When I was 18 years old I took all of my money out of the bank just to spend at the big Black Friday Sale.
These days stores hold Black Friday sales all through the month of November, but back then it was a one-day-only sales event. I had my eye on a new flat screen TV, the nicest on the market at the time. I got in line at midnight on Thanksgiving and waited for 8 hours for the store to open. It was a very different era! Today all the biggest sales are done online, and I never have to wait in line. Even my local HVAC contractor is offering discounts for online purchases on Black Friday! I was one of the few who knew about this flash sale ahead of time. After all, no one would expect an HVAC company to have any special deals for Black Friday. A few weeks ago I was at the bar and saw Mike, the HVAC tech who handles my inspection every year. I commented that I was due for a heating and cooling tune-up, and he drunkenly told me that I should wait a few weeks. If I signed up for the annual HVAC service plan on Black Friday I would get 50% off the price. That would basically pay for the entire HVAC inspection all at once, and I would still get another tune-up later in the year, plus discounts on their other services. I am waiting patiently until I can get the bargain price on the HVAC service plan, and then I will take full advantage of the savings.