stapfam

From what I can understand- This is the day after thanksgiving when the shops etc- cut prices to entice you to buy their products.

Well over here the shops are in trouble. We seem to have permanent "Offers" to get you into the shops. We are building up to christmas. The traditional time when everyone overspends. In previous years- starting on jan 1st- the sales start. All those gifts you bought a couple of weeks beforehand at full retail will now be with a massive discount.

Well the sales started a couple of weeks ago. Large stores are offering discounts on all purchases for a couple of days or over a weekend. Makes no difference to me as I have limited funds available for me to buy new products that I don't want or need in any case.

So what were your Black Friday purchases that you now regret? Have to admit that I resisted. Went out to a couple of the Sale days last week and didn't want to buy the Chain saw with too many fragile bits on it at a price I could afford- But Did buy the wifes new car possibly a month too early.


EDIT---Wet again and I rode yesterday. Big D.I.Y. store in local town has 20% off everything today so just going down to see what I still don't want. Even if it is a bargain.

Jet Travis

I'll bet there are a lot of 50+ types who wouldn't go within a mile of any shopping mall on Black Friday (known also as Buy Nothing Day to some). I worked out at the gym and did some very pleasant chores in the garden.

DnvrFox

No Black Friday purchases for me. Shiver. I wouldn't go near a store on Black Friday.

We had a wonderful time with my son, Andy. We had a great lunch with him and then walked while he bicycled his 3 wheeler on the beautiful Highline Canal Trail, 66 miles of winding trail cutting through the southern side of the Denver metro area. We sang "This train is bound for glory" the entire walk/ride, which is a song he loves.

RonH

I too stayed away from the stores. I stopped by the bike shop to say goodbye to one of the guys who is leaving. He's moving to Seattle for grad school.
Then I went home and monitored a cross bike auction on ebay -- which I won.

NOS88

I too joined the crowd that stayed away. It's been about a decade since I participated in any of the "Black Friday" madness. Took a leisurely ride on a an old favorite bike that my older son returned after using for a bit.

Dellphinus

Put up the outside lights, and went for a 20 mile ride- it was almost 50F. Today we've got two inches of snow. One of my daughters went shopping though. She said the malls looked busier on a normal Friday night. Not a good sign for the retailers.

Allegheny Jet

We drove to PA on Friday to visit my side of the family for the holiday. On Saturday morning my wife made me go out to a local department store to buy some new pants. We were only supposed to buy a couple pairs of new pants because I'm still wearing Dockers from 35 lbs ago. I'll be retired in 5 months and don't need any more casual dress clothes. Well, my wife's tool chest was stocked with a 15% off the total purchase, an additional 10% off by making the purchases by 1:00 PM, 10% off for using the store's charge card, already deep discount prices and even "amazing early bird discounts". My salvation was the 1:00 PM check out!

I am fairly good at estimating cost and budgeting but not sophisticated enough to figure out with all the discounts offered/earned why we didn't get money back from the store when checking out.

Jet Travis

Absolutely. They should be paying you to shop this weekend.

Allegheny Jet

The stores so much are better at combing savings and added bling than I can, while marketing my next "must have bike thing" to my wife. I need to take notice of the subtle techniques used by the big box marketers.

rideon7

I was driving home from Wyoming to Washington on Black Friday and stopped off at the Macy's department store in Bozeman to buy my wife's Christmas present. There's no sales tax in Montana so I saved a few bucks. The store was not too crowded but I don't know if stores in Montana ever are. As I wallked in I noticed some cashmere sweaters and merino wool shirts on sale for, what, 40% off? They looked nice but I don't NEED any more clothes, and they were made in China, so I made it out the door with just my single intended purchase. (*The wife's present was not on sale--one of those things that never goes on sale, but I'm not going to say here what I got her because that would be telling!)

colorado dale

What crowds?

Performance Bike had 20% off entire purchase
havent seen Look delta cleats on sale for past year

only 2 other people in the store

i then continues to lowes and didnt wait and then our local produce store
sunflowers farmers market it the the LEAST crowded i'd EVER seen the parking lot

roseskunk

except for groceries, there's little i need to purchase that i can't get online. haven't been to a mall in years. i still buy way too much, especially bikes. except for the LHT, they're all used craigslist finds. i could unload at least half or more of what i own and my lifestyle would most likely improve.

robtown

I bought nothing Friday before I heard of "Buy Nothing Day" this Saturday. No crowds for me.
I do tend to prop up the online bike parts sector on most other days.

CACycling

After a nice morning ride, my wife and I went out for breakfast before she headed over to her mother's house (she spends 4 or 5 hours a day taking care of her mom). I decided to head over to Target to get a camera case for my son (my sister gave him a real nice digital camera for his birthday and, as he is a teenage male, I thought protection was warranted) without thinking about the whole Black Thursday thing.

Found a spot to park and headed in. WOW! That place was packed! Found the appropriate case, looked at the 20 or so in line at the electronics checkout and decided the main checkout couldn't be any worse. To my surprise, there were 15 checkers and 10 customers. Walked up, paid cash and headed over to Performance Bike Store for some browsing (and picked up a nice pair of crocheted gloves for under $4). So I did my small part to keep our economy alve.

Beverly

I hate shopping in crowds so I've never ventured out on Black Friday.

A few years ago we established a new tradition to solve the holiday shopping. I give the grandkids gift certificates then take them out for a day of shopping and dinner in mid January. This is much more enjoyable for me and they love getting to pick-out what they want. Here's a picture from a past shopping trip.

Artmo 

No Black Friday shopping for us! We had our two sons, two grandchildren and our daughter-in-law here fot the weekend and on Friday we went out to a big breakfast, followed by short bike rides with the kids in glorious 70F weather.

surfrider

Didn't do any shopping specifically for "Black Friday" sales, but did have to stop in at the local Performance shop for a few items to rehab my Trek FX hybrid bike; brake levers & cables, chain, chain tool (20 yo one broke as I took the old chain off ), front chainring, cassette. Didn't know they were having a 20% off sale, so (excluding the better quality Park chain tool) got out for under $100. Sweet!

BengeBoy 

We're online shoppers, never do the Black Friday thing.

However, last night we all visited the REI flagship store in downtown Seattle to get some cold weather gear for my son (he's headed back to college) and to take advantage of 20%-off-any-item sale.

It was spookily quiet....normally that store is busy with locals and tourists, and it can be hard to park. Last night - quiet.

(BTW, the new Novara Fusion looks like a nice commuter bike, would be a great grocery getter or commuter...)

tsl

I bought a large coffee at the Mobil station across the street from work. Does that count against me as a Black Friday purchase?

But then, I do that every Friday. And every Friday the guy at the counter asks, "That everything?"

"Yeah," I reply. "No gas today." Then I carefully put the coffee in a bottle cage and ride across the street to work.

Friday was a lighter than usual Friday at work. (Joke of the day: "Jeepers. It sounds like a library in here.") But the crowd waiting outside the door Saturday morning was larger than usual. Rather than wishing them all "Happy Saturday" when I opened the doors, I reminded them, "No trampling!" and dodged out of the way.

Neil_B

I was out yesterday - the fellow I hike with is between cars, and after our hike and lunch I took him to the Wal-Mart in King of Prussia, PA, for groceries and to have a key made. Neither the shopping malls or the store were mobbed. Nothing like that store in NY where the crowd trampled a poor soul to death.

howsteepisit

We bought some food on Black Friday, that's it. I really detest the entire Christmas shopping season, especially what it represents as far as a season of excesses for many. Especially since the Christan bible preaches moderation in all things.

Tractortom

On Black Friday and Grey Saturday I made a 122 mile ride around Lake Okeechobee here in south Florida. I did enter a store to get some Gatorade each day, but the rest of the day was spent on my Catrike Trail, rolling up the miles along the lake.

Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL

BluesDawg

I bought groceries Friday afternoon. From what I could see, the stores were not overly crowded, although I heard that they were packed early in the morning when the doorbuster sales were on.

Rick@OCRR

On Black Friday, I joined a couple of friends for a ride up Glendora Mountain Road to Gledora Ridge Road to Mt. Baldy Village. Here is photo (by Maria) heading out to The Village on Glendora Ridge Road.



Here we are at the Cow Saddle (about a mile from The Village). Maria is petting the dog of our volunteer photographer, then Jim and myself (left to right)



The last is after lunch at The Lodge we asked our waitress to take a photo of us by the fireplace. Left to right, Rick, Maria and Jim



This ride was 44 mi. and just over 5,000 feet of climbing. Beautiful day on the mountain, cool to start (57 deg.F) warm by the finish (73 deg.F.).

Rick / OCRR

TysonB

I live in a rural town of 6,500 people. I was in a mall 18 months ago. I didn't like it.

TysonB