Black Friday Craze

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals coming up. Remember that you ain't saving money.
You are spending less.
$350 to $250?
You aren't saving $100. You are spending $250.
— Hoye Lam (@hoyelam) November 23, 2020

I’ve purchased some RAM for around $60 to put in my desktop computer. This is more for when I get to play video-games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassins Creed Valhalla during the holidays.

The Black Friday craze is not something I understand completely in The Netherlands. Compared to maybe other countries like the US, the discounts are usually minimal to normal ones. It usually is around 10% to 20%. Which is nice to have, but to have all that craze?

I do agree, that if you want to buy something for your loved ones around Christmas, this is the time to do it. It’s better to buy now with a discount than a week later where there is none.

But as I tweeted out, discounts don’t mean you are saving money. It means you spend LESS. But it shouldn’t warrant a personal purchase if you don’t need it.

If you’re smartphone still works fine, that 10% better phone-camera probably doesn’t warrant spending $500 just because it is on a 25% discount. You still spend $500,-.

Maybe if your smartphone is almost dying, then you can warrant the purchase.

Of course, you in the end choose how to spend your money. I don’t have any influence on it.

I would just suggest using that money to buy things that you literally can’t do, have or know yet. Like maybe software tools that can automate your work or life. Or courses that teach you skills or knowledge that you are interested in. Or products that allow you to do things you can’t do yet.

Maybe you already have been nagging for a few months that your room is too dry, that can warrant a purchase of a humidifier during Black Friday.

Sounds hypocritical since I bought extra RAM even though I’m sure I can run those video games fine, but all I’m saying is, try to be more conscious about your purchases. I’m not perfect at all.

Today I’ve had many experiences where I was at the checkout, and then thought. ‘Maybe I don’t need it after all. Let’s cancel it.’

I try to be more conscious around my purchases and during Black Friday but sometimes it’s hard.

I may post all my purchases during Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend. If I have more than just the RAM.

I’m keeping mostly an eye out for software tools that make my life easier. This GitHub repository is great for that:

https://github.com/mRs-/Black-Friday-Deals
(At least for macOS and iOS)