Five Reasons to Stay Home on Black Friday

Okay, I get it. Everyone wants to save money and, if you've got kids with expensive toys on their wish lists, or you and you're spouse are shopping for a big screen TV, it might be worth the hassle to brave Black Friday.

For myself, I offer five reasons why I stay home on Black Friday.



BLACK FRIDAY CANADA 2012:
5 Things You Shouldn't Buy on Black Friday
Black Friday Sales: The Big Guide to Deals, Stores and Opening Times
Where to Find the Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals
Survival Tips for Black Friday 2012
Black Friday Shopping Strategies
Walmart Black Friday Starts at 8 pm Thursday



The Parking

Parking lots can be murder at the best of times. Why should I willingly put my fenders in harm's way by entering an arena where competition for parking spots is fierce?

The Crowds

Things can get ugly and I'm not the type to muscle my way in to grab the last of anything. Besides, who wants to stand in a check-out line that seemingly stretches into infinity? The lineups are bad enough on a normal holiday shopping day.

The Stress

After an hour or so of dodging people who don't have any intention of dodging me, I get grumpy and feel like pushing back. There's no place to sit in the food court or on any of the mall's many benches, for that matter and my feet feel like lead. Christmas music blaring from mall speakers tries vainly to compete with the noise generated by hoards of frenzied shoppers.

All of that and more can lead to feelings of tension and fatigue. It's simply not what I call an enjoyable Christmas shopping experience.



The Pared-Down Christmas List

My kids are grown, we have no grandchildren, my parents are deceased and, because we moved this year, necessitating buying some new furniture and allowing ourselves a couple of other indulgences, my husband and I consider ourselves sufficiently blessed without putting something under the tree for each other. Also, a lot of what we give comes in the form of one-size-fits-all gift cards, which I have fun disguising.

If you're in a similar situation or like many people, have decided to cut back on gifting close family members in favor of paying for say, a goat for a family in Africa, there's little reason to worry about Black Friday sales.

The Hype

Retailers want you to believe that everything on Black Friday will be a great deal but, according to Money Watch, it ain't necessarily so. There are a few items they found that you should avoid buying on Black Friday.

The toys your child wants will probably go on sale a couple of weeks before Christmas.

The price of an iPad mini will probably stay fairly close to its original price of $329 and that it's the iPad 2 that will undoubtedly see steep discounts on Black Friday. Besides that, most of the difference between the two tablets is in the size. Otherwise, they're pretty much the same.

Want a Window 8 PC? The Money Watch article warns that before you buy one at any price, you should know that Windows 8 won't support many of your old applications, including Quicken.

The worst time to buy watches and jewelry is during the holiday season and Valentine's Day, when the demand peaks. You'll get the best deals on these items during the spring and summer.


You may still want to wade into the fray on Black Friday and you'll probably find some great deals. I wish you good hunting, lots of patience and an iron constitution.


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RELATED LINKS:
Black Friday Goes Online in Canada
Where to Find the Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals
Black Friday Shopping Strategies
Black Friday Canada 2012: The Big Guide to Deals, Stores and Opening Times


Marlene Alexander is a freelance writer and Dollar Store Diva. Get tips and ideas for finding and using the best the dollar store has to offer on her website, Dollar Store Style.