How Money-Savvy Shoppers Can Save More This Black Friday!

Key Takeaways

• Don’t buy on impulse; research and compare before spending.

• Cashback stacking can make a good deal even better.

• Big discounts don’t always mean real savings.

• Haggle!

• Check price history and retailer credibility before buying.

• Can you afford it? How will you pay?

• A deal is only a deal if you needed it anyway.
  

Black Friday is no longer a one-day event. It’s a month-long marketing storm designed to make you feel like you’re missing out if you don’t click Buy Now!

After years of watching this from both sides of the counter, as a shopper and during my time working for a major UK electronics retailer, I’ve learned how to spot real savings from the smoke and mirrors.

This isn’t a list of the “best deals”. It’s about how to shop smart, protect your wallet, and make Black Friday work for you, not the other way round.

Buy with intention, not emotion!

Black Friday is built to make you act on impulse. The flashing countdowns, “only 3 left in stock” warnings, and massive red discount banners are designed to make you buy first and think later. That’s how retailers win and shoppers lose.

The best way to flip the script is to shop with intention. Make your list before the sales even start. Write down the things you genuinely need or have been planning to buy for a while.

Then, when the discounts drop, you can go straight to checking the price instead of browsing for inspiration.

That mindset changes everything. You stop scrolling endlessly for “ideas” or getting sucked in by fake urgency. Instead, you stay focused on finding the best possible deal on something you already value.

A few years ago, I saved £100 on an air fryer I’d had my eye on for months. I waited, tracked the price, and when Black Friday hit, I knew straight away it was a real deal, not a marketing trick. That’s what intentional shopping looks like: spending smarter, not just cheaper.

If you only remember one rule this Black Friday, make it this one. The best savings are saying no to something you never needed in the first place. Remember, a saving is only a saving if you save money on something you were going to buy anyway. If you buy something extra you didn't intend to buy, even at a great price, it's not a saving, it's an extra expense!

Don’t get caught out by fake savings!

When I worked in retail, I saw the tricks first-hand. Prices would creep up weeks before Black Friday, only to be “slashed” back down again. The price ticket screamed SAVE £500, but it wasn’t really as big a saving as it seemed! In the UK, a price must have been genuinely charged for at least 28 consecutive days before it can legally be shown as a “was/now” reduced price, for example, “was £50, now £25. So I'd see prices on upcomimng Black Friday deals shoot up in price to what seemed like way over the top prices, and then for Black Friday, the price would magically drop massively, often to the old price, or a small amount below the old price, which made the deal look great, but in reality there was hardly any saving, or none at all! It's legal for a company to do this, but it's a great example of why checking a product's price history is vital.

Use tools like CamelCamelCamel or PriceSpy to see what an item’s really been selling for. If it’s been that price all year, it’s not a deal, it's retail trickery!

The same goes for those special deals showing huge savings when, in reality, the shop has never had that product on the shelf before!

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen big “was £500, now £100” signs on budget PC equipment, laptops, or TVs. On paper it looks like a massive saving, but the catch is that the product has never actually been sold at that full price in that store. It’s often been sitting on a retailer’s system for 28 days or more, just to tick the legal box, but it's never been physically available to buy. Then, when Black Friday rolls around, pallet loads suddenly appear with huge discounts plastered across them.

Technically, yes, it’s a discount against the retailer’s listed price. But if you couldn’t actually buy it a month ago, that price was just for show. These so-called Black Friday bargains are usually products brought in specifically for the event, not genuine markdowns on existing stock.

In truth, the £100 price is probably the real value, not a £400 saving. That’s why it pays to check price history tools and comparison sites to see whether the product has ever actually been sold at that higher price. If it hasn’t, you’re looking at clever retail marketing, not a fantastic discount.

Keep your wits about you, because the biggest “savings” often turn out to be little more than smoke and mirrors designed to trigger an impulse buy, and you can bet the retailer is still making a healthy profit on it.

Extra discount opportunities

Lots of retailers will knock a bit off your first order if you join their mailing list, so it’s worth doing before you check out. Look out for newsletter pop-ups on the website, or doe. search for the discount coes for the retailer.

Coupon sites like Vouchercodes.co.uk often have a massive number of coupon codes you can try to add to your order. deals stack or a better discount!

Once you’ve grabbed your discount code and placed your order, you can unsubscribe straight away if you don’t want to keep getting their emails. Another option is to set up a separate email address or folder just for offers, so you can dip in when you’re actually shopping.

Also, have a look at the brand’s app. Many retailers now drop exclusive discounts there that you won’t find on their main website.

Don't be afraid to haggle!

More and more Brits are starting to get brave about haggling for a better deal, whether that’s in-store or online. It used to feel awkward asking for a discount, but with the cost of living squeezing everyone, it’s becoming more normal to give it a go!

If you’re shopping online, try using the live chat option. Some of those chats are run by AI systems that can automatically offer small discounts if you ask about a better price. And if it connects you to a real person, you’ve got an even better chance, especially if you’ve found the same product cheaper somewhere else.

Many retailers now have price-match policies, so if you’d prefer to buy from a store you trust, or one that a cashback service works with, over one that doesn't or awards loyalty points, so it’s absolutely worth asking if they’ll match or even beat the price. You might be surprised how often they’ll say yes.

At the end of the day, most retailers would rather take a slightly smaller profit than lose the sale completely. So don’t be afraid to ask; polite haggling can genuinely save you money.

Deliver or collect?

Delivery costs can add up quickly, but there are simple ways to keep them down. Choosing click and collect instead of home delivery can often save you a few pounds. Even if there isn’t a store nearby, you can usually collect from a local shop, post office, or parcel locker.

If you’d prefer to have your order delivered to your home, check the delivery options carefully before paying. Many sites automatically select next-day delivery, which can be much more expensive unless you really need your order in a hurry.

When shopping on Amazon, you don’t always need a Prime membership to get free delivery. Many items qualify for free standard delivery once you spend over a certain amount, usually £10 for books or £25 for most other products.

Thats ais, you can always take out a 30-day free Amazon Prime trial to take advantage of Prime deals, so do that to get the deals and then cancel it before the 30 days are up and you'll get all the Prime benefits, such as free delivery, and cheaper prices, plus can also use the other benefits such as Prime Video too, and all for free! If you have an Amazon account but haven't actually used their collect from a locker or parcel shop option, check to see if you have a promo that gives you a £3 discount off your order (Over £15) when you use the collection option for the first time!

Stack your cashback and rewards.

Cashback is Where You Can Really Win!

Cashback is where you can really improve your deal. It’s one of the easiest ways to save more money on things you were going to buy anyway, and with rates of up to 10%, or even more in some cases, those savings add up fast.

Online

I use Complete Savings for 10% cashback on most purchases. It costs £18 a month, but you can claim that back as a monthly bonus, so it basically pays for itself. The cashback tracks quickly and pays out faster than any other I’ve used.

In-store

JamDoughnut is brilliant for buying discounted digital gift cards before you shop. It’s quick, simple, and gives you instant savings, fewer rules, and less hassle.

Other options

TopCashback and Quidco are solid picks for anything Complete Savings doesn’t cover, like financial products, insurance, or smaller niche retailers.

A few smart rules

Always check the terms before you buy. Some cashback sites exclude sale items or voucher codes that they haven't published on their site. Gift-card cashback apps tend to have fewer restrictions because you’re getting instant cashback on the purchase, not waiting for it to track.

If a retailer accepts its own gift cards online, you can even stack your savings, buy a discounted gift card through JamDoughnut, then use it to pay for your order. Double win.

A word of caution!

Cashback only makes sense if you’re happy with what you’re buying. This year, I bought a £1,500 sofa using a cashback gift card.

We decided we did'nt really like it, so decided to return it, which the retailer agreed to, so all good, however as we paid by gift card, the refund would have to come back as a retailer gift card, not cash or a refund to my debit/credit card, so I would be stuck spending it with the same retailer, and we didn't want any of the other sofas, so ended up sticking with the one we originally bought :( If I’d paid by credit card, I’d have had Section 75 protection (had I needed it) and a credit card refund, so I could have bought a different sofa from another retailer instead. I still have that sofa… and I still don’t like it, in fact I hate it, it makes me miserable every day, and it's the biggest mistake I've ever made when buying something, so now I'm very careful about what I buy using a gift card, and bigger purchases I'll often use my credit card for, even if it means no cashback, such as holidays, hotels etc... I'll still use gift card cashback, more or less daily, on smaller purchases such as groceries; it's just the bigger ones I'm more wary about!

So, cashback can be brilliant, but be smart about it. Stack deals where you can, but always make sure the saving works for you.

Stick with trusted retailers, watch our for scammers!

It’s tempting to go for the cheapest price you find, but be careful. Black Friday attracts as many fake sites as it does genuine deals.

If you’ve never heard of a website, research it before buying:

• Check Trustpilot reviews.

• Look the company up on Companies House.

• Search how long the site’s been active and whether it lists real contact details.

• Is the business based in the UK? If not, you will likely have no legal recourse if something goes wrong.
  

Big names like Amazon, Argos, Currys and John Lewis are safer bets. That’s not to say smaller businesses can’t offer great deals. It's important to mention that independent businesses are brilliant to buy from and support, and I was an independent owner, and every extra sale I made from people who bought from me made a world of difference, so I just make sure they’re legitimate before I buy from them! The ones you have to look out for, mainly online, are the sites offering discounts that are particularly big and impressive, as they'll use amazing deals to draw you in and get you to buy, and you'll either end up with nothing, something not as described, or your payment details being used fraudulently! Secure websites should always start with “https” and show a padlock symbol in your browser bar. Watch out for poor spelling, grammar errors, or sites that don’t list a clear company address; these are major red flags, and you should avoid them!

If you do buy something, USE YOUR CREDIT CARD! Now that goes against other advice I'll give you, credit cards can be the devil, but they do give you Section 75 protection, and this means that if buy something costing more than £100 (but less than £30,000 on your credit card), and you run into issues, your credit card provider is legally responsible to help you with your issue, often refunding you for the transaction.

So even if you have the money in your bank account to pay for what you need to buy, use the credit card for your protection, then use that money in your account to pay off your credit card, so you get no interest charged, but still benefit from the credit card protection.

Other payment providers, such as PayPal, also have systems in place to help with transaction issues. FYI, it's worth mentioning that the credit card company doesn't take the brunt of any refund they give you, they'll normally give the retailer in question a 'chargeback' to their credit card account, which means they'll refund you the consumer, and then take that refund off what they owe the retailer, so the card comapny doesnt get hit with your refund, the retailer does in the end, and will often charge the retailer a fee for doing so, which can be expensive!

Play the long game

If you see something you want but aren’t sure, add it to your cart and walk away!

Sometimes you’ll get an email offering an extra discount. Other times, you’ll sleep on it and realise you didn’t actually need it anyway!

If it’s gone the next day, it probably wasn’t meant to be. And if it’s still there, and you’ve checked it’s a genuine saving, grab it!

That’s one of my best pieces of advice for avoiding buyer’s regret. The fastest way to lose money is to rush, or get caught up in a buying frenzy, and as someone with adhd, I assure you it can be very easy to get caught up in an adrenaline or dopamine rush, making impulse purchases, so do evereything possible to avoid these types of split second purchases, even if that means giving your credit card to someobody else to hang on to, and only give back to you if you've followed the 'long play' rule properly!

Paying for your purchase with credit!

The key with Black Friday, or any sales event, is to think carefully about whether you actually need the product and whether you can genuinely afford it. If it’s something essential, like a washing machine that’s on its last legs, and you’ve been holding off for a better deal, then go for it. Buying when the price drops makes sense when it’s a planned purchase and the money’s there to cover it.

If you don’t have the cash upfront, you might be tempted to turn to credit cards, interest-free finance, or Buy Now Pay Later schemes. These can sound like smart short-term fixes, especially when they offer instalments over 6, 9, or 12 months. But they come with a catch. If you don’t clear the balance by the end of the interest-free period, the interest rates can shoot up and wipe out any saving you thought you’d made. What looked like a bargain could end up costing far more than if you’d paid full price to begin with.

Always check the total amount you’ll repay before borrowing. A shorter repayment term often costs less overall, even if the interest rate or APR looks slightly higher at first glance.

Credit should only be used for things you truly need, not for impulse spending or “just because it’s on sale.” If you’re not sure how you’ll pay it off, that’s your sign to step back. It’s easy to justify a quick tap on a credit card or BNPL plan in the moment, but in reality, you’re only borrowing from your future self. A deal isn’t a deal if it drags you into debt.

If you change your mind about a purchase/breathing room

When you buy online, you’re protected by law with a 14-day cooling-off period. This starts the day after your order arrives and applies even if there’s nothing wrong with the item. The main exceptions are bespoke or made-to-measure products, and items where you’ve broken a digital or hygiene seal, such as software or toiletries. So if you have made an impulse purchase you now regret, you can send it back for a full refund, so all is not lost!

If you buy something in person, it’s a different story. Shops don’t have to offer refunds for unwanted goods unless they’re faulty. However, many stores do have their own return policies, and if they advertise one, they must stick to it. Always check your receipt or ask before buying so you know where you stand.

How I’m shopping this year

I’ve been watching ethanol fireplaces for weeks now. The “pre-Black Friday sales” haven’t impressed me yet; the prices haven’t moved as much as I'd hoped.

If they drop to the right price, I’ll buy one because it’ll save money in the long run compared with gas or electric heating. But if not, I’ll wait for New Year sales, and if it still doesn't give me what I need financially, I'll back off and just wait..

That’s another key point: sometimes, waiting is the real money-saving move, and if time allows, then hang on and see what happens!

FAQ: Real Questions People Ask About Black Friday

Is Black Friday really worth it? Yes, but only if you plan ahead. The good deals exist, but they’re buried under hype. Do your research, check price history, and focus on things you already want to buy.

When should I start looking for Black Friday deals? Start tracking in October. The best savings often appear in early November when retailers test the market before the main event.

Is it better to shop online or in-store? Online. You can compare prices instantly, use cashback sites, and avoid the chaos. In-store deals go fast, and stock is limited. You also have more return rights if you buy online!

How do I know if a Black Friday deal is genuine? If the price is lower than its recent average, reviews are good, and the sellers are credible, you’re likely safe. Fake deals usually rely on inflated “was” prices or vague discount percentages.

What’s the best way to make extra savings? Stack cashback apps and loyalty rewards, and don’t forget to use digital gift cards for extra discount layers, don't be afraid to haggle and do look out for extra coupon codes.

Black Friday isn’t bad, it’s just become a little too clever for its own good.

Shop with intention, use data, not emotions, and take advantage of cashback that genuinely pays you back.

And remember: A deal is only a deal if you needed it anyway. Everything else is just an additional expense dressed up as a bargain.