Lifestyle
September 17, 2021
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Black Friday
Blessing or Curse?
Black Friday – the biggest shopping day of the year. We could say, a shopping holiday.
One day after being grateful for everything we have, we are already looking for something more. Something new that will bring us happiness. Because all of our things at home now cause us discontent.
We’ve spent too much time with stuff we already have so we want to move on to something newer, bigger, better. Our old stuff is the root of discontent. So we wait for this one day to grab special discounts and buy new things. But it’s not even one day anymore. Now there is Black Friday, Cyber Monday, the entire week, and sometimes even the whole Black Friday month.
This all sounds like one big joke. A joke where companies try to separate us from our hard-earned money as much as possible, and we fell prey to them easily. But in some special cases, we can also seize the opportunity and use discounts to save some money. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with shopping on Black Friday. The problem is when we get too wrapped up in the idea of instant gratification while purchasing things detrimental to our wallet, environment, and values.
Even when I preach not to buy things, we all need some stuff. Maybe for me, they are mostly consumables and for you material possessions. But we all need something. Some of us need more, some less.
As we already need something, why not seize this opportunity and get some discounts in the process. On Black Friday or any other similar shopping holiday, I expect you to save some money and buy things you need or want for a very long time. But don’t make the mistake of buying something just because it’s cheaper than usual. This then is only a waste of resources.
Some Rules to Make it Easier this Black Friday
No matter what you choose to buy, be careful not to get sucked into the instant gratification circle of buying new things. To help with that here are 5 rules to follow while shopping on Black Friday or any similar shopping holiday:
Rule No. 1
Only buy things you need and plan to use all the time.
Rule No. 2
Set a specific amount of money you are comfortable spending and don’t get overboard (discounts tend to be tricky).
Rule No. 3
Have a wish list full of products you want/need to buy.
Wait at least 30 days and if after that time you still want/need something then buy it. Prepare for Black Friday at least 30 days before – preferably a few months in advance.
Wish List Strategy
Create 6 columns:
After filling the table with desired things, wait at least 30 days before taking action.
I use this technique all the time and it’s amazing and liberating to see how many products we think we need, but we actually don’t.
Rule No. 4
Buy online.
Given the technological advancements and the Covid-19 pandemic, there is no excuse for going to a physical store nowadays.
Rule No. 5
Be grateful that you got the opportunity to save money on something you planned to buy anyway.
If you follow these rules, you can have an amazing Black Friday and an entire holiday season.
…
If you don’t want to participate in the Black Friday shopping frenzy, there are a million opportunities to spend time better.
Go outside, take a walk in the park or have a meaningful talk with your loved one about gifts and gift-giving. Watch a movie you’ve wanted for a long time, spend time with your pets, learn something new. Prepare an interesting meal, read a good book, donate your time or money to charity, or simply do nothing.
Or, if that doesn’t work, maybe you can buy everyone on your Christmas list a giant trash can so they can throw away all the presents they received but didn’t ask for.
You decide.
Cheers!
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