I went Black Friday shopping for the first time ever. My family and I hit up one higher end mall (think Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus etc) and one mid tier mall. As I was perusing around by myself and going to various stores, I noticed that the “deals” weren’t all that great. Needless to say, I felt like it was a huge waste of time. We didn’t buy anything.

I spent a few $k on stuff I needed anyways. I save my money year round and delay E̶j̶a̶c̶u̶l̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ purchase until it's on sale.

There's such thing as mindful Black Friday Shopping. You know what kind of stuff they offer, and you hold out till Black Friday to get it. Two years ago in 2016 I bought a TV on Black Friday to replace the TV I got on Black Friday in 2008. I wen't from 720p to 4k. I don't even watch TV except here and there, though my woman does some.

I haven't bought much on BF in the last 4 years or so. Nothing I needed.

This year I got most of the way through Black Friday buying 30 Art color Sharpie markers for $10. Then Bam, I bought two $230 (normaly 350ish) routers. Now my whole 1/2 acre property will be covered. Almost $500 for 2 routers, the two I needed, but put off for three years. Often I use black friday to buy things for what I should pay for them opposed to what they are normally asking. I also bought 5 $130 (normally 170) 8 terabyte drives to make a NAS. They are external drives, but if you crack them open they have WD Red server drives in them. I don't want to price drives all year. I also got router (tool) and a router table, both great deals.

You might have noticed a pattern here. Everything I got is boring, not diamonds and glitter stuff.

I work gift cards and 'store certificates' the same way. I don't say oh I got $XX.XX to blow. I make it a point to use any gift card I get stuff with or bought some silly discount on boring stuff like toilet paper. If all that 'funny money' goes to boring stuff you win.

God even this post is boring.

who cares, i'm a broke ass nigga but i still respect the value of buying things when they are cheaper, don't forget you can profit from shit like this.

Black Friday is a huge scam.
They usually pump the prices several month ahead and then they have a sale.

Whatever man. I bought shit I was going to buy anyway, and saved money doing it. I do believe you have a valid point in your post... that you should reconsider whether buying certain things is valuable or not... but some purchases are valid... and I'd actually argue that our cultures persistence on "vacations" isn't the right mentality. I don't need to "go" anywhere... fulfillment is always available, either through awareness (here and now), lifting, gaming women (honing your social skills). Does a scenic view really contribute to me being a better man? I'd argue that it may not.

Like most popular things in our culture, Black Friday started genuine, a sale of good quality stuff to get people in the door and within a few years (many decades back already) quickly devolved into seperating fools from their money under a facade of a deal.

You can get some deals on BF, but often the specially marked down merchandise, in electronics say, are special models with inferior parts (perhaps screens that didn't pass regular inspection), less features or other similiar tricks. Sometimes it's good enough, sometimes not, but often there was a no-name selling the same quality year round for a cheaper price anyway. That crap they can sell nearly unlimited. The real deals are always in limited supply where you have to waste time to fight crowds and wait in line -- not worth my time.

I just wait till after Xmas and New Years. Less crowds to deal with and electronics get cheaper all the time anyway, 6 weeks won't kill me.

The only thing I bought this Black Friday was a marketing course on Udemy, Our local town mall has seen some shit with all those consumers running around. At least this course might pay off itself

Bought these Columbia hiking / trail running, wool socks for 6 bucks a pair and a new vinyard vines button up for work for 20 bucks. Definitely a worthwhile investment

Been looking for a cheap 1440p monitor for 3 years. Finally found one today. Still didnt buy cause my 1080p monitor works fine. T.T

Or you make a list throughout the year of frivoulities and luxuries, things you want, things that you dont necessarily need but could benefit from having. Prioritize the order of things on the list and then save some money towards it. Then, on those key sale days of the year you break that list out and put in an order here and there.

One thing people need to realize is that these "societal traps" are all predicated on your willful engagement with them. You voluntarily participate in these institutions

My whey is 30% cheaper today so fuck you, I guess.

Here's a better challenge. SELL SOMETHING. Don't consume. Create value.

I haven't bought a single thing. I've been busy 18 hours a day packaging and shipping stuff out, modifying my ads, sending out newsletters, posting on social media, working with brand ambassadors etc since Monday. I love Black Friday.

/u/GayLubeOil has taught me to not allow the fantasy to overpower the reality. Best advice ever.

how do u get girs where u dont even know anyone

Only buy shit if you need it. And if you need it, it doesn't matter if it's on sale. Grow up. Don't be a child.

Those 4K screens, oh boy. I did buy a 4K screen on sale... a 10bit one, 99% SRGB, 92% Adobe RGB. Thing is, when you are into computer graphics, professionally, and you want to do your thing well...

Other users have voiced their suggestions regarding being mindful about this. I wholeheartedly agree. That 4K screen, I simply cannot manufacture on my own. I am, however, looking into crafting my new custom desk by hand. Carpentry, fucken' hell, that is something!

A man should not be defined by the tools he owns (e.g., a fat slobmaster bastard with the sickest computer setup - such individuals are out there). Those quality tools, though, if you know what to do with them, and if you actually do it, they have their value. And so does the cold, crisp air & the torrent of rapidly moving snowflakes that get stuck in your face. Or the smell of those fresh-cut planks...

I buy some christmas gifts

Maybe when it first started there were some deals on last years models to clear them out but today they just jack up the regular price then put them on 'sale' to sell you the same stuff at normal prices.

If you’re buying on Amazon, check CamelCamelCamel to see if the item you’re buying has actually been discounted. Amazon lies about the original price.

Bought a new chair for my computer, as I'm getting serious about my options trading and having success. Money makes money, so reinvesting some profits back into the system and making my dollar go farther with a sale

I bought new jogging shoes after using my old pair for over two years, boxing gloves since i just started taking classes, and updated my wardrope. I could either have waited a week or longer in some form of vain protest, or saved cashed by buying it on black friday. It's not a hard choice.

Posting about how cool you are for not buying anything on Black Friday is just another form of virtue signaling afaik

Quick rant. In France, this trend began to really take hold one or two years ago, with shitty stores trying to offload their remaining shitty stock of useless things. As if the Christmas season wasn't already saturated. Obnoxious.

Here's a list of the crazy purchases I did on Black Friday:

-A 9,98$ 5x2 rug for the winter so we don't get dirty snow on the floor.

I need clothes and figured I'd save some money buying them today. :) Dropped 30kg in 7 months.

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I bought the Black Ops Pass and a phone. Going to log out of Amazon before I spend more.

Black Friday can be mindful. Fuck TVs, agreed. There's a Breville Air Smart oven on sale right how on Amazon for 260 instead of 400. I already have one, I cook brocolli, roasts, all kinds of stuff. It's the Rolls Royce of toaster ovens. Or there is a good deal on a lesser model for 170ish.

I did get a $50 air fryer from best buy. works great. google keto recipes airfrier to up your game with bonus flavor. Put some frozen brocolli in it at 275F for ~7 min and what comes out is steamed brocolli without any steamed sadness. Dangerous though because it makes fried food delicious also.

I will be getting a table saw and some tools if they show up. Notice nothing I'm buying is 'exciting'. I would shell out $1000 any black friday if they had enough good stuff. Usually its a few hundred because there's not much I don't already have.

So you are basically preaching to people that buy crap and they won't be listening.