by Dr. Charles Alonzo Peters
I’ve never really gotten the point of leaving the comfort of home to trek out in early morning darkness to stand in line for a Black Friday sale. The frigid cold weather itself is enough for me to turn the covers over and fall back asleep in my warm bed. Maybe it’s the fact I don’t like shopping in crowded stores or the long lines. Perhaps my Black Friday game just isn’t that tight. Whatever the reason I’d rather spend the day with family feasting on Thanksgiving left-overs and watching football and DVDs than fighting for deals.
Yet each year millions of Americans undergo the holiday ritual. Awake early. Brave the cold. Battle the crowds. All in an attempt to bring home the prized jewel – that $199 game system, $29.95 digital camera, or $195 laptop.
I have plenty of relatives who dance to the Black Friday shuffle, and I have to admit, sometimes they do bring home some astonishing bargains. To them the thrill of the hunt is well worth it. Some of the upcoming Black Friday deals do look enticing. Time magazine blog’s list of the 20 Best Black Friday Deals (link: https://money.blogs.time.com/2010/11/19/black-friday-20-reasons-to-get-up-early-and-fight-the-crowds/) is worth a look – $298 40in LCD HDTV at Target, Dyson Vacuum Cleaner for $219.99 at Sears, and Garmin nuvi GPS for $99.99 at Best Buy to name a few.
But at what cost a bargain? How much more money is spent on items other than the special deals. Is it worth spending a precious day off fighting crowds of people you don’t know. A day that could be spent instead with family and friends, many of whom you may not have seen in an entire year.
Standing in line to find the store only has four of the specially advertised thing a mig jigs or the fact that your treasured deal could have been purchased on line for five dollars less would make me hot.
Maybe it’s a man thing. I may just not get the allure, the thrill of the tracking down an insanely good deal. Perhaps I don’t realize how much money you can save.
BMWK. What do you think? Is Black Friday a retailer sham or a true opportunity to find great bargains. If you’re a Black Friday ace, what are some of your best tips for dealing with the crowds and scoring the best deals.