave away food, so it didn't turn out so well.
Found you through katdish (via twitter). So glad I'm not alone on this! Remember last year reading in the news about people being trampled to death by hoardes of shoppers pushing their way into a Walmart when the doors opened? They kept going. It's sickening.
I didn't exactly write about Black Friday specifically, but last night I wrote a bit about the culture of it that comes out stronger and stronger at this time of year. If you're interested, click on over to read. It's the post titled 'tilt-o-whirl'.
I remember that, Elizabeth. It saddens me as well to see people treat each other with so little respect all to save a buck. I really am fine with people keeping traditions and saving a few dollars if they keep it fun in the spirit of Christmas to shop on Black Friday. But the stories from last year really do fuel my dislike for Black Friday. I wish everyone safety and Christmas spirit if they venture out on that cold, dark morning. It's like what they tell gamblers, "When it stops being fun, you're got a problem." Or something like that.
I like the stay at home and eat the leftovers!!!