Saving Cash on Black Friday

I know this is the day to save cash while you spend it. If you can wake up early, and get out of your turkey coma, you too can be among the many Americans waiting in line to enter stores before the sun comes up. What time did you leave to go shopping? Did you get any great deals? What did you buy? Please write and tell me, so the readers of my blog have something to read! I didn't do ANY holiday shopping today. In fact, I didn't spend a penny.

My husband did go out to buy a tire for the car, since the spare was in use from a recent unrecoverable flat. Unfortunately, the tires for that car are quite expensive. After a bit of shopping around via phone, he find one for $10 less than he thought he'd spend. And the service to change the tire was included.

We also filled up our diesel car here in Pennsylvania, and saved about 40 cents per gallon.

Next he went to Wegman's in Pennsylvania, a great grocery chain which has amazing prices. We stocked up on lots of beef and pork, paying anywhere from $2 - $4 less per pound than we typically see in the DC area stores. Our freezer is still largely empty since our two weeks of spending no money so we have plenty of room! Yea!

My big project today was humanitarian, rather than economic. A high school friend, Kelly Deardorff-Palumbo who owns Salon Halo in Mechanicsburg has heard over the years about my Senegalese friends, and offered to sell handmade African handicrafts in her store to benefit my friend Ngone. Today we created a price list, and she display handmade necklaces, wooden carvings, fabric bags, and a variety of other items in her shop. 100% of the proceeds will go to Ngone. She is trying hard to save money to become a co-owner of a beauty shop with another woman in Dakar, Senegal. Although she is struggling to buy even basic staples like rice for her family, she still holds the hope of owning her own business and contributing meaningfully to the family's finances.

I give thanks that my family is secure, and that people like Kelly are willing to help out people whom they have never even met. I hope everyone had a very nice Thanksgiving yesterday.