Here in the good old US of A they call the Friday that follows Thanksgiving, “Black Friday.” Why? Because it’s the day that retailers hope to turn their year profitable, from red to black. And to do that they try and create a frantic rush to their stores with what many think are amazing bargains.
If you’re playing the Spend Nothing Game or if you’re just trying to keep a handle on your budget and spending, this can be a very dangerous time of year. You need a game plan to help you keep your spending from spinning out of control. Today would be a very good day to plan on how you’re going to do that.
Here’s what I suggest:
- Take a deep breath. The sense of urgency is the stores’, not yours.
- Make your “What I want for the holidays” list. It’s not a list of the presents you want to get or to give, it’s the list of what you want to do and experience.
- Talk with the people that you typically exchange gifts with. Suggest making the gift giving more fun. For example, agree to only give gifts that you have made yourselves, things that you already possess, or my favorite, pick a very low budget and require a specific number of gifts that you each must acquire within that budget.
- Take another deep breath.
- Now take all of those flyers announcing the Black Friday sales and recycle them, unread. Do the same thing with all of those emails.
- Enjoy your Thanksgiving with friends and family.
- Make firm plans for Friday that do not include shopping. Schedule a brunch that you’ll prepare yourself (Turkey omelets, anyone?). Go to the local zoo or park. Or for real fun, go and watch the crowds that are driving themselves into a frenzied state, but do so safely from the parking lot. Do not enter the stores!
Bargain hunting is not a winning strategy for the Spend Nothing Game. Keep yourself in the black this Friday by avoiding the madness altogether.
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