Black Friday By The Numbers

Biggest retail day of the year, broken down.

Don't you just love capitalism? Surely you noticed how Thanksgiving came and went faster than a Kardashian wedding. If television ads are any indication, Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has eclipsed Turkey Day in order of importance in America. Forget cooking and spending time with family, you've got stuff to buy! While people are out fighting over appliances and clothes that are going to be old and out of style by New Year's, we figured we'd share some stats with you understand this "holiday" and protect yourself from debt.

23% of Americans said they planned on going out to shop on Black Friday. This means that pretty much 1 in every 4 people in this country are out right now wreaking havoc in your local Best Buy and WalMart. Whose watching the kids? Whose taking after grandma?

With an estimated 152 million people expected to hit the streets for Black Friday, retailers are predicting a 10% increase in shopping from this point last year. More people shopping in 2011? This must mean that...

...the Black unemployment rate isn't 15.1% anymore? Evidently somebody out there has some extra money to blow on flat screens and china sets.

Of course Black Friday is going to bring out the worst in somebody. Last night as people geared up for the madness to start at midnight, a Los Angeles woman attacked a crowd of Wal Mart shoppers with pepper spray to keep them away from an item she wanted. 20 people suffered injuries. She is still on the loose.

Fox News is suggesting that if you plan on keeping your credit intact after Black Friday and throughout the holiday shopping season, that you keep your outstanding balance under 50% of your available credit. No need to go in debt buying stuff for people you hardly speak to anyway.

According to the Census Bureau, the number of Black owned businesses in America jumped up 60.5% between 2002 and 2007. Where can only hope that when over the last five years that number has continued to increase. Do your part today and SUPPORT one.