While most of you are out there shopping today, I'm at work manning the phones to our small company. It's really no trouble at all (who's going to call anyway?) and the day is pretty relaxing with everyone gone. Besides, I've taken the day after Thanksgiving off for several years now -- so it's my turn to be here today.
I used to work for a retailer (in the corporate offices) and we were forced to work one day in the stores between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I always picked the day after Thanksgiving (I know, I'm a glutton for punishment) and rather enjoyed the mass of people entering the store. They were happy (for the most part) and the store was very busy, so the time went quickly. It wasn't nearly as bad as I expected (being there at 6 am was the worst part of the gig.)
But there are better things to do today if you're on the shopping end. I used to take the three days before Thanksgiving off and do all my Christmas shopping then. Now I do the majority of it online and it's even easier.
Anyway, I found this piece from Kiplinger's that lists Ten Ways to Fatten Your Wallet on Black Friday (for those of you who don't know, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving -- it's said that this is the day retailers go from operating in the red to operating in the black.) Their list:
1. Shop online.
2. Prepare your holiday budget and gift list.
3. Set up a gift that keeps on giving.
4. Winterize your home.
5. Shop for the best credit card.
6. Clean out your closet, basement or garage.
7. Assemble your financial emergency kit.
8. Make smart year-end money moves.
9. Protect your PC.
10. Relax!
Here's where I stand on each of these:
1. As I said, I do shop online.
2. My budget was prepared last January and my list has been done for a few weeks now.
3. My kids already have 529s.
4. Wow, these guys really know how to have fun, don't they? ;-) FYI, here's a whole series on making your home more energy efficient.
5. Better yet, make a plan to maximize your cash back rewards in 2008.
6. Our basement and closets are good, but I do need to get to the garage.
7. Need to do this.
8. All done or on their way.
9. This is standard procedure for me.
10. I am relaxing. Did I mention that no one's here and the phones aren't ringing? ;-)
Happy Black Friday : )
I dropped by the stores and there were a bunch of people waiting in line paying. It's amazing that people are so anxious to spend their money.
Posted by: Edmund | November 23, 2007 at 09:22 AM
I wouldn't be caught dead any where near a store today. I've never understood the shopping mania and believe it is mostly because of media hype that people get so worked up about it. I've done all of my Christams shopping online for the past four years and will do so again this year. I have found that there are just as many good deals to be had without the bother of dealing with the crowds and hysteria.
Posted by: Pat | November 23, 2007 at 11:22 AM
I actually woke up early and went to a few stores with a buddy of mine. We had no intention to buy anything and all we did was watch all the people scramble and cracked jokes to whoever would listen. Most of the customers thought we were funny but most of the employees were none too amused. My question is: what's worse people who wake up early to stand in line to save money, but fraustrate and stress themselves out, or people like me who wake up early don't stand in line, make fun of the people who are there acting crazy and start their day with a smile on their face?
Posted by: Eric G. | November 23, 2007 at 12:24 PM
What would one put in a financial emergency kit?
Posted by: Way-Below-Average Joe | November 24, 2007 at 09:32 AM
Great list. I competely agree with the cash back rewards. I think a lot of people don't realize how much you can get back with all of your holiday spending.
Posted by: Tom | November 24, 2007 at 01:53 PM
I bought a flat screen LCD online Thursday morning on circuitcity.com for the same price the people freezing their butts off in line Friday paid. Online shopping is the way to go!
Posted by: Kevin | November 26, 2007 at 09:56 AM
For me the 10 Things Better than Shopping Today are the following:
1. Surf in the internet regarding things like Steps to Financial Independence.
2. Rather than doing the actual shopping, do window shopping to compare prices of stuffs that you like to buy including the quality and other aspects as to contents, fibers, strengths and expiry periods. This way you will save a lot since you can benchmark the things you like to buy.
3. Do paintings either landscape or simply scenery.
4. Write books on financial matters and those that pertains to management of investments.
5. If you have not prepared your bank reconciliation statements for a year or any periods for that matter, you better prepare one before the banks will raised their red flags on you for issuing NSF checks to your stakeholders.
6. Read books like Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill or How to Get Rich by Paul Getty you will be amused on acquiring financial wisdom from these business wizards.
7. Unclog your credit cards by updating and paying your overdue accounts before furthering your shopping. Remember to live like a lender and not a borrower.
8. Dream of big dreams. Everything starts with a dream. According to Ralf Waldo Emerson: " Desire is sweeter than fulfillment."
9. Take time to pray. Remember that Christ would like us to be just his friend so that your prayers could be personal as if you are just talking to Him. Prayer is one mode of healing our wounds because God would always remind us that you are His son and all our sins has been forgiven. So draw back to God and He will draw back to you.
10. Give. Give all to life what you've got, be all what you can be in this world. Subdue this earth according to the Bible. The more you give, the more you become rich. Love people and use money and never do the reverse. These are the ten things you can do which I believe is better than squandering your money in shopping.
Posted by: Dr. Artfredo C. Abella Ph.D | June 16, 2008 at 01:39 AM