Your ultimate Black Friday guide 📝

Who doesn’t love a good deal? You’ve probably already started receiving those tempting emails with Black Friday specials, and you’re burning to bargain hunt. We’ve got you. Here’s how you and your wallet can get the most out of Black Friday on 26 November.

Make it part of your budget

If you don’t have a solid list of what you’re setting out to buy — and even more importantly, a plan of how much you’re willing to spend — then you’ll leave a dent in your wallet right before the festive season, which is the last thing you want.

Be sure to incorporate your planned Black Friday expenses into your budget to avoid breaking the bank. Don’t skip any payments such as loan repayments, school fees, rent or your monthly savings just for the sake of a Black Friday deal!

Leave your credit card at home

This is a biggie. Getting into any sort of debt for a Black Friday deal, especially expensive credit card debt, is a bad idea. Spend what you have — ideally as little as possible. If you can exercise restraint in November, you’ll be taking a big step to surviving the festive season and Januworry…

Is it really a good deal?

So, you’re browsing Takealot and you see a washing machine for 40% off. Before you buy it, do a quick Google search and compare prices at other retailers. Overstated deals are common. In other words, the store might say it’s 40% off, but they hiked the price before advertising the discount. Don’t be fooled! Compare and Google as much as you can.

Know what’s on the table

Make time to actually read those emails in your promotions tab, read that flyer you received, and check out websites. This way, you’ll know what you want to buy, where to buy it, and which shopping route to take on one of the busiest days of the year. You’ll also be able to compare the prices of the items you want to buy.

If you’re smart, you should be able to avoid the stores altogether by taking advantage of online offers. Set out with a mission so you don’t end up strolling around (virtually or IRL) being tempted by all the so-called bargains.

Pro tip: Visit the grocery store a few days before Black Friday. You don’t want to spend two hours picking up bread and milk on the day!

Make a list — and stick to it!

We’ll say it again: Black Friday is the worst day to go to the mall, looking for ‘something nice’ to buy. You’ll only end up spending unnecessarily, with a shopping hangover the next day. Black Friday is an opportunity to buy something you actually need at a low price. Make it work for you!

Final tips

• Scrutinise the return policies for items you want to buy.
• If you’re planning to shop online, set up all your accounts and profiles ahead of time to avoid the inevitable website hang time — and missing out on deals.
• Look at the price, not the saving. At the end of the day, even if you’re saving R500, you’re still spending R1,500 on that microwave.
• Use 22seven to easily set up your Black Friday budget and track your spending.