Black Friday and Cyber Monday are concepts that (together with Halloween it seems!) have entered our culture in the past few years. In America, Black Friday is the day after the Thanksgiving holiday which is an occasion where families get together to celebrate. Then they apparently shop till they drop!

This year it seems as though it is more like Black November as many retail stores are running specials throughout the month, as opposed to only for a few days. They probably need to make up for the lack of sales that happened earlier in the year because of the lockdown.

Here are some tips on how to try get the best deals, but also not be irresponsible with your spending!

1.Only buy what you need!

All these discounted prices are great, but do you actually need/will you use what you are buying? No point getting a great deal on something that will just gather dust once you've bought it. Have a plan rather than just shopping aimlessly.

2. Stick to your budget

Draw up a budget and stick to it. Hopefully you have been saving for this shopping spree and you are not dipping into credit to make your purchases. Now is not the time to overextend yourself, keDezemba is around the corner waiting for you and whatever is left of your money.

3. Do the research

If there is something specific you are after, make sure you check out now who is selling it and for how much. Trying to do this when there are hundreds of thousands of people shopping online won't work so well. And then you may be left empty-handed. Try price comparison sites like www.pricecheck.co.za to compare products and retailers or follow the outlets on social media so that you're up to date with what's happening.

4.  Bird in the hand...

As some places have started discounting already, it may be worth buying now rather than waiting for the 27th of November. Who knows, it may sell out quickly and the risk of hoping the price reduces further may not be worth it. (Don't blame us if the price does drop though!)

5. Do Christmas shopping now

Take the opportunity now to get your Christmas shopping done whilst there are good deals on and avoid the December rush!

6. Understand the T's & C's

Be careful out there - some of the things being sold may not be easily returnable once bought. Make sure you know what rules apply to the product you are buying or where you are buying from.

7. Shop online!

This would be here even if there wasn't a pandemic but it is even more important now. It is much safer (for everyone) and more efficient to avoid the physical stores and shop from your phone/computer.

So yes, by all means make use of the discounted prices to make essential purchases or buy what you have been saving for, but just remember not to overdo it!