Ways To Make Black Friday A More Healthy Experience!

What is Black Friday

Black Friday is an informal name for the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States (the fourth Thursday of November), which has been regarded as the beginning of the country's Christmas shopping season since 1952. Most major retailers open very early (and more recently during overnight hours) and offer promotional sales. Black Friday is not an official holiday, but California and some other states observe "The Day After Thanksgiving" as a holiday for state government employees, sometimes in lieu of another federal holiday such as Columbus Day. Many non-retail employees and schools have both Thanksgiving and the following Friday off, which, along with the following regular weekend, makes it a four-day weekend, thereby increasing the number of potential shoppers. It has routinely been the busiest shopping day of the year since 2005, although news reports, which at that time were inaccurate, have described it as the busiest shopping day of the year for a much longer period of time. Similar stories resurface year upon year at this time, portraying hysteria and shortage of stock, creating a state of positive feedback.

The History Of Black Friday Shopping

The first recorded use of the term “Black Friday” was applied not to holiday shopping but to financial crisis: specifically, the crash of the U.S. gold market on September 24, 1869. Two notoriously ruthless Wall Street financiers, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, worked together to buy up as much as they could of the nation’s gold, hoping to drive the price sky-high and sell it for astonishing profits. On that Friday in September, the conspiracy finally unraveled, sending the stock market into free-fall and bankrupting everyone from Wall Street barons to farmers.

The most commonly repeated story behind the post-Thanksgiving shopping-related Black Friday tradition links it to retailers. As the story goes, after an entire year of operating at a loss (“in the red”) stores would supposedly earn a profit (“went into the black”) on the day after Thanksgiving, because holiday shoppers blew so much money on discounted merchandise. Though it’s true that retail companies used to record losses in red and profits in black when doing their accounting, this version of Black Friday’s origin is the officially sanctioned—but inaccurate—story behind the tradition.

Why People Love Black Friday Shopping

There are two kinds of people on Black Friday: the ones who stand in line, and the ones who think those other people are wacky. If you’re the latter, you may even spend your Friday morning watching news footage of the mayhem and rolling your eyes. But don't be so quick to look down on the line-standers of the world.

“The thing about Black Friday that people misunderstand is that people shop for a lot of different reasons,” says Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist at Golden Gate University and a consultant for exactly the kind of stores people wait in line for. She explains that we tend to assume everyone is just hungry for a bargain, because that’s the common denominator on Black Friday. But in talking to consumers who willingly wait in those lines, she’s found that they’re usually not in it for the sales.

Why Black Friday Shopping Is Healthy For You

Not only can you buy gifts for a fraction of the price they normally cost, but shopping for presents for friends and family can really get you into the holiday giving spirit.

Coupons Relax Us, Make Us Happy

For all the stress of the waiting, the Black Friday deals have a physical—and positive—effect on our brain. In the age of the smartphone, retailers lure customers with mobile coupons to get cell-phone shoppers to buy at the store, rather than online. And so even if discounts will get deeper in-store or on Cyber Monday, Black Friday-specific coupons can offer an immediate sense of relaxation. All of which makes consumers happier, found a recent Claremont Graduate University study.

Sense Of Competition

When most people think of Black Friday, they think about crazed shoppers running into a store at 3:00 A.M., since that’s what the media shows.

That might sound terrifying for some people, but for others the sense of competition can be really fun.

Not only does it make people feel more excited and playful, competition can give you a boost of healthy adrenaline.

Line Waiting: Ritual, Not Pain

Like we said, Black Friday doesn't always offer the best deals of the season, yet the masses still do it. Like the Apple fanboy line, the loyalty has to do with the tradition behind Black Friday, found a study out of Winthrop University. Here's the upshot (in a wonderful study write-up that makes our subjects sound like meerkats heading to the deep-discount watering hole): "Qualitative data from 38 interviews indicated that Black Friday shopping activities constitute a collective consumption ritual that is practiced and shared by multiple generations of female family members and close friends," write the authors. Unbelievable to most people who find waiting in line torturous, these people like it. They even look forward to it. "For the person who’s been doing this for decades, this is as much of their Thanksgiving tradition as having turkey," researcher Jane Boyd Thomas said. "That’s why they’re going to endure lines and probably even thrive in the lines." Thrive meaning what, exactly, we're not so sure

Walking Is Good For You

Of course, one of the more obvious benefits of going shopping is all the walking (and maybe even running) you’ll be doing.

Walking has a ton of health benefits, including improved heart health, lower blood pressure, better mood, stronger bones, lowered risk of diabetes, and more.

Getting a Doorbuster Deal or Limited Item Can Make You Feel Superior and Validated

In the case of the doorbuster and limited deals, Mourey says, "There's also this tribal competitive aspect to it, where it's like, 'Aha, I got it and you didn't.'"

In fact, the sense of competition actually validates the idea of Black Friday bargain hunting. "Creating a sense of competition, that everyone will be out looking for the best deal, takes advantage of the social proof principle: 'If everyone's doing it, it must be a good idea,'" Brannon says.

Buying Something Justifies the Time Commitment

After you've woken up early, waited in line, created your plan of attack, and have made the mad dash, you have to feel the effort is worth it. Brannon says the "consistency and commitment" principle of persuasion applies here. "Once retailers get shoppers to get up early and wait in long lines, they feel somewhat obligated to buy something to justify all of that effort."

It's Fun (for Some)

There are some who truly hate Black Friday and never turn out to shop. But for those who enjoy it, "they're doing it for reasons that they find fun, whether it's the competitive component, the social component, [or] just the excitement," Mourey says. "If you think about it, there's no other time throughout the year where there's that group mentality around shopping. So in that regard, there's a once-a-year kind of experience."

Here are 5 ways to be sure you come home smiling instead of screaming

1. Prioritize. You're not going to be able to get all the deals you want. It just won't happen. So make a list of what you want, try to scout out where they'll be and how much they'll cost ahead of time, and focus on the most expensive or largest items once you're actually shopping.

2. Let your iPhone find the best deals for you. Yup, there's an app for that. Download Scratch Hard, a mobile shopping assistant and location-based search engine that can locate the best deals for you. All you have to do is "scratch" the screen and it will offer up deals from nearby retailers. The more you "scratch" to uncover an offer, the more offers you'll receive.

3. Double-check that your credit card is ready. There's nothing worse than being "that person" who gets up to the register with a pile of goods only to be turned away because your card's declined. Be sure before you head out that your credit and debit cards will be ready to accept the charges, then set a budget for yourself and stick to it as best you can.

4. Read the return policies. Each retailer is different, so try to take note of their fine print (most have their policies listed on their websites) before you make a purchase so you'll know what you will be able to return if need be and what you won't.

5. Bring a friend. Working out, road trips, hitting the bars...almost everything is better with a friend, and Black Friday shopping's no exception. Plus, it's easier. Two or more people in one group can split up and grab up all the items you need in half the time.

Odd Facts about Black Friday

Here are some of the latest and strangest facts about the day that has grown to encompass an entire weekend of deals

1- It attracts more people tha disneyland

2- More people die while shopping than in shark attacks

3- Its not just on friday anymore

4- You don't have to set foot in a store at all

5- Amazon wants to dominate the holidays

6- Not All stores like black friday

7- Some deals aren't really deals

8- PJ's are a Big seller

9- Black friday has gone global

10- It's not actually the biggest shopping day after all

Tips for Black Friday Shopping

Nessreen Rizvi, M.D., an internal medicine physician at Henry Ford Health System, outlines tips to help you stay healthy and happy if you decide to seek out some deals on a Black Friday shopping adventure this year.

Have a game plan. This might be the most common Black Friday tip — but for good reason. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, especially on a day when you’re surrounded by a crowd of people and emotions might be running high. Knowing where you want to go, what you want to buy and when you want to arrive can take a lot of the stress out of Black Friday shopping. It can also help keep you focused on what you really want to buy instead of impulse purchasing items you don’t really want or need.

Bring hand sanitizer. Close your eyes. Envision the hundreds of people swarming your favorite store, touching items, rubbing their runny nose and grabbing money from a wallet stored in a jean pocket or at the bottom of a purse. Now open. Are you a bit grossed out? Black Friday falls during cold and flu season – a time when many people are either sick or know someone who is. Carrying a small, portable hand sanitizer with you is great defense against these viruses.“Hand sanitizer is an effective way to kill germs that cause the cold or flu,” Dr. Rizvi says. “In public places like department stores, it’s important to be aware of what you – and everyone else – is touching and make sure to sanitize to protect yourself from any viruses.”

Wear comfortable shoes. Uncomfortable shoes can cause more than just foot pain. “Wearing shoes that don’t fit your feet right can cause you to walk differently than you normally do,” Dr. Rizvi says. “If you’re walking abnormally for a long period of time, it can cause back, hip and other issues.”Aside from the pain, walking around in uncomfortable shoes can negatively affect your mood, which isn’t good for anyone.

Drink water. While you’re out shopping, it can be easy to forget to stay hydrated. But not drinking enough water throughout the day can have negative effects.“Not drinking enough water, especially if you’re standing and moving around all day, can cause a variety of consequences,” Dr. Rizvi says. “A lack of water causes dehydration, which leads to headaches, dizziness and muscle cramps.”To combat this, make sure to hydrate the day before Black Friday (yes, during your Thanksgiving festivities) as well as the morning of. While you’re out shopping, bring a water bottle. Many shopping centers have water fountains where you can refill throughout the day.

Watch the heavy lifting. Black Friday is a great time to save big on bulky items like TVs and computers. Just keep in mind these items can be big, heavy and awkward to carry.Instead of trying to do all of the lifting yourself and risking an injury, take advantage of the resources stores provide, such as carts and designated pick up areas to take the load off of you – or you could end up paying the price for more than just a discounted TV.

Eat wisely. Bring healthy snacks and other portable food items to keep yourself fueled throughout the day – and avoid the temptation of grabbing something quick at the food court or in the drive-thru.“It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of an event like Black Friday that people forget to eat – and then make poor food choices when they realize how hungry they are,” Dr. Rizvi says. “Packing foods like apples, sandwiches and nuts are sturdy enough to be tossed in your bag and provide the nutrition to keep you going – and full.”

10 Ways You’re Doing Black Friday All Wrong

Taking the first deal you see

Not downloading price comparison apps

Not making a list

Buying coffee out

Going over budget

Shopping with friends

Buying toys

Buying based only on price

Not knowing the true full price

Forgetting about Cyber Monday