Spending in today's society
Randy Bramwell
Issue date: 12/8/09 Section: Op/Ed
I always hear people talking about how the economy is down and how finding a job is harder than ever these days. I hear people talk about the importance of buying wise and saving money.
All of this leaves me wondering, why was Black Friday such a big deal this year?
Of course, what other time of the year is it possible to get necessities like kitchen appliances and clothing for so cheap? For this reason alone I believe that Black Friday sales are a good thing. But there is a time when the sales can go overboard.
I went to a sale at the Ponca City, OK Wal-Mart at 6 a.m.. The sale had only been on for an hour, and the lines at the checkout were blocking the entrance! In order for us to get into the store, we had to go all the way around by the deli and then walk in the direction we wanted to go.
What I noticed as I made my way through the absurdly crowded store was that most everyone there was not buying things that are truly needed, but were instead buying "fun" things.
I know the prices on many of the "fun" things were almost unbeatable. Many people would think that it would be crazy to not take advantage of the extremely low prices. Who wouldn't want a Nintendo Wii for $99?
But my point is, with the current state of the economy, can running out to buy a new Wii or a more modern looking microwave really be justified just because the price is lower than usual? There are still families right here in our country that need help financially, not to mention in the rest of the world.
I think those of us with extra should be helping out those that don't have enough. Wouldn't it be nice to go without something if it means that someone else would be happy?
All of this leaves me wondering, why was Black Friday such a big deal this year?
Of course, what other time of the year is it possible to get necessities like kitchen appliances and clothing for so cheap? For this reason alone I believe that Black Friday sales are a good thing. But there is a time when the sales can go overboard.
I went to a sale at the Ponca City, OK Wal-Mart at 6 a.m.. The sale had only been on for an hour, and the lines at the checkout were blocking the entrance! In order for us to get into the store, we had to go all the way around by the deli and then walk in the direction we wanted to go.
What I noticed as I made my way through the absurdly crowded store was that most everyone there was not buying things that are truly needed, but were instead buying "fun" things.
I know the prices on many of the "fun" things were almost unbeatable. Many people would think that it would be crazy to not take advantage of the extremely low prices. Who wouldn't want a Nintendo Wii for $99?
But my point is, with the current state of the economy, can running out to buy a new Wii or a more modern looking microwave really be justified just because the price is lower than usual? There are still families right here in our country that need help financially, not to mention in the rest of the world.
I think those of us with extra should be helping out those that don't have enough. Wouldn't it be nice to go without something if it means that someone else would be happy?
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