How to shop mindfully during Black Friday sales

Despite the cost-of-living crisis, Brits are planning on spending £4 billion more during this Black Friday weekend compared to last year. With enticing deals left and right, it’s no wonder many end up overspending on impulse buys they never actually planned.

But a saving is only a saving if you needed what you bought in the first place. Here are a few tips to make sure you’re shopping mindfully this Black Friday – so you can make the most of the sales without blowing your budget.

Set a clear budget and make a shopping list

Black Friday is designed to make you spend, spend, spend. Countdown timers and “limited offer” warnings can make it feel like you have to buy now or you’ll miss out forever. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement.

That’s why setting a budget and making a list in advance is so important. Before you even open a shopping app, decide how much you can afford to spend and write down what you want to buy. Then stick to it.

It’s the perfect time to get ahead of your Christmas shopping but make sure you bag bargains you actually need by putting rules in place before you shop.

Avoid Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) traps

More and more retailers are introducing Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options to entice customers to spend more money. There are definitely times when a BNPL arrangement could work well.

But it’s easy to fall for the trap of spreading the cost so you can bag a Black Friday deal or five. Do it enough times, and you could lose track of what you owe altogether, making it difficult to keep up with payments. The golden rule of thumb is – if you can’t pay for something in full, think twice before adding it to your basket.

Sleep on impulse buys

Black Friday comes with incredible deals on everything from clothes to tech, so we don’t blame you if you come across a cool gadget or a pair of shoes to die for that you just have to have. But ideally, sleep on it before you tap that checkout button. If you still really want that item the next morning, go for it. Chances are though, once the initial excitement wears off, you might not be as desperate to splurge as you thought.

If your fear of missing out means there’s no way you can sleep on this amazing deal, at least step away for a moment. Vix Leyton, consumer expert at thinkmoney, says: “If you’re gripped by an impulse buy, put it in your online basket, shut your laptop, and go and make yourself a cup of tea.

“If you’ve forgotten about it by the time you’re back, review if you actually do need it in your life, and you might even get a cheeky bonus ‘come back’ code from the retailer in your inbox, reducing the price even more or offering free shipping to get you over the line.”

Same rules apply if you’re in a physical shop; step out and find the nearest cafe. Get yourself a drink and think through whether you actually need this item.

Use credit cards for extra protection

If you’re making a bigger purchase, it’s worth using a credit card to make the payment. This isn’t to spread the cost but rather to get the extra protections this payment method offers.

Vix adds: “If you have the budget ready to pay it off, pay by credit card for anything over £100 so you’ve got Section 75 protection if it all goes wrong. And if a website looks dodgy, it probably is.

“Black Friday scams are as old as the sales themselves – stick to retailers you’ve actually heard of.”