Black Friday

[kork13]

Well,
It's getting to that time of year again, so I felt it appropriate to dig up my old thread and ask what everyone will be doing for Black Friday. Is there anything out there that you deem worth standing in line for at 3am?

Personally,
I'm going to go out in the woods and hang my tree stand. The first day of deer season is the Monday after Thanksgiving here in PA.

My Black Friday plan is simple: Walk outside, ride ski lift, strap on snowboard, rinse and repeat all day. I've never really been one for black friday though. Cyber Monday..... I might consider (which Monday is it? I suppose the Monday after T-day?), simply because I can do that while sitting in my pajamas sipping cocoa.

[FrugalTexan75]

Black Friday I will be snug and cozy in my house working on school work or watching Netflix movies. I've only been out on a Black Friday once - and that was when I was assigned a temp one-day job filling in for a receptionist at a bank. I went to Walgreen's to pick up something to eat. Even at noon, it was still way too crowded for my taste.

[thesimplemoneyblog]

I used to think it was insane, but I have come to enjoy the tradition we have made it. In recent years, the mobs have been negligible at best at the stores we frequent, and many of the sales after 9 are still great anyways. It can be a good way to get some gifts purchased at a steep discount provided you only buy what you need and you strategically plan when and where you will be going. Black Friday also hasn't been much of a hassle anyways since I regularly wake up around 5 or 5:30, so getting up a little earlier isn't a problem.

The key is to search for things you were otherwise going to replace or purchase and to focus on where to get it without standing in some of the crazy lines.

[rennigade]

Only in American can people spend a part of the day with family, giving thanks for what they have, enjoying each others company THEN standing in a long line waiting to buy a toaster for a discount...all while practically running each other over, pushing, yelling and possibly getting into fights.

Ahhh the American dream.

People complain about corporate american yet the targeted audience that keeps corporate american running will be standing in line thanksgiving day. Priceless.

[SavingSweetOneL]

lol Renigade.

My plan is to ha ve a comfortable, happy day with my mom.

SweetOneL

[YLTL_Dan]

I went shopping once on Black Friday and that was at Home Depot where I bought a $125 shop vac for $25. I needed it anyway and there was obviously no rush or even lines at Home Depot. I think that's one way to handle it.

Besides that, I don't do the Black Friday thing. It's almost not even needed at this point since "Cyber Monday" deals are just as easy to find and available longer.

[frugalfarmwife]

I have to laugh, yet again this year I will be working on Black Friday, or as my husband and i are now calling it "Brown Thursday" because all of the employees are getting a *hitty deal when it comes to their schedules.

Target is starting their sales at 9pm on Thurs night, Walmart at 8pm. Sears is opening at 8pm thurs and staying open until 10pm on Fri. Kmart is opening Thurs at 6am, closing at 4pm, reopening at 8pm, closing at 3am and reopening Black Friday at 5am.

Honestly, if you ARE going out Brown Thurs/Black Fri shopping do me a favor, be nice to the employees, chances are this schedule is *crewing them out of a family holiday in some way or another.

FF

[wolfy]

I used to go shopping on Black Friday, but then it started getting earlier and earlier and that's when I decided to stop. I don't need to be in line somewhere at 3 am for anything. I don't miss dealing with the nutcases anymore. Since I am normally up around 530 anyway everyday, I'll probably just shop online and stay home with the family, and enjoy the fact we all have a 4 day weekend.

[fe2o3ez]

Go Xmas Eve Instead!

I think it is an insane tradition. I do know numerous people, however, who do it strictly for that reason - tradition.

I reserve this tradition for Christmas Eve. It started with my Dad when I was a kid. It was one of the few days he would get off each year, but he always knew exactly where he wanted to go and what he wanted to get for my Mom. I just enjoyed spending time with him and watching people go crazy.

Now 30+ years later, my Dad has passed on, but I still try to get my son out shopping with me every year. Most of the time, I have my shopping complete, but I will come up with something unusual for us to pick up, just so it gives us reason to be out and about all day. I hope someday he remembers it the way I do. As Steve said - tradition!

(of course, it was more of an adventure where I grew up in Wisconsin. Treachorous road conditions always made it more fun! We dont usually have snow and ice on Xmas Eve in Tampa. )

[kork13]

Just wanted to offer a glimmer of hope for the traditionalists... Black Friday's creep into Thanksgiving isn't going totally unnoticed -- Target's shareholders are apparently raising a ruckus about the company's decision to open at 9PM on Thanksgiving.

(Although I'm not so naïve as to think that this will actually make a difference with Target or any other company)

[SeanH]

I will be studying cell biology for a test the Monday I return to school. All this line standing craziness sounds pretty tame by comparison

[josetann]

On Friday we'll be getting ready for our Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday. I kinda wanted it on Thursday, but no one'd be able to come (it's just another day in Australia). I'll see if I can find a way to watch the Macy's Day Parade, maybe have a few ads printed just for novelty's sake, that's about it.

[MauBell0405]

I would not stand in line early in the morning to buy items on sale. I agree that it will be better to save money if you want to buy something on normal shopping day.

[JoeP]

Hell will freeze over before I go shopping on Black Friday.

Me, too. I never buy on impulse, and never look through advertisements or walk through stores in an attempt to find some sort of deal on something I don't need. Virtually every purchase is highly calculated, planned, and budgeted. I've spec'd out a computer about a year ago and still haven't pulled the trigger because it hasn't come down enough!

[Johansen8]

I will spend time with my family and just browse online to check if there;s a big sale.