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November 14, 2021

Don't want to brave Black Friday? Hire a shopper to do it for you

As Canadians, we look at Black Friday with a kind of removed curiosity. Like, how we follow the Penn State scandal, or the idea that anyone was ever watching Cover Me Canada.

Stock-photo-13674022-black-friday-store-windowWe hear about all the deals available south of the border, and we become jealous. Then, we hear about all the chaos, and we recoil.

But at a time when a sputtering U.S. economy may preface fewer Yanks shopping on Black Friday this year, there’s still a handy way Canadian consumers can take part.

Without even stepping foot in the States.

No, we’re not talking online shopping, we’re talking hiring an American to complete your Black Friday shopping for you.

*Bing: Check out the latest Black Friday deals here

According to Daily Finance, a few enterprising (read: unemployed) Americans have offered their shopping services on sites like Craigslist, where they post their willingness to wait out the Black Friday lines and Black Friday madness if you don’t want to.

One shopper charges a flat rate of $50 to promise to line up at stores like Target, Toys R Us and Best Buy, Daily Finance notes. The woman, however, makes it clear she can’t guarantee she’ll land specific items – though she will gift-wrap your stuff and drop it off for an extra fifty bucks.

Still, the idea is opportunistic, you’ve got to admit. By some estimates, Black Friday creates about 500,000 seasonal jobs per year in the U.S., so what’s a few more, less formal gigs to add to the bunch?

For Canadians looking to take part in won’t-ship-to-Canada Black Friday deals, here’s an alternative way to get involved. Chances are, you’ll have to dole out a lot of trust (and make at least one pilgrimage south to collect you goods), but if you can find an honourable satellite shopper, here’s to your savings.

By Jason Buckland, MSN Money

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Gordon PowersGordon Powers

A long-time fund company executive, Gordon Powers now heads up the Affinity Group, a financial services consulting firm. Gordon was a personal finance columnist for the Globe & Mail for many years, has taught retirement planning...

Jason BucklandJason Buckland

The modern-day MC Hammer of money, Jason can often be seen spending cash that isn’t his with the efficiency of a Wilt Chamberlain first date. After cutting his teeth as a reporter for the Toronto Sun, he joined the MSN Money team with...