How to Spend Black Friday on a Budget
You Can Enjoy the Day After Thanksgiving Without Shopping
Nov 24, 2008
Spend Black Friday doing some things for yourself and others, making donations of unneeded goods, calming yourself for the upcoming season, and planning your finances and gift-giving.
People hear about only two choices for what to do on Black Friday: shop or not shop. There are many meaningful things to do on Black Friday without undue financial stress.
Use Black Friday to Catch Up
What a great day (since your stomach is full) to act like a grateful person by using the day to catch up with needed tasks while you prepare for the Christmas season. This approach can give a golden opportunity to make choices that will turn the holiday onslaught into a calmer Christmas melody.
Do Something for Yourself
- Check your smoke detectors and replace the batteries.
- Check air-conditioning and heater system's filters.
- Trim the hedges in your yard.
- Take a long walk.
- Put up and decorate the Christmas tree while playing favorite seasonal music.
- Spend quiet time reading or watching a movie alone or with friends or family.
- Clean house in preparation for the holidays; it'll take off the pounds you added yesterday.
- Gather around the tree while decorating and sing Christmas carols.
Do Something for Others
- Check smoke detectors and replace batteries for someone who needs help.
- Check air-conditioning and heater system's filters for someone who needs help.
- Call a friend or relative you haven't talked to in a while.
- Make a call or write a thank you to someone for a kindness you received from them this year.
- Send one or more emails out about things you are thankful for. It will generate surprising results.
Donate to be Green and Share
- Visit your closet, scanning for clothes you never wear any more. Pack them up and take to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or a resale shop.
- Do a walk-through of your house looking for books, toys, or other items you no longer use. (A wise person once said that if you haven't played with something for five years, it is no longer really yours, and should be moved on to someone who would cherish it.)
Stay on a Budget
- Pay your bills up to date.
- Plan January's budget.
- Make leftovers an enjoyable experience for your family.
- Then plan your realistic gift budget, including family members to allow them to contribute and own the ideas and decisions made.
A day of grateful accomplishment can cement a relaxed approach to the Yuletide season. So, do something for yourself and others, make donations, calm yourself with food, music, etc., and honor your financial realities while you still remember the spirit of gratefulness.
A sense of seasonal satisfaction and happiness will hang near as you let your Black Friday help you tune in with reality. After stuffing yourself on Thursday, why not consider climbing out of bed on the day after Thanksgiving to find guilt-free satisfaction and a sense of both personal and financial accomplishment in Black Friday this year.
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