Black Friday, The Ins and the Outs

It’s the crisp & beautiful month of October…we’re close to Halloween but not quite there yet. Yet still, with over a month to go, the ads for Black Friday are here! You need to look for them on the search engine of your preference but believe me, they’re there! What is Black Friday, how many people partake in this tradition & does it truly save you money?Well, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving widely believed to start the Christmas shopping season. Stores open before dawn has broken, often offering crazy 5am deals and the most in-demand products of the season. Millions of people brave the crowds and brave you truly are. Everyone has heard the stories of fights breaking out over the last fill in the blank gadget or the rush at the door to get in for….whatever the IT product is for the year. Tickle me Elmo, this doesn’t seem very festive! But the deals…oh the deals. The people who partake in Black Friday swear by the deals.If you’re super organized, you have your list for each person you buy for, you do your homework researching the Black Friday ads and you go to the stores with the best deals & buy only those items then you will likely save some cash. If you get lured in by other products, products not on your list but just “too good to pass up”, then really….you’re not saving any money. You may actually be spending more.So really, Black Friday really comes down to you. Knowing yourself, your habits, your tendencies, your level of organization etc. If you can make your list, check it twice & stick to the list….then I guess go for it! If not, play it safe. Shop when you DO have it all together. We promise, there will still be sales! After all people, we are in a recession if you haven’t heard yet. So, shop smart…and remember the TRUE meaning of Christmas! Maybe this will be the year where we do that!! Where we give gifts of meaning without breaking the bank!