Goodbye to Black Friday

“We’re not so slowly killing Black Friday,” said Abha Bhattarai in The Washington Post. Fewer Americans say they are planning to hit the sales on the Friday after Thanksgiving this year, “as consumers grow accustomed to deep discounts year-round.” Just 35 percent of shoppers who plan to buy items during Thanksgiving week say they will do so on Black Friday, down from 51 percent last year and 59 percent in 2015. “Retailers have conditioned the consumer to believe everything’s on sale every day, which means the deals on Black Friday are not significantly different from any other time,” says Steven Barr, consumer markets leader for research firm PwC. Alarmingly for brick-and-mortar stores, 30 percent of this year’s Black Friday shoppers will buy online exclusively. seniors borrow against their house, “receiving proceeds as a line of credit, fixed monthly payment, or lump sum.” If you don’t have a lot of savings, but you do have equity in your home, this strategy could make sense. Borrowers don’t have to pay the loans back until they move out or die, but default is possible, since seniors must continue to pay property taxes and insurance. Successful execution requires “navigating a minefield of loan choices,” so make sure to get expert advice before you sign.