Anyone do the Black Friday insanity?

Typically I'm one to be as far away as possible from this crazy ass consumer circus but... I wanted a particular Sony flat screen and Fry's had it for 300 dollars cheaper than I've seen. So I got up at 4am on Friday and made my way to Fry's.

Fry's... To anyone uninitiated. Fry's is a tech superstore. Computers, computer parts, phones, cables, washers dryers. And they're usually about the size of 2 football fields. Am I off there? Help me with the size if I am. They're HUGE.

So I'm there 35 minutes before the doors open at 5am. The lot is packed. Wow. OK... I find my spot and see the line go right. OK. I begin my trek cross the lot to the right corner of the building. There are 3 police cars. Wow. Around the corner I continue and... around the back of the store. OK... I follow the line looking for the end and it continues all the way the the end of the back of the buildin... no wait. Now it's doubling back out to a side street and continues for another football field length. WTF?!?!

These poor sods had been up all night and looked weary. Without exaggeration there were thousands of people. I repeat. WTF?

Faced with the knowledge that they probably only had 10 a the most of my TV choice, and there were thousands in line, yeah. I mean, no. Nope.

I went to Best Buy. The store was filled but no line. I asked about the Sony, got the last one. At 5:30am. Just how many did they actually have? 1?

So I save myself 200 instead of 300. And I feel dirty, you know? I usually see this from watching the news that evening. And there I was, in it. I got home with my purchase secret and the wife and kid say, "Let's go to the mall!!!"

Oh. What a nightmare. The wife got her shopping done. I treated myself and my kid to a fresh copy of The Beatles Revolver for the ride back home one... two... thu-reee... four... Let me tell you how it will be. Got home and had some turkey and gravy. Watched Get Smart and...

Anyone else?

Nope. I went to the dump with a truckload of yard leaves. My wife baked two pies. We put up Christmas lights and the tree. Watched a couple of movies and called it a day.

I went to see "Slumdog Millionaire" (which I loved) and, on the way out, saw that DSW had New Balance running shoes for $29 and bought two pairs.

I realize that I can easily by shoes here on this forum from one of the spammers, but it was right in front of me. Sorry for not supporting the HC advertisers!

My brother in law is a voting member for the Academy Awards so he gets all the new Oscar contention movies free for viewing-no trailers or previews on them either. We'll be watching that one this week..

I did my black friday shopping at Amazon.com, a little for my daughter's Xmas and some for me!

1 of: Nintendo DS Lite Limited Edition Ice Blue with Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! And Carrying Case Bundle

Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC

1 of: Apple MacBook Pro MB133LL/A 15.4-inch Laptop (2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, 200 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive)

Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC

I went to WalMart. It left me flat.

Typically I'm one to be as far away as possible from this crazy ass consumer circus but... I wanted a particular Sony flat screen and Fry's had it for 300 dollars cheaper than I've seen. So I got up at 4am on Friday and made my way to Fry's. Fry's... To anyone uninitiated. Fry's is a tech superstore. Computers, computer parts, phones, cables, washers dryers. And they're usually about the size of 2 football fields. Am I off there? Help me with the size if I am. They're HUGE. So I'm there 35 minutes before the doors open at 5am. The lot is packed. Wow. OK... I find my spot and see the line go right. OK. I begin my trek cross the lot to the right corner of the building. There are 3 police cars. Wow. Around the corner I continue and... around the back of the store. OK... I follow the line looking for the end and it continues all the way the the end of the back of the buildin... no wait. Now it's doubling back out to a side street and continues for another football field length. WTF?!?! These poor sods had been up all night and looked weary. Without exaggeration there were thousands of people. I repeat. WTF? Faced with the knowledge that they probably only had 10 a the most of my TV choice, and there were thousands in line, yeah. I mean, no. Nope. I went to Best Buy. The store was filled but no line. I asked about the Sony, got the last one. At 5:30am. Just how many did they actually have? 1? So I save myself 200 instead of 300. And I feel dirty, you know? I usually see this from watching the news that evening. And there I was, in it. I got home with my purchase secret and the wife and kid say, "Let's go to the mall!!!" Oh. What a nightmare. The wife got her shopping done. I treated myself and my kid to a fresh copy of The Beatles Revolver for the ride back home one... two... thu-reee... four... Let me tell you how it will be. Got home and had some turkey and gravy. Watched Get Smart and... Anyone else?

Dude. You do not go to Fry's on BF.

You go on Superbowl Sunday, just as the game is starting.

The place is filled with attractive, smart women who know their way around computers. And it doesn't hurt, from my perspective, that they likely hate spectator 'sports' as much as I do. My kinda gals...

You aren't the guy from Wal Mart who got trampled to death were you?

Thanks for helping me get that joke.

I can't imagine camping out at Fry's. When I used to live in San Diego, I hated going there even on normal days. Black Friday? Ouch! But, to get a great deal, I can understand it.

I went to Guitar Center on Friday and got a Roland VG-99. I had a 15% off coupon. I found an online retailer selling it cheaper than the MAP. GC matched the online price and then gave me the 15% off that price. It was a great deal and well worth the trip. I didn't have to get there first thing in the morning though. The VG-99 is one very cool piece of gear!

My car mechanic referred me to a tire shop earlier in the week that quoted me $527.00, before taxes, for 4 new tires. I told them that I would only be able to afford the front two at that time and then I would buy two more down the line. The guy asked me to step to the side and then asked if I could wait until Friday, and if I could be there between 6:00 and 8:00. He handed me a Black Friday coupon for 50% off of EVERYTHING (except taxes), including warranties, labor, stems, tires... the whole enchilada. I bought 4 new tires with a 9.3 rating for $299.00

My boss wasn't wanting to let me take the time off, but I told him that if I didn't get my tires done, I wouldn't be able to make it to work with bald tires when the first snow came. I got my tires replaced just in the nick of time.... it's snowing outside tonight. :thu:

I normally don't EVER go out into the crowds during big sales. I'm very claustrophobic when it comes to huge crowds of pushy and inconsiderate people. The tire shop had about 15 to 20 people in there, with more coming in behind them as I left.

I realize that I can easily by shoes here on this forum from one of the spammers, but it was right in front of me. Sorry for not supporting the HC advertisers!

:lol:

My family back home in South Dakota decided to stop the gift exchange about four years ago; no kids involved, and it was a blessed relief.

My long-time GF and I broke up this last July, so no gift-buying for me at all. A HUGELY blessed relief.

I bought myself a new electric shaver on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and went grocery shopping on Black Friday. Only saw 14 people both days, and they were all clerks!

Thanks for the tip about Superbowl Sunday, Blue, I'll give that a try this year!

Hey Lee-

Absolutely not. I wouldn`t go if they were giving things away for free. Seriously. I avoid crowds in general, especially when shopping. To me, it used to be a necessary evil but now with the internet, I don`t understand why anyone deals with it. I don`t get caught up in the rave.

No, I didn't go to the black friday sales. The people I see on the news who go to those things are insane.

Seriously, this kind of thing happens far too often. What the hell is wrong with people. Are they so desperate to be consumers that care about nothing else? That guy was trampled over by HUNDREDS of people. The police, when they were finally able to get to the guy, were being pushed down by more people trying to get into the store to empty their wallets.

I had an illuminating talk with a couple of women I know, and I was dumbstruck by the amount of spending they are planning to do for christmas on their kids. They feel they HAVE to do this. They feel guilty if they don't. They don't want their kids deprived of anything. And these are not well off people. They will be going into high interest debt to pay for this. I was blown away.

One of the women interviewed on the local news said that the economy if tough right now, but kids don't understand that, so parents have to look a little harder to find the bargains. Wtf?? Does it occur to these people that if times are so hard maybe their kids could get by on less?

As for the guy getting trampled...

We may be humans but we`re still animals.

I ordered one of these. Screw going out in that hodge podge of idiot douches.

$400

:lol: My family back home in South Dakota decided to stop the gift exchange about four years ago

It's ridiculous for people 40+ to be doing the gift exchange. Finally the family decided to draw names last year and this year we're only required to get one gift.

This is not only a HUGE relief in the giving department but it's just as huge of a relief in the getting department.

Not me... noooo way!

I don't need anything that I can afford. And I'm NOT going out there with the mob people...

You've all confirmed what I suspected... that you're too smart to attempt what I did. I won't again. I did save myself 200 bucks. But really, seeing the people I saw. The pervading mentality that somehow this s t u f f would make things right in their lives, to see them wrap around a gigantic building for hours. Every group had a basket too. They clearly had an agenda to acquire oodles of s t u f f. Gotta get my s t u f f.

Of course I will enjoy my 46 inch Sony HDTV. But that's different. That TV is going to transform our lives as a family. We will finally BE SOMEBODY!!! 46 inches is like 4 inches better that the people who have tiny 42 inch screens. It's sad, and I will no longer be among the sad. My problems have been solved. All because of Black Friday. All hail Black Friday and the joy she brings.

I got two-4-Gig memory cards for my camera ... $10ea.

Yea man

Russ

Nashville

Why am I feeling some of these kids are already grown, and run auto companies?

:lol:

Outside of the tire sale, my opinion of the Black Friday sales is this: Considering my hourly wage and what I could be making during the time spent waiting in lines.... I'd have to have some pretty huge savings to offset the cost of my wages. I'd rather be "making" the money than spending it ruthlessly on impulse. THAT WAY, I can actually afford the things that I truly want and need.... like GEAR LUST!!!