Anyone else find it ridonkulous that the day after Thanksgiving has now been elevated into a national go into (more) debt day such that “Black Friday” is pre-marked on our calendars and we’re sent auto-reminders on our phones? Go shopping! Deals are waiting! Pssst, buy something already, wouldja!
Fucksake. Idk about the rest of the world, but Americans don’t need any prompting to be mindless consumers and spend money they don’t have. Do you ever think about the overwhelming amount of stuff we throw into the trash because we neeeeed new things? We need them. The ads tell us we do, so it must be true. I like to dump stuff, but I have been trying not to replace everything I toss.
What’s funny is that these dubious deals will still be available. All weekend. Next week, through December, and don’t forget the after-Christmas sales! If you don’t rush out today to trample over your neighbors to grab a cheap iPad… there will be another opportunity.
I confess I am spending money today, but it’s on car maintenance. Today was a super convenient day for me to make an appointment, which I knew was going to take several hours, because I have nothing else going on. I’m certainly not going near the maul afterwards. Gahhh!
It’s true I bought myself some emotional insurance by shopping last Sunday and Wednesday afternoon, just a little bit, but enough to feel like I got my retail therapy done for the holidays. Planning ahead! But even if I hadn’t, I still wouldn’t go out there today.
Speaking of Black Friday, check out this melody…
I share your sentiments, Paula!!
๐ง
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Ty!
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And they keep on sending emails, many times a day to entice and trap us into spending more and more.
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Itโs so annoying!
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Yup. Now I donโt open the mail and straight away to the trash.
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I’m not a Black Friday shopper and never have been. In fact, I’m actually done my shopping! I like to get done before Thanksgiving so when December gets busy, as it always done, I don’t have that pressure. Ahhhhhhhhhh.
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You deserve to be applauded for your balanced attitude to the retail madness of seasonal sales.
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Thank you! ๐
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I like the way you spell maul. That’s it, and once this hits I stay as far from stores as possible. Every year the urge to consume lessens. Steely Dan song rocks also!
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Thanks and I agree! I feel less tempted to overspend when i shop online. I do love old Steely Dan โค๏ธ
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I never met a Steely Dan song I didn’t like ๐
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It’s gone international and all the ads drive me nuts. Haven’t seen an ad for anything I actually need. And even if I had, the stores have been messing with the prices before “Black Week” to give you 30% off and they still get the same money as usual. ๐ Thank goodness for a good Steely Dan number! ๐
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Grrrr! Let music soothe our mads!
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Hey Paula,
I have just tagged you in my 321 Quote Me game Topic celebration of Life ๐
https://aguycalledbloke.blog/2018/11/23/321-quote-me-celebration-of-life/
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Thanks! ๐
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Pleasure ๐
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I agree 100% – what a ridiculous and unnecessary thing. Of course the sad thing is we’ve structured our economy to expect that late-year cash infusion. And that, in part, is to provide jobs of quantity and salary of a level that can afford to buy lots of stuff. It’s a real ouroboros, isn’t it?
Great minds think alike. Every Black Friday I get that song in my head. Steely Dan are one of my favourites.
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Thanks for commenting! Hope youโre having a great weekend. Yes, I love Steely Dan. ๐
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For a few weeks now leading up to Black Friday my “news” feed has been peppered with “articles” about the best tech items that will be on super sale on BF. Since I am a Gadget Girl and make that no secret when it comes to my searches and purchases, the ‘bots have got my number, hence the strategy.
Happily, as Paula points out, these things go on sale throughout the year so BF is no big deal for me. If I need or want a tech gadget, I put it on a couple of the lists that look for deals for me and if it pops up with a deal one day, I assess whether I still want it or not, then make the purchase. Camelcamelcamel is one of those.
I refused to shop BF for a LONG time. I would always take off the Wednesday before TGiving, in fact, and get all of my holiday shopping done on that day, back when I had to do the gifts for the kids and relatives. These days it’s even easier, because my kids want me to make donations in their names to a couple of charitable organizations. Neither of my boyfriends exchange gifts – by mutual agreement with me. That leaves only my mom and my dad’s widow, and I don’t need to do BF for those gifts, either.
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Sweet! I was doing checks for the girls and their men, but my little one recently informed me that money was no fun and I should return to gifts. Ugh! Here come the socks and mugs!
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No Black Friday or weekend shopping for me. We don’t need anything that we can’t get any other day, anyway. Good choice of song for this time of year, too. ๐
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Ty ๐
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