Desert the Cart

No, I did not forget an “S” in the title of this post. This is not about a dessert cart at a restaurant; I want you to desert the cart, as in “abandon”, “cast aside”, “leave”, and “turn your back on”.

But “WHY?”, you ask. Good question.  

Everybody knows what is coming this weekend, and I’m not talking about Thanksgiving (for money-saving tips on this wonderful holiday, see Less Stress, More Gratitude on November 6). I’m talking about Black Friday.

There are a number of different histories as to where this infamous 24-hour period got its name. One source says that Black Friday earned it because the extreme volume of shoppers caused traffic accidents and violence. Unfortunately, we have seen an uptick in both.

If you must shop on Black Friday, I suggest choosing one thing from one store. By the time you check out, you have more than likely missed all the other bargains at the other stores anyway. But most of all, be kind. No electronic gadget is worth insult or injury.

Truth be told, even though I am quite the bargain hunter, I detest Black Friday shopping. I much prefer Cyber Monday. Here is a trick that might work for online purchases (I learned this from a relative who works in the industry)–after you have logged in to the site, loaded your cart, right before submitting payment information, close your browser. Leave the items in your virtual cart and watch for the site to reach out to you with an additional offer. Also be sure to take note of when the sales end so you don’t miss it in case this does not work, but more and more retailers are jumping on this bandwagon. There are also apps and browser extensions to help find online coupons. Just this morning I found an additional 15% off by just reading the top of the page on the site I was browsing.

Make sure you do a little research beforehand. Look at ads, check online prices, watch the prices in the stores. Sometimes the item you need has a great sale AFTER Black Friday.

Regardless of where and how you shop, be patient. After all, it is the time of year to focus on what we have and not what we think we need to buy. It’s really about love. And, if no one has mentioned it yet, Merry Christmas.