Wal-Mart worker dies in Black Friday stampede

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

I think I love you.

...so what am I so afraid of
I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for
I think I love you isn't that what life is made of
Though it worries me to say that I never felt this way

[preciousjeni]

This thread has me thinking of my childhood. I wasn't one of those kids that got gifts and trinkets during the year. There was no money for that. I remember taking a blank notepad (my mom was/is a teacher) and running around outside like I was Penny from Inspector Gadget. We didn't have cable any time when I was growing up. We got a VCR as a gift when I was 15 or so.

At Christmas time and birthdays, my parents would have my brother and me give them a list of the things we really wanted in order of importance. My parents would then go down the list from the top and figure out which ONE thing they could afford to get that we really wanted.

I was listening to Michael Baisden the other day and they were talking about Black Friday, Christmas and the economy. He was telling parents to give their kids air for Christmas. LOL. One woman came on and was explaining how she was going to tell her kids that money's tight and they might not get everything they want. Then she said something about how they "get things throughout the year" so they have nothing to complain about.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

This thread has me thinking of my childhood. I wasn't one of those kids that got gifts and trinkets during the year. There was no money for that. I remember taking a blank notepad (my mom was/is a teacher) and running around outside like I was Penny from Inspector Gadget. We didn't have cable any time when I was growing up. We got a VCR as a gift when I was 15 or so.

At Christmas time and birthdays, my parents would have my brother and me give them a list of the things we really wanted in order of importance. My parents would then go down the list from the top and figure out which ONE thing they could afford to get that we really wanted.

I was listening to Michael Baisden the other day and they were talking about Black Friday, Christmas and the economy. He was telling parents to give their kids air for Christmas. LOL. One woman came on and was explaining how she was going to tell her kids that money's tight and they might not get everything they want. Then she said something about how they "get things throughout the year" so they have nothing to complain about.

My family had money but we were taught early on that having money doesn't mean that the money is to be spent in excess. Happiness isn't contingent upon buying STUFF. So if there was a family change of some sort, we wouldn't blink because we didn't NEED gifts. We loved dancing and singing to Christmas records (David Frost and Billy Taylor/The Temptations Christmas...don't hate ) and hanging out around the fireplace.

Decades later, I love that my parents did that. And now my family only gives Christmas gifts for the grandkids/nieces and nephews who are 5-14 years of age. No grown folk expect Christmas gifts, but if folks give it is completely up to them. As my nieces and nephews get older, they will also be taught to enjoy themselves without being obsessed with what's under the tree. They eventually need to learn that mystical Santa isn't giving these gifts--hard working family members are and sometimes hard working family members have more important things to invest their money in.

For all the broke ass people out there, whomever you are, regardless of why you're broke and whatever broke means to YOU: Be forward thinking. And if you have children, think of what you are teaching your children about money and life (i.e. happiness is contingent upon buying STUFF and NOT buying STUFF means that you're miserable and don't understand how to enjoy life.).

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

My family had money but we were taught early on that having money doesn't mean that the money is to be spent in excess. Happiness isn't contingent upon buying STUFF. So if there was a family change of some sort, we wouldn't blink because we didn't NEED gifts. We loved dancing and singing to Christmas records (David Frost and Billy Taylor/The Temptations Christmas...don't hate ) and hanging out around the fireplace.

Decades later, I love that my parents did that. And now my family only gives Christmas gifts for the grandkids/nieces and nephews who are 5-14 years of age. No grown folk expect Christmas gifts, but if folks give it is completely up to them. As my nieces and nephews get older, they will also be taught to enjoy themselves without being obsessed with what's under the tree. They eventually need to learn that mystical Santa isn't giving these gifts--hard working family members are and sometimes hard working family members have more important things to invest their money in.

For all the broke ass people out there, whomever you are, regardless of why you're broke and whatever broke means to YOU: Be forward thinking. And if you have children, think of what you are teaching your children about money and life (i.e. happiness is contingent upon buying STUFF and NOT buying STUFF means that you're miserable and don't understand how to enjoy life.).

My husband and I have talked about how we're going to deal with Santa Claus and commercialized Christmas. While we're not opposed to parents telling their children about Santa (because imagination is certainly important), we'll instead focus on the aspects of Christmas that are directly related to our faith. For one thing, we're going to continue some of the traditions from our own families (including the annual telling of a story my father wrote as a gift to my mother called "Gifts of the Magi" - similar name but completely different story from O. Henry's). But, we're also going to be creating traditions of our own including something - which hasn't been decided upon yet - related to Saint Nicholas of Myra. One thing I would really like to do is to have my future children select clothes and toys of their own that they'd like to give to children who are less fortunate. I've always found that giving gifts is so much more fulfilling than receiving them.

[PeppyGPhiB]

This is what retailers get for encouraging the chaos that comes with 4 am openings. They WANTED this kind of craziness - it creates an illusion of demand, driving more people to "BE THERE BEFORE THE STORE OPENS!" I hope Wal-Mart and other retailers that participate in this ridiculousness get a lot of bad PR for this. Enough is enough. For the first time in many years, my mom and I are not doing our traditional "girls day in the city" lunch/shopping trip today; although we never went to the big box stores on this day, we just decided that we didn't want to deal with the craziness considering we aren't buying as much this year.

[WinniBug]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

This is what retailers get for encouraging the chaos that comes with 4 am openings. They WANTED this kind of craziness - it creates an illusion of demand, driving more people to "BE THERE BEFORE THE STORE OPENS!" I hope Wal-Mart and other retailers that participate in this ridiculousness get a lot of bad PR for this. Enough is enough. For the first time in many years, my mom and I are not doing our traditional "girls day in the city" lunch/shopping trip today; although we never went to the big box stores on this day, we just decided that we didn't want to deal with the craziness considering we aren't buying as much this year.

That's what I was just thinking
It's the stores' fault for having a small, limited number of items and these doorbuster sales.
If you want something in particular, you have to get there first thing or the good deals will be all gone. Stores should carry more of the high-demand items.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by WinniBug

That's what I was just thinking
It's the stores' fault for having a small, limited number of items and these doorbuster sales.
If you want something in particular, you have to get there first thing or the good deals will be all gone. Stores should carry more of the high-demand items.

Of course, you realize that carrying more of them will cause the price to rise, right? Often the stores are taking a loss on these items (or the manufacturer is, which is why the numbers are limited) . . .

[WinniBug]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Of course, you realize that carrying more of them will cause the price to rise, right? Often the stores are taking a loss on these items (or the manufacturer is, which is why the numbers are limited) . . .

I have a hard time believing that anyone in this day and age would sell items at a loss...maybe a minimum gain, but I doubt they lose money, or there wouldn't be any point.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by WinniBug

I have a hard time believing that anyone in this day and age would sell items at a loss...maybe a minimum gain, but I doubt they lose money, or there wouldn't be any point.

When I worked at Aeropostale (it was an outlet store) we got all the clearance items from the other stores. Well, we'd sell those clearance items at ridiculously low prices (.99 cents for capris and shorts, 1.00 for shirts/tanks) because they just took up too much room, and we needed to have space for the new clearance items. We didn't make our sales quota on the clearance items, so those weren't our priority.

I think it would work the same with electronics. Those 'awesome' deals are usually on things that are older versions, or have less memory, etc. It's probably stuff that the store isn't making money on, so they rather sell it all to make room for newer items.