4 ways to avoid overspending on Black Friday

Although Black Friday is the perfect chance to pick up some great deals and take advantage of big savings, it can be easy to get carried away.

Whether you’re browsing through offers for some of the best deals or getting started on your Christmas shopping – here are 4 smart shopper tips to help you avoid overspending on Black Friday:

1. Set a budget - and stick to it!

With so many retailers offering big discounts on their products, it can be easy to get swooped into deals you weren’t even looking for. Which shouldn’t be a problem – so long as it’s within your budget.

Ahead of the sales, set yourself a Black Friday spending limit, so you don’t get carried away and wind up ripping through your savings account.

This budget should factor in anything you’ve already got your eye on, plus a little extra to cover any irresistible deals you might stumble upon.

2. Make a Black Friday shopping list

Plan your purchases ahead of time! Heading into Black Friday with a game plan of the stores and products you’ll be looking for is wise. Not only will this give you a better chance of finding the deals you’re after, but it should help reduce your chances of overspending. 

Having a plan in place doesn’t mean you can’t spend a little extra if need be – it just means you’ll have some money set aside in the case of a “shopping emergency” (for lack of a better word).

3. Don’t buy things you won’t use

Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean you should buy it. A killer Black Friday deal might tempt you to make an impulse purchase – but ask yourself, do you really need it? Will you actually use it?

Remember, a good deal is only good if you were already considering buying the product at a higher price. So if you’re buying things you won’t use – then it doesn’t matter how big the discount is, you’re probably wasting your money.

4. Only spend money you’ve put aside for Black Friday

Being financially sensible on Black Friday means shopping within your means. To avoid the dreaded buyer’s remorse that comes with overspending - set aside your ‘Black Friday money’ ahead of time.

This tip goes hand in hand with your budget: choose an amount you can comfortably afford and keep that money tucked away in the lead-up to Black Friday. 

Say you’re planning to spend $150 max on the day – stash that amount somewhere safe ahead of Black Friday. That way, when it comes time to hit the shops, you’ll be ready to go with an allowance.

Check out our Black Friday hub to help get you prepped for the biggest shopping event of the year.

A note on 'Best': Our use of the word 'best' for this article is by no means definitive. The deals published here are merely a selection of the top deals we have found in our research only. We recognise that the number of shopping deals and discounts across Black Friday are too numerous to review. We recommend that you also conduct your own research when shopping at any of these retailers.