Black Friday Bombardment

Don't get me wrong, I won't claim to be the most organized or efficient person when it comes to virtual or home office systems. I do check and filter my e-mails at minimum every other day. However, through promotions, special offers, sales ads, and whatnot it is seemingly impossible to keep up. No time of year is worse for pressurized e-mails than the holiday season in America. Daily e-mails, at minimum, or often three or more from various retail corporations seek your business. They offer you specials for a limited time, swearing to act now for the best price; only for another sales opportunity and offer to come up at a later date or sometimes the very next day. Now, just after Halloween, it is already Black Friday Bombardment season.

All of this mental clutter has me frustrated about the upcoming holidays. Much like prescription drug, political, and legal advertisements and commercials, I'm getting tired of it. The sales ads and holiday savings are now joining their ranks. It makes me want to purge with an "unsubscribe, unsubscribe, unsubscribe all!" I even have the perfect coffee mug to further convey my thoughts on the matter.

Corporate America had Americans spending more than budgeted on average in 2020 (in part because of the pandemic and access to online shopping and convenience) than in 2019. If sales seem more pressured, frequent, and aggressive this year, in 2021, it is because they are. More money was made, despite the closing of certain individual retail stores and businesses, and the overall corporate giants want to keep the increasing revenue flowing in.

You'll be receiving more emails, sales ads, and "opportunities" to purchase the goods you seek. Albeit, the access to those goods and services will remain limited due to certain current situations (goods from overseas being disallowed into certain Californian ports, for instance). While these situations and circumstances are true, don't think for a millisecond corporate America isn't aware of how they can profit from the average citizen in response to the present situations. If anything, these inconveniences have added to their "opportunity" to profit from you, the individual.

If you can step back for a minute, try to analyze the sales companies are advertising. Are they truly as good as years prior? We know the sales are more frequent, but does that mean they are better? Which Black Friday sale should I check out, the one on Black Friday itself or the one at the beginning, middle, and third week of the month? Which one will be better? These sales are marketing strategies or "tricks" engineered to confuse you, the consumer.

"Limited quantities" is a phrase we are now conditioned to not blink an eye at since the pandemic. It also increases the demand. Thought patterns like, "Should I wait or buy now? What if I make the wrong decision and miss out? I better buy as soon as possible in case the price increases or I should buy while I can (while still available)." With the urgency to buy certain goods and services before they become unavailable, it can actually cause their lack of availability. As a result, price increases will continue.

A wise man once said to me, "People know the price of everything and the value of nothing." That individual no doubt received their insight from poet Oscar Wilde who once said "A fool is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing".

Just the first week of November, an employee in a grocery store greeted me and asked if I wanted a wine advent calendar. Curious and noting the tickets in her hand, I asked if they were doing a drawing or giveaway for one. She shook her head correctively, and said, "No, we have limited quantities so you must have a ticket if you wish to purchase one. If you change your mind, just leave your cart over there, and come through the double doors to get one from me." she directed.

I had already been perplexed that their sales ad had perishable food advent calendars, including cheeses. While some items like the wine calendar would remain good, I personally didn't want to purchase anything I would have to keep in the fridge for nearly two months to preserve. This store rush and increase in shoppers regarding such items raised my hackles.

"They're handing out a ticket for you to purchase a heavily sought after item, and making you feel like you're getting something coveted by others as if you've won a prize. You still have to pay for it, but it makes you feel that way doesn't it?" I thought.

Even worse, the doomsday writer and paranoid persona within me continued, "One day they're handing you a ticket for something like that, and the next they're handing you a ticket to shop in the store. Next, there will be a drawing or lottery in order to shop on certain days of the week or to shop at all. How easily human psychology and behavior patterns can be introduced, accepted, and normalized: many of us none the wiser."

Christmas is nearly two months away. Let that sink in. I don't care one way or the other whether your tree is up now or not. Enjoy that if you want; that is your prerogative. I'm not here to stop you. I'm from the part of America that "leaves its Christmas lights on their front porch all year long"; what you do in that regard doesn't bother me one bit.

The unregulated capitalism being fostered and condoned, however, bothers me quite a lot. The public is willfully manipulated all for the sake of the holiday. I've been feeling like many of us need some sort of footing or security within all the chaos and confusion. Nerves are getting frayed and our minds are all in frenzy. Maybe it isn't intentional, but it sure would make sense for corporations' bottom line if it were. Some people might not feel the effects or have regrets right now, but they might if it continues; other people may be feeling it already.

I know most of us Americans have all seen the memes: the ones about how we act so greedy and thankless the day after or now the day of when we are supposed to be thankful for our blessings. To me, it wasn't a guilt trip so much as a revelation that resonated to my very core.

I have worked several Black Fridays, until this year when as a freelance writer and mother I can thankfully stay home. In the past, competing for holiday leave with other staff that planned on shopping in different cities, states, or even locally never seemed worth it. When we were asked our plans on how to enjoy the day should we be granted it off, the couple of us "essential employees" who wound up working either planned on hunting that morning or, in my case, extending Thanksgiving celebrations into the weekend when other family could come in and participate. Neither of those reasons was ever considered as valid as the coworkers who waited for Black Friday shopping every year or those who would be worn out from shopping all of Thanksgiving night. I'm not resentful of that fact, I'm simply pointing out that consumerism plays a huge role in even workplace leave requests in America during this time of year.

I'm not saying you should feel guilty for "taking advantage" of the Black Friday sales. I'm simply recommending keeping your focus within all the chaos. What is the point of Thanksgiving when Black Friday shopping starts so early? I personally admire a recognized date for mindful, conscious, thankfulness. I think it should be upheld beyond just a celebratory date of Thanksgiving, but this is a holiday that should do more benefit than harm. Sharing a meal with family or loved ones, reaching out to those in need, or reflecting on all the positive blessings that have happened in our lives this year are beautiful and wonderful things that somehow get sidelined in our quest for greater, better, or more.

We are being pushed to forget notions of full bellies right after a Thanksgiving feast. I said to my husband the other day while attempting to write part of my dystopian novel, "impending doom seems far from reality when you have a full belly." He chuckled and nodded in agreement.

Nearly all of us have warm clothing, and are celebrating it with a roof over our heads. We curl up or tuck in for the night in a warm blanketed bed. Some of us are blessed enough to celebrate with loved ones, be it family or friends. I rather love that idea and practice of "Friends-giving" celebrations. This is supposed to be the day where we commemorate the blessings of the last year, and I don't want to be distracted from it; despite corporate America's intentions to persuade me otherwise.

Fragmented minds make unwise decisions, regardless of how wise an individual actually is. It is tempting to overspend for mere corporate profit and individual loss in this current situation. You may not even realize that you're overspending with the "deals" and sales being such as they are. There are, however, steps we, as individuals, can take to combat this unregulated capitalism in respect to our lives. You can use sales ads for making your lists if you like, but keep in mind the priorities of needs, wants, and budgets.

1. Make a list of what to buy, and stick to it! Many people have their traditional holiday meal must haves, so make a list and allocate for those items. If you have children, chances are they'll have already been going on about what items they want for the holiday season. Make a list of their holiday must haves, and make those items the priority (within reason). The same goes for spouses, friends, and other loved ones you may want to purchase gifts for. Try not to consider anything extra until you have purchased those items and know for certain that you have room within your budget to purchase additional items. Knowing you've tackled the main priorities makes holiday shopping and advertisements less high pressure, and gives you peace of mind.
2. Make a budget and stick to it! A pragmatic recommendation is to make a budget and stick to it. I know we have all heard that before, but it really does make a difference. It sucks when you overspend on an item that goes on sale the next week. You gambled and made the wrong choice in which sale you took advantage of: I've been there, but don't kick yourself for it. It is bound to happen; accept it and move on. When you budget for a dinner, you've already estimated and allocated the funds for it; the same goes for gifts. It isn't quite as sharp or as deep of a loss if you're still within budget. It makes replying, "Oh well" in those situations a little easier.
3. Take your remaining budget and prepare a list accordingly IF you have allocated money left over. This last one is fairly simple, and just restates the importance of the prior two. I like to allocate this to my stocking stuffer budget and then see where things go.

It's easy to get lost in the Black Friday Bombardment of emails, sales ads, and constant advertisements. When all else fails, take a step back and focus.

This Black Friday, my plans are to enjoy a nice piping hot cup of coffee, spend time with my loved ones, and take a walk in nature. As far as I'm concerned, commercialism, consumerism, and capitalism can also go take a hike and carry their incessant e-mails back with them!