Unless you have something in mind that you want, that you know you can get a good deal on, I think you would be better off saving your money than buying something you don’t want/need just for the sake of a black Friday deal.

This whole black Friday thing gets hyped so much that you start to think “I better get in on these bargain prices,” but the truth is that some retailers actually raise their prices on some things in October and then lower them back to regular 40% markup and call it a “SIZZILIN SALE PRICE!!!”

So in conclusion, if there’s something you want, check different sources and compare prices. Otherwise, don’t get scammed into thinking you’re missing out, you are not. Source: I am 55 years old, have worked in retail.

A great rule of thumb I have adopted as an adult to save money, is anytime I wanna impulse buy something I write it it down.

Then I come back to it 2 weeks later and if I still really want it then, I buy it.

But so often after 2 weeks the novelty has warn off and I look at the list and go “ehhh, meh, nevermind I dont want it that bad actually”

Surprised nobody suggested condoms.

If you can’t answer this question for yourself, then you don’t have any burning need to spend the money. Just keep it for when you find you actually have a need.

Unless you have something specific you want, I’d advise not to spend money just for the sake of it, even for perceived savings from deals. That’s part of the trick with Black Friday deals - marking things down to get people to buy things they wouldn’t even think to get in the first place.

If you’re not willing to invest it, and you don’t already have something in mind you want to buy, then I say just save it.

Aside from that it depends on your hobbies. If it were me as a teenager it might be nice to get a decent fishing rod or multitool - something that you will use for a long time into adulthood.

Saving up to travel is also something you probably won’t regret, and will create lifetime memories that define you.

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Just because it’s cheaper doesn’t mean that you suddenly need it when you didn’t need it before.

And just because they tell you it’s cheaper doesn’t mean that it is cheaper.

So go price something you want now, so that when the price theoretically falls you know whether it should be bought at all.

An electric toothbrush.

If you really want to buy something invest in a hobby of yours. Buy an instrument, used camera lens, whatever you need to do something you like. Stuff like this may last you a long time if you stick with the hobby.

Neither. Save your money.

My kids say a gaming system or games, computer hardware.

But only ever makes sense to buy something you already want. Price out the things you want today, at today’s prices, so you can tell if there even IS a discount on black Friday. Spending on something just because it’s cheap makes no sense.

If you already have a hobby, invest in that. Otherwise try something new.

Or don’t participate in Black Friday and save it.

That’s a good question. It’s hard to go back to my teen years but I’d suggest:

• buy a musical instrument and learn to play it, really doesn’t mater which one. Especially during college years everyone who could play anything was suddenly a superstar
• buy some book to learn some skill, again doesn’t matter that much what you learn. I don’t know, like mixing cocktails? Sounds fun. For example by accident I learned “reading of hands”. I quickly learned that it’s bullshit but boy, was it an interresting thing to perform during parties in college
• Nothing really comes to my mind regarding of profesional development. Really at your level most of the stuff you can learn is free online and you don’t need anything expensive

So here’s the deal, you can buy a bunch of little trinkets and cool things that won’t affect your quality of life in the long term, or you can save up for a few big life changing things.

My suggestion would be to save up a few paychecks for a four season canvas bell tent as your first big investment. I recently moved into one as part of my offgrid prepping and wished I got one as a teen.

Its essentially your own room outside the house (provided your parents backyard is big enough for a small tent). Why? A reliable long lasting portable shelter that you can live in and or have a place for your friends to hang out/ socialize. If your parents are the loud argumentative never stops fighting kind that get on your nerves, being able to just leave the house and go to your own personal sanctuary is a godsend. If you get comfortable enough with tent living it will open up to you the possibility of saving up money for cheap land and owning your own property somewhere nice and scenic. without ever getting into financial debt.

If you are a smoker particularly of pot invest in a nice dry herb vaporizer from arizer. The smoke is a lot less harsh on the lungs, there’s practically no smell (my parents HATED the smell and chewed my ass when they caught a whiff)