Don’t Make These 7 Silly Purchases Even on Black Friday
Written by
Jordan Rosenfeld
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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There’s just something about a sale that can turn off the logic centers in a shopper’s brain and find you adding to your cart before you’ve really thought it through. During non-sale times, gadgets and viral items might not have much appeal; however once those discount signs appear, it’s easy to tell yourself it’s worth buying.
To save you money, regret and shipping fees, consider that even with Black Friday sales deeply discounting things, you probably don’t want to buy every “cool” or fun thing that comes your way.
Here are seven silly purchases to avoid making even on Black Friday.
Bartesian Cocktail Machine
Whomever invented essentially the Keurig of cocktails probably made a mint on this fun idea. It’s certainly tempting to think of being able to make a selection of cocktails without the hassle of ingredients, implements, mixers and more. And yes, you’ll be able to find many an online retailer happy to part you from your money for something like the Bartesian Cocktail Machine (regular retail price $349.99). Your wallet won’t thank you, however, and your body probably won’t either.
Portable Food Warmer Mats
The thing about impulse buys is that you tend to think of the ideal scenario in which you’d use something, not how often or how realistically. While portable silicone heating mats to keep food warm when away from home actually are a good idea in theory, how often are you actually going to use them? If you can’t come up with more than a couple occasions, you’re probably better off leaving them to your imagination instead of your cart for $45.
Designer Glasses
Brand names spend millions of dollars every year to convince consumers that you’re getting something more special, valuable and trendy than other brands. While it’s understandable to want to invest in something as personal and necessary as eyewear, paying designer prices for eyewear, which is notorious for getting lost and broken, is something you might regret down the road.
AI PCs
Yes, the artificial intelligence “revolution” has begun, and yes, there are computers that may be better equipped to handle some of the innovations that AI will bring, but you should think twice about spending your money right now on any AI PCs, according to Mashable, which pointed out that this is really getting ahead of itself. These computers may have processors better equipped to handle AI speed, but the AI isn’t sophisticated enough to warrant them yet, it claims. Give them time.
Novelty Fridges
While a kid going off to college or an office with no major refrigeration is a great place for an actual mini-fridge, you can skip the hype about novelty fridges, those just small enough to fit on a desktop. Often geared toward gamers and sports enthusiasts, you’re spending a lot of money for something that is basically just keeping you from getting up and walking into your kitchen. These are often movie, brand or other fan-adjacent products that may start low but can run into the hundreds of dollars.
Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Set
While there are very real reasons such as disability that someone might buy an automatic salt and pepper grinding set, if you or your gift recipient has perfectly functional hands, you are probably going overboard with this kind of product. It doesn’t stop places like Amazon from selling them for almost $34 (without Prime).
Wireless Meat Thermometer
If you’ve got one of those people who is difficult to buy gifts for in your life, you’re probably always looking for that rare, unique item that they aren’t likely to have. It would be easy to see this wireless meat thermometer as one of those gifts for a meat loving friend or family member. But even with a fancy display and app you can check on your phone, is it really worth spending $60 when you could get a basic one for less than $10? Probably not.
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