black friday.... is it really worth it?

[Sunny Side Up]

It seems that last year many stores were offering tempting deals throughout the holiday, not just the day after T-giving. Perhaps they'll do it again this year, since so many more folks are holding on tighter to their dollars, they'll need a lot of incentive to go out & spend.

I've been going out for many years, and my oldest son enjoys the novelty of going with me too. We call it "Dawn Patrol" because we start well before sunrise. And it's not too bad because we're not out after all the most popular deals, which are usually in electronics. I would not stand in line all night in front of a big electronics store.

We usually just try to find some good deals on a few toys for my younger two sons, and the rest of our shopping is for good deals on things for our household. I look for sales on small appliances and tools, things we can really use. Lowes & Home Depot often have good sales on Black Friday morning. Sears, KMart & Target also offer sales on useful tools.

We're so broke this year I don't know if we'll be able to go anywhere for Dawn Patrol. Maybe if there's a good deal on Legos at the toy store, I want to at least get one toy for each of the little boys.

 

[ShaggysGirl]

I will be working but if I weren't You couldn't pay to even go out of my house that day. People are nuts.

 

[TXmom]

I've gone a couple of times with my Mom...it was crazy and crowded, but nobody was getting trampled. My Mom is the Shopping Queen (or the Bargain Queen), so this is right up her alley. She gets all the sale papers and advertisements and figures out exactly what she wants and what's the most important. Then we get up early...like 4am...and get busy trying to get as many of the deals as we can. It's kinda fun, and we always end up talking to people and "making friends" while we're in line to check out. Of course, I live in the South and we're nice down here...

 

[Amyable]

They call it Black Friday for a reason. I heard some pretty awful stories from my coworkers: one had her wallet with $300 cash stolen, another also works at Target and saw a lady knock herself out diving for a DVD player. People are incredibly rude.

We stay home baking cookies!!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Stay away! Do NOT go to any Wal-Mart!!!!

Seriously though...please don't trample the associates....we have enough accidents on our own!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

There was this crazy lady actually running down the lanes with her shopping cart! Oh, hey... that was me.

Oh yeah, the adrenaline rush. The lines, the pushing, freezing your butt off in rain and snow at 4 am.

It's tradition.

 

[GaNewChick]

We got a really great deal on a laptop 2 years ago. We left the house at midnight and stood outside of Best Buy until they opened. It was cold and raining ~ but worth it.

It will have to be another great deal before I do it again, but I will if the price is right.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

We live in a fairly high population town and let me tell you. I only go out on black friday in the evening to the closest walmart, just to see the parking lot, and not go into the store. Why? Because they have the mounted police out in almost all the store parking lots, to discourage arguments, fights, and robberies. I like talking to the mounted police and seeing their horses. Last year there was a really pretty dapple gray Percheron mix and a big black draft horse there.

Black Friday isn't about those special bargains, it's about being that "one" person to get the "last one" of something at "that cost". It's a thrill. To be shoulder to shoulder with strangers and fighting for those "special" bargains. You can just forget your common sense shopping etiquiette. People will take items out of shopping carts with your back turned, argue with you over something you're holding, fight for parking spots, steal wallets, steal purses, break into shoppers cars, and everything else.

Nothing out there is worth me going out "shopping" on Black Friday.

And the idea that they continue Black Friday is quite frankly frightening. Tramplings? Thefts? Robberies? Granted everyone should be responsible for their own individual actions, but people have died so someone else can get a good bargain. Personally, I get more dissapointed the more and more popular Black Friday becomes. So not only do I avoid it because it's a hellish experience, but it's my way of not supporting it.

 

[NancyDz]

You can get some good deals but it is crazy.... I prefer the day after Christmas... way better deals. It's tradition for me and my Mom to plan our attack looking through the ads on Christmas day. In fact my mom mostly gives me gift certificates now for Christmas as I can such bargains the day after. Just stay out of the returns lines and you are good.

Black Friday is the day novice shoppers get deals imo .

but if you really want the scoop you can go to :

http://bfads.net/


They somehow get access to many of the ads way beforehand so you can see what there is going to be . You can sign up for notifications for free. My friend does this every year.

Good luck!

Nancy

 

[Germaine_11.20]

In all honesty, it really isn't worth the stress. I have been there and done that for several years and you can usually find almost the same deals later on at some point.

I will probably go because the DH wants to, but we go at a more relaxed pace.