9 Reasons To Make This The Year You Finally Skip Black Friday
When the day of giving thanks and eating until you might actually explode has passed, the national spotlight quickly shifts from gratitude to greed. I love a good deal as much as the next person, but this year I'm making a case for staying home on Black Friday—here's why you might want to, too.
You don’t actually need anything.
Yes, the power of Black Friday deals is almost impossible to resist, but you must ask yourself, do you really need that $600 4K HD TV that’s now only $400? Is the $450 coat that’s now only $275 something you should actually spend your money on? The answer? Probably not. Be strong, rise above, and resist the temptation.
Getting trampled simply is not worth it.
The fact that there’s a website dedicated to tracking the deaths and injuries incurred by Black Friday shopping (hey, blackfridaydeathcount.com) should be reason enough to keep you at home. Just last year, two men were stabbed at a Macy’s in Syracuse, New York.
Black Friday is for hibernation, not lines.
Pulling yourself out of a very real Thanksgiving food coma first thing Friday morning to stand in line and deal with crowds sounds—in a word—miserable. I'm usually still full from the feast and definitely not functional until lunch, at the earliest. The best recovery method is to position yourself on the couch and drift in and out of sleep until it’s time to pull out the leftovers. (After which you will resume said position.)
Black Friday might not actually have the best deals.
Retail prices gradually drop in the days leading up to Black Friday, so instead of racing to the store and subjecting yourself to one of Dante’s circles of hell, track the best price for your item across multiple retailers before pulling the trigger. You might find a better deal before or even after Black Friday. In fact, a study in 2017 tracked the prices of 94 products before and after Black Friday and found that more than 85 percent of prices were better at other times of the year.
You. Can. Shop. Online.
We live in a world where we can order groceries from our phones and have them delivered to us in two hours, which means you can absolutely shop almost every Black Friday deal from the comfort and safety of your bed. So unless you need your shiny new toy right this second, save yourself the headache and just order it online.
You shouldn’t leave your leftovers unattended.
If you go shopping, that means you’re leaving the small amount of mac and cheese you’ve been thinking about since you wrapped it up completely vulnerable. Between your brother and your uncle Bill, one of them is bound to find it. Best to play it safe and not leave the premises until all precious leftovers have been consumed…by you.
Avoid blowing your holiday wad.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of savings (have you ever watched “Extreme Couponing”?) and accidentally buy things that aren’t actually a good deal or even on sale. Save your holiday budget and easily avoid this slippery slope by spending the day on the couch, with leftovers.
Wait a day and support local businesses.
Instead of fighting the masses for deals, wait a day and hit your local shops on Small Business Saturday. This holiday started in 2010 as a way to encourage consumers to support local businesses instead of the giant corporations for post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping. You’re far more likely to find unique gifts and you can feel good about your shopping spree knowing you’ve supported your community. (Fun fact: According to American Express, approximately 67 cents of every dollar you spend at a local shop stays in the community!)
Spend your time, not your money.
Just because the holiday for giving thanks is in the rearview mirror doesn’t mean you should stop being thankful. Getting quality time with your friends and family isn’t an easy feat, and if you’re lucky enough to have that during the holiday, take advantage. Life is short, spend time with loved ones. The 4K TV can wait.
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