As seen on prominent media sources, hundreds of people line up and camp outside of stores waiting for the once-a-year all-time-low prices. The rush and frenzy of Black Friday sometimes lead to violence and fighting. People make such a big deal out of it, but is it really worth it?  Sources say that there are ways to shop that make the Black Friday “deals” worth it, but many people are doing it wrong. For next year, here are some things to look out for.

Multiple sites say to make a plan before you shop and make a budget for what you want to buy before you get carried away. Another strategy is to take full advantage of gift cards and rewards. Shoppers are warned not just to buy something because it is Black Friday and the item is “on sale.” Many companies take advantage of the shopping frenzy and sell items for prices that really aren’t deals. Shoppers get easily carried away, especially on Black Friday, and are tempted to buy things just because they can.

Are Black Friday sales really deals or are they just a consumeristic scheme to trick a capitalist country into spending immense amounts of money on things they really don’t need? Josie Banton, a student at Seneca Trail Christian Academy who participated in in-person shopping on Black Friday, explained how much she despised it. She said that her shopping trip was “lots of rushes and was overwhelming with the amount of people. It wasn’t that nice of an experience.” She thinks that Americans are too materialistic, “[S]ociety nowadays puts too much love into an item or belonging thinking it will make them feel better when in reality you tend to forget about it over time or neglect the value of it.” 

Not only is Black Friday a really easy way to drain your bank account, it brings out extreme selfishness. Across the country we have seen arguments, fights, and even death over something as simple as a flat-screen TV. Humans can quickly become very selfish and violent when it comes to saving a few bucks. For example, in 2011 a woman used pepper spray to harm every person in her way so that she could get to the item she wanted. In 2013 a marine was stabbed while trying to prevent a customer from shoplifting a TV. This violence is uncalled for and the result of the selfish and materialistic habits that are encouraged in American consumer culture.