Black Friday is arguably the biggest shopping day in the whole calendar. It originated in the USA and is an informal name for the Friday which follows Thanksgiving and is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. This day is regarded as the beginning of the shopping season in the USA and has been since 1952. In recent years the phenomenon spread overseas and is now widely celebrated in the UK too. Black Friday has also evolved from just one day and now spans over the weeks leading up to it too. Here are some top tips to save money with Black Friday…

Don’t be afraid to brave the shops

While many of us will save our Black Friday shopping for online, you could also head to shopping centres such as the Braehead shopping centre for top deals that you won’t find on the internet. They have a whole myriad of deals and Black Friday offers which you will only get if you head to the shopping centre itself and it is worth getting there early for the best bargains. Be sure to plan your visit ahead of time as there is likely to be queues. By knowing where you want to go and a plan of action, you won’t waste time aimlessly wandering around.

Decide on the products you want beforehand

It is no use getting a bargain then finding out the product you’ve nabbed is useless. Do your research ahead of time and be sure to read reviews of any products you are looking to buy. It is a good idea to have a few different iterations in mind (such as beauty products or brands of TV) that all have good reviews, so you aren’t as limited on the day.

Make a list of different retailers selling the same thing

Different retailers may have different prices for the same items. Make sure you shop around this Black Friday and don’t just go straight for the very first deal you see on the item you want. It also means if one stockist sells out before you get a chance to buy what you want, you will know exactly where to try next without wasting valuable time doing research.

Check the returns policy ahead of time

Different stores will offer different return policies, and in the run-up to Christmas, you usually have more time to return items you have bought. Be sure to check out the returns policy before buying so if something breaks you aren’t stuck with it or forced to take store credit somewhere you never shop. If you purchase online, you have 14 days to cancel an order once it has been delivered, and 14 more to return it.

Only buy things you really need

On Black Friday, it can be tempted to impulse-buy things just because they have a great saving. This might be true, but you can end up wasting money on things you don’t need and will never use. Try and stick to items that you have decided on ahead of time and only impulse-buy if you genuinely think you or someone you love will benefit from it.
Photo by Sam Lion from Pexels

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Founder of Paisley.org.uk in 1998 and constantly strives to change peoples attitudes to the town, Brian is a self described Paisley Digital Champion who promotes Paisley via any means necessary. You can also follow me on X