Black Friday Blues
You know what is addicting? The thrill of a deal! Coupons, sales, discounts, promotions, it is a high that you can keep chasing while convincing yourself to not feel guilty because technically you are “saving money”.
You know the best way to actually save money? Don’t buy the stuff in the first place, on sale or not, because how often is it actually something you need?
Am I saying to skip sales completely? No. Stop using those coupons? No. Ignore black Friday deals? Again NO! But be more intentional with your purchases? YES! Ask yourself if this is something that you NEED or something that you WANT? How many times will you use it? How much will your kids play with it? Can it be used for multiple kids?
Oftentimes the feeling of getting a good deal overshadows the need for the actual item. Hellllllo impulse buying!!!
As I am writing this, my daughter walks by and says “What is black Friday?” and her brother says “Duh, today is black Friday, where everything you get is half free!!!”. Is that what gets us interested, half free items? Deep discounts that make us feel like we are being conservative, buying things we wouldn’t normally “splurge on”.
After that high wears off, you’re no longer standing in long lines, you are done snatching great deals that had limited quantities, your trunk is full of all the things, and you have made it home; how do you feel? Accomplished, proud, remorseful, happy, or overwhelmed?
Forbes.com says that Black Friday and Cyber Monday results in an increase of buyers remorse, with consumers handling things differently in the days following. Many will actually return their purchases, some will try to sell them online, and some will end up donating them, even items that have never been used, still in original condition.
I often see on Facebook someone bringing in a big haul on Black Friday, filling the back of an SUV to the roof! And then a few months later, I see the complaints about how many toys their kids have, or how crowded their kids' bedrooms are, or the lack of closet space. So then they start getting rid of things, declutter, make a few bucks, get rid of all the excess, just in time for Black Friday to roll around again, and then we see it, the snap of the SUV loaded down with all of the toys, shoes, and Bath and Body Works shower gel one person can ever need! And a few months later, the cycle comes back around, time to purge!!!
What would happen if you never bought it in the first place? What would happen if we didn’t buy our kids any toys? Or if we brought one in, one had to leave?
This is certainly written with absolutely no judgement, because my kids have toys, and there is plenty of stuff around my house that I bought impulsively and justified being a smart purchase because it was on sale. Did I need it, hell no. Do I have buyer's remorse? Uhm yes, like every time I buy something.
I think we often use affordability when deciding if we need something. Even though we may be financially able to afford an item, does that mean our physical space can afford to have one thing added to it? What about how you are mentally and emotionally, can you handle your kids having one more toy, leaving it where it doesn’t belong, and then claiming to constantly be bored and have nothing to do?
So when we think about how we are able to purchase things because we have the money to cover the cost, maybe we should think about the other costs. How will it affect the cleanliness of your home, do you have space for it, will your kids use it often, what would happen if you passed up a good deal?
Are you an impulse buyer? How good of a deal does it take to get you out on Black Friday? Do you get a thrill from a deal? Do you experience buyer's remorse? Let me know in the comments!!!
