How to Avoid Getting Trampled on Black Friday: Shop Online

Why bother putting yourself through the stress of having to shop with all the other crazies on Black Friday? In most cases, people are out shopping for deals, not gifts. If you want a TV, you're buying it for yourself, and it's not going to be a surprise. If you're buying a TV on Black Friday for someone, it likely won't make home with you after your purchase OR in one piece. I mean, getting a brand-new 46-inch LCD TV is an excellent present, but why get it on Black Friday? Is a family member's life really worth it? What else is there to buy? Clothing shopping is not a Black Friday activity. Neither is shopping for crock pots. Electronics are the big gimme gimme on this ridiculous-ly dark holiday, which should likely be named "Red" Friday for the consumers that spend more on "deals" than they would during the normal course of gift shopping and overdraw their checking accounts or max out their credit cards. The best bet for holiday shopping are the obvious choices, and most offer free shipping. Amazon.com AMZN, eBay/half.ebay.com EBAY, Best Buy BBY, Wal-Mart WMT, Overstock.com OSTK are all excellent choices for purchasing gifts and generally offer free or expedited shipping around the holidays. So, why do people do it? Probably just for the thrill. But if your goal is to save money, how does Black Friday fit into your budget? You have to buy tents, new coats, blankets, travel food storage equipment, blunt objects to fight off savages, knee pads, elbow pads, helmets.... Not to mention, catching pneumonia, bladder infections, etc. Honestly, thinking about it probably causes the same stress. So, here's a nickel's worth of free Benzinga advice: 1. Don't go shopping on Black Friday 2. If you do go shopping, go alone. No sense in having to worry about losing a child while catching these "superb" deals 3. ONLY GO ONCE. Then go home and do your shopping online, and never return to a retail store for a holiday gift ever again. Follow these rules and you can shop with confidence in your pajamas without winding up on peopleofwalmart.com.