Black Friday vs. Buy Nothing Day
Posted
Nov 21 2007, 03:18 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
This post comes from J.D. Roth at partner blog Get Rich Slowly.
This weekend will be huge for U.S. retailers. The day after Thanksgiving -- dubbed Black Friday -- has become a cultural ritual for many. Shoppers view the day as a chance to grab stellar deals on Christmas gifts.
Others scorn it as crass commercialism, antithetical to the spirit of the holiday season. Some go so far as to celebrate the day after Thanksgiving as "Buy Nothing Day."
I tend to side with the latter camp. For the past decade I've elected not to shop on Black Friday. It's a way for me to avoid consumerism. Subscribing to a consumerist mindset helped to put me in debt in the first place. I don't begrudge others their bargains and shopping fun, but I choose not to participate.
Those who plan to go shopping this weekend may want to pay attention to Consumerist, which has been running all the Black Friday information it can find, including advertisements. The Bargainist is a good source of info if you plan to shop online.
If you go shopping, please spend responsibly. Buy only what you need and can afford -- avoid debt.
If you're curious about Buy Nothing Day, head over to Adbusters.
Whatever you do, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday.
Other articles of interest at Get Rich Slowly:
"How to spend less"
"Beware the insidious power of marketing"
"How retailers lure you to shop and buy"
