3 Reasons I'm Skipping Black Friday Shopping This Year

Is Black Friday shopping really worth it?

Black Friday is a popular day to shop and with good reason. Many retailers, from Walmart to Costco and beyond, offer special Black Friday bargains. And, in the past, I've taken advantage of some of the deals that are available, breaking out the credit cards to get discounted items. 

However, I'm going to be opting out of Black Friday shopping altogether this year. And there are three big reasons why that's the case. 

1. I want to enjoy a stress-free holiday

While shopping on Black Friday can be fun, it can also be stressful. Many of the best deals are available only in limited quantities so you often have to get to the store early or spend time clicking around on store websites to try to get the best bargains.  

Worrying about whether a deal will be available and rushing to the store, often ends up not being worth the savings that come with buying on Black Friday. Especially since there are plenty of other ways to save throughout the year, like shopping on Prime Day, which don't require you to get up early the day after a big holiday meal to fight for the savings. 

2. I don't want to give in to impulse buys

With so many items discounted on Black Friday, it's easy to end up picking up some random items with the theory that I'll have them available in case I need them later. A few years ago, for example, I decided to buy a Chromebook that was on sale for under $100 to have as a backup in case my primary laptop failed. The Chromebook has just been sitting on the shelf all this time, since I'm an Apple girl and don't want to get used to a new operating system. 

Even though I try to be disciplined with spending, Black Friday just presents a needless amount of temptation. I'm going to avoid going over budget by skipping the shopping day entirely. 

3. Nothing on my wish list is likely to be on sale 

Finally, the last big reason I'm skipping Black Friday is because I have a very select list of items I need and want to buy, and none of those things are likely to be on sale. 

Black Friday deals often tend to be focused around electronics like TVs and laptops, big household items like vacuums, or toys. We don't really need any of those things. If we did, I might consider shopping on Black Friday despite the downsides if I could save a lot of money on something I had to buy anyway. 

Of course, I'd want to make sure the deal really was a good one by comparing prices before purchasing and checking the model number and features to make sure the sale item wasn't a scaled-down version. 

Ultimately, I'm not totally against Black Friday shopping if it's done right with the goal of cutting the costs of essentials. But since that wouldn't be the case for me this year, there's no reason for me to take on the stress that shopping on this retail holiday entails.