5 Ways to Avoid the Red on Black Friday

Helmet… check. Flak jacket… check. Last will and testament updated… check. Okay, it sounds like you’re all set to go shopping on Black Friday.

These sale events have gotten out of control, literally! In 2011, there was a near riot over $2 waffle makers at Walmart, and a woman in California pepper sprayed 20 other shoppers to get to an Xbox video game console.

Well, how can we keep ourselves out of the Red on Black Friday? Here are 5 ways that should really help:

1. First of all, have a Christmas shopping spending plan! Know exactly what you’re going to spend beforehand, and stick to it.
2. Do your homework on where the best deals are and make a shopping list for anything you’re not buying online BEFORE you leave the house.
3. Don’t get sucked into opening store credit cards for a discount!
4. Don’t forget about Cyber Monday. It is a really big deal these days, and there are plenty of deals to be had online.
5. You can go to a deal tracking website, such as, DealNews.com. They also have a smartphone app that will alert you if a deal pops up that matches what you’re looking for.

Some Black Friday stories are so silly that you have to laugh. But they are also symbolic of something sad. The world is intent on taking Christ out of Christmas and replacing Him with holiday gift giving. So, make a real effort to keep yourself and your family focused on the real reason we celebrate Christmas: The birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.