Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Sleeping Outside

When people start setting up tents outside a store in anticipation of a big sale is when I think things have gotten out of hand.

Yes Black Friday is coming, our newspaper had a headline this morning stating “Shopping is gobbling up Thanksgiving” and I am afraid this is the truth, so with this said how many of us will participate in the Black Friday madness?

Going out on Friday has become a tradition for many people, a bigger tradition than actually sitting down for a Turkey dinner with loved ones.

I myself have suffered through this madness and now feel that paying a normal price is worth it more so than fighting the crowd for a discount.
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I saw on the news where people started camping out at a Best Buy store a week ago, and yesterday Cindy and I went there to buy ink for my printer and actually saw people camped out in front of the store.

I wonder if the prices are going to drop so low to make it worth it for them to miss Thanksgiving, is sleeping on the concrete going to be worthwhile enough to get their hands on something electronic, and is this item only going to be available this one day.

Figure up the amount of money you spent on that tent and lawn chairs, the food and drinks you bought, and the amount of time you wasted sitting there watching folks go in and out of that store.

I bet you end up spending more money than the item is really worth, and if you wanted to go camping with the family why the heck would you want to spend it in a parking lot?

I also wonder why a store would allow this; does a stores policy allow camping outside the front door? Or is this just a black Friday thing?

What if a homeless person was found sleeping outside the front door of a store, they would have the police called on them and escorted off the property, but yet the view I saw yesterday is tolerated.

A homeless person may not have money to spend on electronic products, so it appears they are less worthy a place to sleep just because they don’t have one?

I say use that money you are wasting camping out in front of a store for something proper; give it to someone who actually sleeps on the concrete because they have nowhere else to go.

I’d rather give my money to someone in need and possibly help to curb a hunger pang, than get a good deal on something I can buy on any day.

Do you have a Black Friday item that you will be shopping for?

22 comments:

  1. I don't do the black Friday thing, on purpose. I know people who DO the black Friday thing, just to be a part of it. Then there are those who, I guess, think they're getting bargains. But you pose an interesting question. Can people camp outside a store whenever they want?

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    1. Hey Abby, I never really thought about this until we saw those people yesterday, if it were any other time would this be allowed?

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  2. oh my gosh...that seems pretty over the top to me! When my kids were little I would send my husband on a round trip to the toy and electronic stores...I think things were less crazy then, still busy but not like today. I am usually done my Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving. I start shopping in January, keep a list of what I buy ..so no need for black fridays for us anymore...we stay up too late On thanksgiving anyway..

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    1. Hi Annmarie, My wife does the same thing, it seems she is shopping all year long but still there is always one thing on Black Friday she just has to go and get, this year I told her she was on her own Ha Ha

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  3. I can't recall if I ever went shopping on Black Friday, but if I did, it wasn't specifically because it was. I sure don't do it now! I don't like shopping on a good day, much less a day the vultures will be out.

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    1. I am much the same anymore Ms. A, Cindy still likes to go but most days I hold down the fort while she goes, the last Black Friday I attempted was about three years ago, never again I said.

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  4. I like your way of thinking for people to give to the homeless! Havent' been Black Friday shopping in years and won't be going this year (of course I have to work that morning, but still I could hit the 4 a.m. sales and still get to work on time, but nope, no shopping for me on Friday!) I used to like to get out and people watch on Black Friday but this camping out or standing in line for hours to get a good price has no appeal to me.

    betty

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    1. Hi Betty, I can't understand camping out in front of the store waiting for a sale to begin, it just makes no sense to me.

      As for the homeless my heart breaks every time I think of them, if we would reach out to them more than looking away and stepping over them, the world would be a much better place, because contrary to popular belief the majority of them do not want to be on the streets.

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  5. Shopping on Black Friday is on my Fuckit list, a list of stuff I have never done and never will. It is right before sky diving and right after eating glass!

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    1. Hey Joe, I have never heard it put that way Ha Ha, I'd say Black Friday is on the same list in my opinion :^0

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  6. You make such a good point. No, I won't be shopping for anything on Black Friday. There isn't anything in the stores I need or want.

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    1. Hi Stephen, I have glanced over some of the ads and like you see nothing I can't live without, if I needed anything I would wait until later on and buy it at a higher price as it is worth it to me not to fight the crowds.

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  7. I worked retail in the 80s and it wasn't anywhere near this. I like your question about homeless........you know a city would not allow a homeless person to camp out in front of a store! So, why do they allow this? The almighty dollar prevails again!

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    1. That is it in a nutshell Bijoux, the almighty dollar is all anyone is worried about here, a homeless person would be escorted off the property before they got themselves set down, and go out there in say March with a tent and see how long you get to camp there.

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  8. I may have just been missing it, but it's only been the last couple of years that I've seen anything Black Friday related taking place here in Canada. At least where I live anyways. I always wonder why these people don't have jobs they're supposed to be at? If they can put all the time and effort into camping out to fight over a bargain, you would thing they should also be putting out that effort to providing for their families? But that might just be me?

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    1. Amen Ken, You are right how in the world are these people holding down a job? I couldn't camp out at a store a week prior to a sale and still work, and if these folks are out of work shame on them for wasting their time and energy spending their funds on something they really don't need.

      Black Friday is getting to be a bigger thing each year, it's getting to be over the top in my opinion.

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  9. I agree! You will never find me at one of these events! Family is more important. Have a great Thanksgiving with your family!

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    1. Hi Rachael, It is a shame for people to miss time with Family due to a sale like this, I am proud you are spending time with yours, A Happy Thanksgiving to you my Friend.

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  10. I don't like shopping, full stop (with the exception of books, music and toy shops!) So I'm hardly going to camp outside one.

    Enjoy your holiday.

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    1. Hi Bryan, If I really need something I will hold off if the store is too crowded and go back later, like you I am not going to stand in line nor camp outside just to fight a crowd inside.

      A Happy Thanksgiving to you Bryan

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  11. First of all, I hate crowds. Second of all, I hate shopping (get in, get what I want, get out is all I want to do). Third of all, people these days will actually trample and kill others in order to get stuff cheap. I have no desire to be part of a crowd of animals like that. Black Friday is the day I stay home, eat leftovers, and do as little as possible besides enjoying my four-day weekend from work.

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    1. Welcome David, I have to agree with you, Black Friday is a good day to sit at home and eat leftovers, I do love a good old Turkey Sandwich Ha Ha

      I have no desire to get out among the crowds on a regular shopping day much less a crowded one.

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