The Ridiculousness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday

And What It Says About Our Relationship With Money

Black Friday and Cyber Monday used to feel like events. Now they feel like… noise.

This year’s sales cycle didn’t just creep earlier. It swallowed the entire month, turned every retailer into a carnival barker, and flooded our feeds with “deals” that were often the same price they were in October. And somehow, despite every headline about inflation, people were encouraged to shop harder than ever.

It’s worth pausing to ask: what exactly are we doing?

1. The “Sale” That’s Not Actually a Sale

Retailers boosted prices in October so they could “slash” them in November. Price trackers showed it. Shoppers noticed it. But the marketing machine kept rolling and many people still clicked purchase because urgency is engineered into the experience.

The wildest part? Some items this year had higher Black Friday prices than they did the week before.

2. The Psychological Pressure Was on Steroids

Every tactic was dialed up this year.

“Only 3 left”
“Deal ends in 5 minutes”
“Someone in your area just bought this”

It wasn’t persuasion. It was psychological warfare for your wallet.

We’re living in a moment where financial stress is high, incomes feel stretched, and yet the message we get is that relief can be found in a cart full of stuff. It’s a distraction disguised as a dopamine hit.

3. The Environmental Cost Is Getting Harder to Ignore

The mountains of plastic, packaging, returned items, and impulse buys that end up in landfills later on? It’s a lot. And with the explosion of fast shipping and free returns, the footprint is growing, not shrinking.

Sustainability messages took a back seat this year, drowned out by 40 percent off flash banners.

4. The Economic Irony Is Almost Comical

Companies are struggling with margins and consumer spending is slowing… but they’re still relying on the same playbook from ten years ago. “If sales are down, yell louder.” We’re watching a retail system trying to brute-force its way back to profitability during a time when buyer psychology has fundamentally shifted.

People don’t feel rich. They feel tired. Yet the pressure to overspend keeps rising.

5. The Disconnect Is the Real Story

We’re bombarded with messages about “treat yourself” and “don’t miss out” at the same time that people are talking about burnout, overwhelm, and financial anxiety. Black Friday and Cyber Monday didn’t solve any of that. They amplified it.

The ridiculousness isn’t the sales. It’s the mismatch between what people actually need and what the retail world keeps pushing.

A Better Way Forward

If this year highlighted anything, it’s that we don’t need more frantic spending. We need more clarity. More rest. More alignment between our purchases and our values.

Instead of chasing fake discounts, consider:

• Buying only what already aligns with your goals
• Setting a spending window instead of chasing “deals”
• Pausing 24 hours before impulse purchases
• Supporting local makers or small businesses whose prices are honest year-round
• Choosing to opt out entirely without guilt

Black Friday and Cyber Monday will keep getting louder, earlier, and more chaotic. But you don’t have to keep playing the game. The future of financial well-being isn’t about fighting the sales cycle. It’s about stepping outside of it.