by Lindsay Horvath

Created on: October 27, 2008

In the dark, cold early morning hours, hundreds of people stand huddled together. Although most are touching, they glance warily at the crowd around them, each with their own agenda. It is just the very beginning of a day during which large amounts of people will push and shove, await in long lines with irritated expressions, and spend a ton of money all in the name of saving money (ironically). Welcome to Black Friday.

But is Black Friday worth it? Are the discounts and promotions worth getting up at ungodly hours, perhaps taking a day off work, and fighting the crowds that are often full of overzealous shoppers? If you're considering venturing out to the Walmarts and shopping malls on the day after Thanksgiving, there are a few questions you might want to ask yourself first.

Do you even like shopping? If you aren't a person who enjoys retail therapy, going shopping on Black Friday is probably going to feel like torture. It would be the equivalent of hiking the Appalachian trail when you don't even like walking to the mailbox. If shopping, especially Christmas shopping, is generally not your cup of tea, you might want to avoid Black Friday. On the contrary, if you enjoy the act of collecting bags and purchases and looking at all the displays and sales, then this is your Christmas, so to speak.

The next question to ask yourself is, is it worth taking a day off work? If you don't work on this day anyhow (and many people don't) you can skip right ahead. For those of us who do generally work on Black Friday, you have to decide the cost-and not just financial. For example, if you work in retail, its about as likely as a bartender getting New Year's Eve off. Also, if your main objective is to save money on Christmas purchases, you have to ask yourself if losing a day's pay is going to be worth the $10 you save on the big screen television?

Another point to consider...are you willing to get up hours before daylight to go stand in line? Because, if you want to get the really good deals, that's probably what you'll need to do. I personally feel this is only worth it in the event that a specific item you specifically intend to purchase is specifically on sale and has a limited quantity. Lots of stores have items such electronics or high-demand kids toys at a great discount...while supplies last. And generally, the people who get up at 3am to wait in line for 2 hours are going to be willing to shove you out of the way if it means getting that last Wii.

A final point to consider...are you REALLY going to save that much? Will you end up buying more on Black Friday than intended, simply because of the sales? This is the hope of every store and company owner across America. Or, will you be just as likely to save a little money but resist temptation and stay within your means? The question to ask yourself is whether you are an impulse shopper, or do you stick to your list?

In my opinion, Black Friday is worth it if you like shopping, can stay within your financial limits, and you're willing to get up early. If you're still undecided, remember, there is usually a whole month left before Christmas. Plenty more sales will come about, especially right before the big day!

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