Why Black Friday Isn't For Me

Of course, I’m not talking about people getting up early to run, but Black Friday shoppers.

For those who don't know, Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving where (majority of) stores have giant sales for the upcoming holiday season. Black Friday is also known as the first traditional day of Christmas shopping. The stores have many sales and special offers for people especially those who are waiting at the stores before they open. In some cases, stores have even extended their BF sales to the Thursday (Thanksgiving), or Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Extending their days allow for people to spend more money and for the stores to make more money. BF even goes further on to Monday or “Cyber Mondays,” which are sales for online shopping which are especially easy for those who do not enjoy crowds. Black Friday is loved by people who love bargains, although I do enjoy bargains, I do not love Black Friday.

One thing about Black Friday that people are not aware of is that they are not always getting a bargain or buying things for less. In fact, some stores raise their prices weeks leading up to BF this way when the day comes, stores then "lower," the prices back to their original costs. This gives people the illusion of them saving money. Other issues that I have with BF are that people often get more aggressive shopping for sales. There have been incidents where people have gone shopping and end up in fights and some cases where people have even been trampled. I'm not saying that there aren't some good sales on BF, just that it's better to spend a couple more dollars “safely” than having to fight off other shoppers to buy a $20 four-slice toaster that you probably don't even need.

Although these are my personal opinions, I’m not saying this to discourage anyone from shopping. If you enjoy this day, then be my guest go out and shop til’ you drop! Have fun, just make sure to stay safe and be careful.