It’s that time of year again, when the TV and social media ads are urging us to splurge the cash in their Black Friday sales. It’s not even one day any more; it seems to go on for weeks! I think there are much more satisfying and frugal things to do instead of shopping.
I am not saying I have never had a look for a bargain around Black Friday; Amazon had an excellent deal on Alexa devices one year and I bought a few for Christmas gifts. However, I knew they had been more expensive all year and were a genuine reduction.
I was always put off the whole concept of Black Friday by the hideous footage of people pushing others out of the way and customers getting trampled underfoot in the rush to get into the stores for the Black Friday sales. Or the images of people fighting in the aisles over a cut price TV. Not for me! I would rather do without.
This year, of course, I won’t be joining in the annual spend fest in the run up to Christmas in the same way I might have in years gone by. As I have pledged to buy nothing new for the whole of 2021, my gift purchases are going to look a bit different.
If you are on a tight budget and trying to stop buying unnecessary stuff, or trying to live more sustainably and jump off the consumer treadmill, then avoiding Black Friday might be a good idea for you.
Here are some suggestions for frugal things to do instead of shopping this Black Friday.
Five frugal things to do instead of shopping
1# Take a hike
Autumn is such a glorious season here in the UK. I love all the colours of nature and find it so uplifting. Instead of sitting online shopping or hitting the mall, take a walk around the park, or find a footpath you have never explored.
I find the free All Trails app really useful for helping me find lovely walks in my neighbourhood.
2# Reorganise your book shelf
If you are anything like me, you have got shelves full of books, some of which you have never read! Instead of buying new stuff, explore what you already have.
Sort your books and maybe DVDs and CDs too, if you still own any. Those you know you will never read again, you could donate to charity. Explore those those titles you purchased and never got round to reading. Put a couple on your bedside table and start reading!
Donate or sell those you no longer need. I plan to give each member of my family one of the old books I have enjoyed as part of their Christmas present. What’s the point of them sitting on my bookshelf gathering dust when somebody else could be getting pleasure from them?
3# Plan a trip
As this post is about frugal things to do instead of shopping, I don’t mean booking a two week cruise on a luxury liner! However, you could plan short break, a day out or an experience to save up for: a visit to a city to see the sights or a trip to the countryside maybe.
Experiences tend to be more sustainable than things, and give you more fond memories than a cheap gadget ever could.
4# Catch up with friends
Catch up with some of your old friends for a chin wag. A coffee morning, pot luck supper (where you each bring a dish), or a clothes swapping party all offer the opportunity to do this without spending much money.
Seeing real people and making connections is much more satisfying than the brief thrill of a cheap bargain.
5# Get out in the garden
Before the harsh winter sets in, get out and tidy up the garden. Clear up the leaves and make some leaf mould, do a bit of pruning, or plant a few seeds for an early spring crop or flowering. Bulbs are relatively cheap and come up year after year, so how about planting a few to fill your garden with colour in 2022?
It’s also a good opportunity to do small repairs on fences, etc, clear out the shed or clean the greenhouse.
So many of us shop for fun, rather than when we actually need something. Be a rebel and do something that might be ultimately less polluting, cheaper and more satisfying this Black Friday! Do you have suggestions for frugal things to do instead of shopping?
I’m linking up with this Cass, Emma and Becky in this week’s ‘Frugal Friday’ linky.
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