Black Friday Shopping – Deal or No Deal?

I’m not a Black Friday Shopper.  I’d rather have a root canal than go up against a Black Friday Sale.  I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and relaxing and have never understood why people choke down the Thanksgiving meal they spent hours cooking to hurry up and go shopping with a bunch of rude, pushy people.

I know you remember hearing the same stories I did about the people who literally trampled other people just to get a deal.  I read an article that said people who wait in line for Black Friday act like it’s the opening moments of The Hunger Games  and had to laugh because that’s so true.

People think they’re getting a good deal on Black Friday, but are they really?  According to a study by Decide Inc., a lot of items that we think are being deeply discounted on Black Friday are actually cheaper to buy at other times of the year.

Decide tracked prices for several different popular consumer items online for a two year period and some of their findings were surprising and some were very predictable. It was no surprise that UGG Boots were cheapest in June and July when most people are wearing flip flops and sandals or that items like blenders and mixers got cheaper as Christmas Day approached.  But did you know that items like jewelry and watched actually get more expensive as Black Friday approaches?  Stores will discount those items so that you think you’re getting a deal when in reality you’re just paying what you’d pay in other times of the year.

A lot of stores will advertise a deep discount on an item and then will say in small print that only X number is available per store.  Say there are 200 people in line and only 10 TVs.  That means 190 people are gonna be angry.  And we know how angry people react! I say no deal.

Is Black Friday worth it?  As long as we keep lining up at the stores for the “deals” I guess stores will keep opening earlier and earlier.  I’m all for a good deal and will be the first to clip coupons and comparison shop, but think logically friends!  Is it really worth it?  50 years from now will you remember that TV you picked up for $100 or will you wish that maybe you’d spent a little more time making special memories with those you love?