Are you shopping today?
The question of the day is: are you shopping today? It’s 1:00 a.m., and I just finished my shopping. I did it all online! I didn’t even buy Christmas presents. My son, who is all boy, is very rough on his jeans, so I picked up some Black-Friday priced jeans for him (and they’re Wrangler, too, which will make my brand-conscious 5 year old happy)*.
And my daughter, who hit a growth spurt and skipped a size, also needed some jeans, so I bought some for her also. Add some jeans for me, and some pajamas for my husband and I, and I was done. Shopping in my pajamas. It’s the way it ought to be!
Here is the key to my Black Friday shopping success. I bought only what we needed. The pajamas and the jeans were on my shopping list long before the black Friday ads were even leaked to the internet. Honestly, I didn’t even get the paper yesterday, because I knew the ads would probably be tempting for me.
I had heard about the $8 jeans from my friend, who saw my posted Walmart ad at Frugal Mom Reviews (I even resisted the temptation to look at the ad in my own post, until my friend told me about the jeans!) Knowing that was an excellent price, I knew Black Friday was the time to buy!
The biggest problem I have with Black Friday is that people get into the shopping frenzy and start buying anything that’s a good deal, even if they don’t need it. I’ve certainly fallen into that trap before. I’d buy way too many Christmas presents for my kids, because there were so many things they’d love at such a great price. I finally set a limit of 3 gifts per kid. If three was enough for baby Jesus, three is good enough for my kids.
I’m not totally anti-Black Friday, but I think before a person goes shopping, they need a well-thought out plan, and they need the self-discipline to stay away from purchases, just because they’re a great deal. A great deal isn’t a great deal if you don’t need the item in the first place, and it’s an especially bad deal if you’re going into debt to buy it!
If a person can stick to a list and practice self-discipline, there are certainly deals to be found on Black Friday. But I still prefer to shop from the comfort of my own home. I’ll be snuggled warmly in my bed as most people are standing in line in the freezing cold, hoping to be one of the lucky few to score this year’s big item.
Are you shopping today? Do you have a plan? What do you hope to find?
*A note about my son: I generally don’t give in to his desire for brand named clothing. His favorite brand of jeans just happens to be the one on sale, and it’s nice to know I won’t have to convince him that these jeans are just as cool as brand x. Where he got this brand consciousness, I’ll never know!
Photo by wearitdotcom.
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“For the economy of your nations, start your holiday shopping!”
Thanks for the heads up on the jeans! The $8 ones won’t work for my kids because adjustable waists are a must (even if they use a belt, it doesn’t always work well). But I found another under $10 which was my goal price.
I think it’s adorabe that your 5 year old has a favorite brand of jeans. Odd, but so cute.
I never shop on Black Friday because I hate crowds! Might do a bit online, though.
I did CVS yesterday and that’s it!
Hi Lynnae, I’m almost completely done with all my shopping. I have never, ever, participated in the Black Friday frenzy shopping in stores. I have done all my Christmas shopping online for several years now and can’t imagine ever changing that to shopping in stores.
Nothing could be cooler than sitting at my computer, shopping to my hearts content, having packages arrive at my door (with FREE shipping) and all I have to do is wrap them up and stick a bow on them. Oh, and a name tag.
What a great idea, Lynnae. I’ve never participated in Black Friday (online or in store), but I guess if you have a specific list in mind of things that you are needing to replace anyway, then either option is fine. And you just might find some amazing deals. Way to go on those jeans! I still have $8 jeans (Levis) that I enjoy to wear, but I found those a thrift store about 8 years ago! So I’m amazed that you could find new ones with today’s prices.
Nope. Have been done, all wrapped, and those mailed that needed to be.
I don’t do crowds!
I’m actually working today – should be a VERY slow day – so brought my Christmas cards to work on :)
Hi Lynnae,
Taking a break between Black Friday shopping, actually. I’ve only gone to two stores thus far but came back home to drop off what I bought — since I’m using the bus today, I don’t want to carry any more than I have to!
At Rite Aid I spent $23.75 and will get slightly more than that back with rebates. Items bought: mascara and nail polish (stocking stuffers for DD), a bottle of shampoo (for the young adult shelter) and a prepaid cell phone (which I am going to sell on Craigslist).
At Kmart I bought two men’s Fruit of the Loom pocket t-shirts for a total of $1.18 (they were $1 each and I had a $1-off-two coupon). The shirts will also go to the young adult shelter.
Fortunately for me, the other stores I want to go to are all within a half-mile of one another. I’ll take the bus to a shopping mall/transit center and then walk to five other nearby places. Good exercise, and it’s helping me stretch my holiday dollars — I started shopping for my close family and friends at last year’s after-holiday sales and I haunted clearance racks and garage/rummage sales all year. However, I’m buying gifts for a friend’s children (both parents were unemployed in the past year) and also my sister and I are adopting a family for the holidays.
I’ll go into the stores, buy only what I circled in the ad and then go back out. What fun it will be to start wrapping all this stuff tonight. :-)
Thanks for encouraging everyone to shop wisely.
Best regards,
Donna Freedman
I’m not shopping … I’m still eating!
I did shop at a local store the girls have been dieing to visit. THey sell hair bows and monogrammed purses, and other girly stuff. I got #2 a beautiful leather purse in Teal Leopard print for under $25. Got her sister the matching pink one too. And I hit Kmart to get the highlighters that were on #3’s list. Don’t ask why but she wanted highlighters. LOL
But I mostly shopped online at Amazon and looked at Tshirts for hubby at his college alma mater. I haven’t decided which pattern I liked best. We still have to buy two cameras which will come from Amazon and I want to get mom some dime store romances so those will come from the library. I just don’t like crowds and it’s not worth it for 10% off. I saved more online than was advertised locally and didn’t pay taxes or shipping. Plus it will come straight to the door and no impulse shopping from the kids at the stores.
Hi! Today we all slept in and then we went to the bank. I opened a CD as I was able to save $1000 for an emergency fund over the past few months (I am a single mom and it is a start.)
Then we went to my brothers to borrow some DVDs as he has over 1,000. Next we stopped at the food store to get chocolate chips.
Once home we made homemade chocolate chip cookies and watched ELF (super funny holiday movie.)
Now my kids are playing and we are all already in our pj’s.
I went online to Amazon and got my son his birthday gift, a digital camera with sd card and case, all for about $100 with free shipping. This was a great deal, as the same camera alone was $150 and up at other places. Plus I really trust Amazon and even the free shipping is fast.
Then I went to snapfish and ordered the photos for our holiday cards (that I uploaded to them from my camera.) And I ordered a collage mug for my boyfriend. He loves stuff like that. I had a $10 off coupon at Snapfish so mug was basically free.
Everythibg I spent I had budgeted for.
It was a good, relaxing day.
I have never shopped (other than the chocolate chips we bought today) in a store on Black Friday.
Plus this year we are making most of our Christmas gifts!!!
Have a great weekend! -Becky
Lynnae, we did 16 hours of shopping ;) However, I must say it was all budgeted for and necessary and the kids are getting: 2 regular outfits each, 1 dressy outfit each (mainly because the girls haven’t had new dresses in over two years…) a Nintendo DS from my mom along with 2 games, and a pair of shoes. We are also going to order them two or three books and that’s the end of it. The other stuff we bought today included needed PJs because last year’s winter pj’s don’t fit anyone ;) I should find out what size your DD is and maybe send them to you. We also got a few things for me, my dad and my hubbie (I got a GREAT couple of sport coats for him that were less than half price at a store that was closing and considering he’s a big guy…I was excited) so yeah…we were out all day but we made sure to keep it on track and not over do…I was so proud of my mom…she’s bad about the whole “it’s on sale…” bit.
OOOOOHHHH we did get an awesome “it’s on sale” that she bought (which her budget is a lot bigger than mine…) there was a REAL leather jacket at Boston Store, regular price 425, listed sale price 125. I’ve always wanted one like this have looked at many and always refuse to pay the like 200 dollars they want, so my mom says “Isn’t that the jacket you always look at?” Me:”Of course” she told me to get it. Well it was not listed as a “sale” price, just a Normal price and then a “Now” price or something so we took it up to the register and it rang up at 99.95, then we got an extra 15% off!! Granted this means I *know* what my Christmas present is but I have one of those really soft leather jackets and it was super ultra cheap….for leather anyway. LOL! I had to share I knew you’d like that story…
I love to use online shoppng for things I can’t find where I live or things that can afford from the local stores but PLEASE remember shopping locally helps keep your friends, neighbors, loved ones employed. Not just for Black Friday but all year long. Also if you are going to shop online please go under igive.com or goodsearch.com ( something similar) so you can help a charity while you do your shopping.
Also great gift ideas that help others through the hungersite and others like it. GreaterGoods is a great way for your family to help others. Last year we donated a pair of goats to a family in Africa for only $60 they in turn had to donate the first Kid to another family in the village.
I had to work a double shift on Friday and initially felt bad that I had to work on Black Friday. Then I realized that most of my gifts were either already bought or were gift certificates. As to the child who likes a certain brand of jeans; ,my daughter is the same way and I certainly didnt raise her that way. I compromise and will pay the amount of money that I would ordinarily pay and she makes up the difference-she is sixteen. Quite often, it isnt worth it to her. Or we look at thrift stores.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And Merry Christmas! I did do a little shopping on Black Friday. I even arrived at the store around 3am and waited until the 5am opening. (This really isn’t all that crazy – I work a 3pm to 3am shift, and the store was right next to my workplace.)I probably would have gone on home when I found out the time they opened, but I had the most wonderful experience. As people continued to arrive early, there was a sense of comraderie, a festive atmosphere, and a sense of anticipation that Christmas waas beginning. I met some awesome folks, and witnessed fine behavior. There was the mom and aunt of several teenage girls, out for “face time”, as well as deals. There was the husband who got there even before I did because his wife REALLY, REALLY wanted a laptop and he found this deal for less than $400. There were sleepy eyed folks and excited grandmas. Some held places for others who wanted to go to the bathroom or make a “biscuit run”. A local newsteam came out and interviewed several of us for a Black Friday piece, and after they left everyone was a-buzz about “watching it tonight”. We laughed together and told stories and shared our lives. Yeah, I got the digital camera and photo printer for my husband and I saved close to $150 after rebates, but MAN, what a DEAL I got before that!
As odd as it sounds, Black Friday shopping is a family tradition! It’s one of the few times of year that my sister and my Mom are all together and we all love to shop and have girl time, so every year we look forward to Black Friday. However–most of us have either already finished Christmas shopping or know our budgets and what we are getting everyone, so the sales are not a big deal to us. We usually hit the stores around 11AM so most of the crowds have thinned out by then. So funny about the Wrangler jeans, that deal ended at 11AM and we didn’t know it so by the time we got to Wal-mart, there were none left! Darn! The only thing I ended up buying was some materials for my Sunday School class kids to make Advent wreaths for their homes this year.
Nope, I did not go shopping on Black Friday. There was nothing I needed and I too plan to do all my shopping online.
great site! i went shopping but it wasnt nearly as crowded as I thought. maybe since its a small town! how do you get so many readers to your blog? im working on that! http://rossandbrittany.blogspot.com
I hate going out on black friday. sure the sales are great – but the mayhem is horrible. the fact that a clerk got killed this past friday because people stampeded him down is just sad. It shows how greedy people can be.
Nope. I didn’t go shopping on Friday. I went to 2 stores on Saturday with list in hand and was very pleased with my purchases, not having overspent.
I did a little black Friday shopping – at Ace hardware and CVS, at 1:00 p.m. Talk about there being no crowds! I bought only items on the list – got in, and got out. Got a few bargains too.
This whole culture of Black Friday scares the hebbie jebbies out of me. I almsot got swept into it when I say an ad for a down comforter at Macys for $40, you can’t beat that! But then I decided I didn’t REALLY need it and my old quilts were keeping me plenty warm. Stores or computers is all this stuff really necissary? I’m a very frugal mama and this year I am taking the plunge and COMPLETELY de-dramatizing the holiday spending and stuff. We are baking treats for our loved ones and I will buy my son a few small gifts. I much rather spend the time with folks than get or give stuff! Im glad that so many of you were successful with your shopping, but I do hope more people chill out on the spending and the stuff…at the end of the day where do you think it all goes when your done with it…. EEK a landfill!