Day-after-Thanksgiving deals this year

[UncleS2]

To those of you who take the plunge, I say Good Luck! I hadn't done anything like this for several years, but last year my brother's family(including the then 4-yr old triplets, 2 girls & a boy) were here, & after a couple of days I was ready to try almost *anything* to get 'em to play outside!

Saw on the TV that Ace Hardware had a Black Friday deal on the Radio Flyer red wagon for something pretty cheap(don't remember now- $25? $30?), so: on Friday morning, Uncle Stu got up early & drove(less than 5 miles!) to the local Ace Hardware. Got in at 7am opening, looked around at lots of other stuff, bought the wagon, back home. Total time between leaving & entering the kitchen door- ~20-25 minutes. Time spent in line- 0 minutes. Time spent assembling wagon- maybe an hour, with a 4-yr old boy eager to help, while the girls played with other stuff as we worked.(sound familiar? Don't waste time trying to sell me on this unisex nonsense- there *is* a difference!) Money spent- the $25 or $30 for a real steel red wagon. Kids outside running around the blacktop circle driveway, playing with it all Friday afternoon? PRICELESS!!

They may be here again this Thanksgiving- if so, you can bet Uncle Stu will be watching for any similar outside toy deals from Ace Hardware again. But drive 35 miles to wait in line at 3am? No way!

 

[oilyriser]

You can browse BITOG in full size on that flat screen TV.

 

[PandaBear]

This year I think I will be selling hot coffee in the parking lot to the Black Friday campers. My problem is how fast can I brew coffee and how fast can I bring them to the parking lots.

 

[The_Jeff]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
This year I think I will be selling hot coffee in the parking lot to the Black Friday campers. My problem is how fast can I brew coffee and how fast can I bring them to the parking lots.


You would be suprised how many BF shoppers have their own thermoses-- discreetly full of gin!

 

[Dave Hess]

Those Black Friday 6 AM sales are like the 'Running of the Brides' where they 200 women are trying to grab a wedding dress.

I tell my wife that I do not want her to go to one of those sales cause she will probably get trampled by a bunch of customers rushing the doors.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

My wife and a couple of her gf's used to do the black Friday thing. She said it was the thrill of the chase, or maybe something like running of the bulls...

I will say that she is a lot tougher then she looks.

 

[Gary Allan]

My wife and I used to go out for the spectacle of it. We didn't buy anything ..just watched the mania and chaos.

I was somewhat shocked at the news footage (in past years) that showed the "stampedes". Nothing is worth that much ..at least nothing that any of these places are selling.

 

[CivicFan]

Tried it one year. Was too cold, didn't like waking up so early and there was nothing I wanted that was on sale and available.

 

[The_Jeff]

The chill adds an endurance element. One year it was 14'F, I had a thick layer of frost on my windscreen, and wind came howling through an alley between Sears and Best Buy.

It is very handy to bring lawn furniture for sitting and the kind of warm weather wear that works even if you aren't exercising.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
...now suppose the funding that keeps his job afloat just gets pulled?? He's surely worth a whole lot in the open market in the private sector ...but that private sector is shut down and the incumbents are sweating bullets at holding their jobs.

There is no certainty except uncertainty.


That's a great point and very true. However, that is why even for typical steady job working folks, it is recommended to have a 3-6 month safety net of savings... just in case uncertainty comes along.

It does not mean that if one has set up these typical precautions (that most Americans throw to the wind in the interest of leased luxury cars and coach purses), and the economy asa whole hits a tough spot, that folks shouldnt buy, buy, buy if they have the means.

And I dont mean anything unsustainable to that depletes the savings too substantially. More of a "make hay while the sun shines" kind of thing...

JMH