Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Issue date: 12/1/09 Section: Opinion

Let's save money by spending money. 

This year I "participated" in Black Friday - the day after Thanksgiving when retail stores offer out-of-this-world specials, causing shoppers to go buck-wild with their MasterCards.

Originally, accounting records kept by hand in red ink meant financial loss ("in the red"), whereas black ink ("in the black") meant profit, according to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday Web site.

Thus, Black Friday is a beacon of economic hope for retailers in the holiday season.

Every Thanksgiving and Christmas break, I return home to New Hampshire - or, the land of no sales tax.

California sales tax ranges from 8.25 percent to 10.25 percent, depending on county and district taxes, according to the Accounting and Financial Services Web site.

Meanwhile, New Hampshire sales tax is 0 percent. Be jealous, California. Be jealous.

The New Hampshire motto is "Live Free or Die." So I guess sales tax in New Hampshire would be a gross injustice to our livelihood.

There is a definite emphasis on the "die" part, because there are no seat belt laws, it is legal to call or text while driving and helmets are not required on motorcycles.

Enough with New Hampshire fun facts.

I have never been a fan of malls or shopping, but I thought this year I would give it a try.

Most stores opened around 4 a.m. Many stores have something called "early bird specials," in which either products are specially priced or the first 100 customers score a $10 gift card.

I had no idea people would wake up at such an hour to shop, but seasoned Black Friday patrons know not to show up before 5 a.m.

I rolled into the Mall of New Hampshire around 3 p.m. to see what all the fuss was about, clearly missing all the exciting crack-of-dawn deals.

Since I am a poor college student, I had to walk past blaring "50 percent off" and "Buy One Get One Free" signs. That was a feat. I swear one hissed my name.

My Black Friday experience involved Cinnabon and laughing at the expense of other frantic shoppers - secretly wishing I was one of them - as I made out with my cinnamon roll.

The people-watching location my friends and I chose was in front of the Gaps. Yes, I meant the plural. Baby Gap, Gap Kids and the regular Gap took up one lengthy stretch of the mall and happened to be Cinnabon's neighbor.

I sat with baited breath, hoping that two customers would lock in battle over an angora scarf or some out-of-this-world deal. Alas, mall patrons were friendly, nay helpful! I was not sure if it was the small-town mentality - "strangers are just friends you haven't met yet."

Maybe the possibility of a swine flu outbreak prevented close encounters with other shoppers.

Despite the congenial attitude, there was still a stampede of shoppers.

It was like Great America sponsored a free ticket giveaway. Except there were no amusement park rides. The only thing awaiting the customers was a weary cashier and growing debt.

I failed to see the thrill.

The only exciting part was that, according to retail America, Christmas is a go!

Christmas has officially begun. Snowflakes, Christmas trees and flashes of red could be found throughout the entire mall, completely dismissing the existence of Thanksgiving.

As wild-eyed customers flooded retail stores, filled checkout lines and loaded their wobbly arms with sale items, I drudged out of the mall empty-handed.

I will save money by not spending money.

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