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many people are waiting black Friday To buy toys, electronics, clothes and more. As a consumer journalist, I can tell you that this is the best time of year to score deals on a whole range of products. apple technology To vacuum cleanersProvided that you have the correct information.
Now that most major retailers’ sales have started, I’m here to bring you my top tips to help you make the most of the deals on offer. There’s a fine line between making genuine savings and splurging – no judgment, we’ve all done it – so it’s worth remembering that when you buy an item that’s on sale, you’re only saving money if you were going to buy it anyway.
With that general principle in mind, there are several ways to leave sales season feeling financially savvy instead of stressed and regretful. From picking out a good deal from a bad one to advice on ‘buy now, pay later’ schemes, keep scrolling for everything you need to know. You can also check out IndieBest black friday guide For all the latest bargains as they drop.
Follow Live: Latest offers and news in our Black Friday 2025 liveblog
Like Christmas, Black Friday starts earlier and earlier every year. Despite the big day being until the end of the month, many retailers such as John Lewis, Argos and AO have started early sales. you can check me black friday dates tracker To find out which sales are live now, as well as upcoming dates for your diary.
The IndieBest team and I are constantly monitoring prices from top retailers, and are busy leading up to Black Friday air fryer deals, beauty deals, technology deals, furniture deals And many more.
The key to avoiding overspending on Black Friday is to make a list of the things you want and stick to it. Going into a sale unprepared may leave you distracted and your eyes squinting at the myriad of products offered, but ultimately, it’s only a savings if you’re going to buy it anyway.
As well as listing what you’re going to buy, I’d also suggest writing down the price, date, and retailer (although you may want to shop around – more on that later). This way, you’ll be able to compare the price of an item on Black Friday to see if it’s really a deal, and avoid being misled by the little red discount tag next to the price.
Many Black Friday deals aren’t as incredible as retailers would like you to think — and yes, that includes big-name stores, too.
There are two main tricks retailers can use to make a discount look better than it is. One of them is to increase the price before Black Friday. For example, if the price is £30 all year, they may raise it to £50 at the beginning of November, and then drop it to £45 on Black Friday. At first glance, it looks like you’re saving £20, when in reality you’re only saving £5.
One way to avoid falling victim to this is to keep an eye on prices. Sites like Camelcamelcamel (for Amazon) and PriceRunner (for most other retailers) will do the hard work for you: just paste the product’s link and you’ll be able to see when and by how much the price has changed.
Another word of advice: be wary of the red percentage figure next to the price. Obviously, you might assume that this would show how much the price has changed. However, this discount is often measured against the RRP (recommended retail price), which can be far higher than what the item is usually sold for. Again, price tracking websites are your friend here, because when a product is not on sale you can check how much it actually costs.
Some membership plans can make shopping on Black Friday more worthwhile – namely, Amazon Prime, Costco membership, and AO’s Five Star membership.
Although you don’t need Amazon Prime to shop for discounts during Black Friday, the retailer sometimes runs invite-only deals exclusively for Prime members during the event. You’ll also unlock access to other features like Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, and more. Amazon Prime Offers a 30-day free trial, after which it costs £8.99 per month or £95 per year.
till Five Star Membership Program is also worth considering. For £39.99 per year, you can unlock special member savings. I’ve seen some technical savings that are bigger than the cost of the subscription, so even a one-time purchase may be worth it. You’ll also get free delivery, it will recycle your old device and it also offers a 100-day return period.
So, you have got a good deal. Now, you’ll want to make sure it’s the best deal.
First of all, I would suggest doing a quick online search to check if the same product is being sold at the same price or cheaper elsewhere. Then, I would also check out price comparison websites like Price Runner and PriceSpy. If the price is the same at other retailers, I may consider purchasing at another retailer if it offers better features, such as free delivery or a longer warranty.
For example, Currys is currently offering its lowest price ever on the Ninja Detect Duo Power Blender (£148.99). But when I put the item name into Price Runner, I can see that it’s being sold for more or less the same price on Amazon, AO, John Lewis and Very – so it’s worth considering whether there are any added benefits to buying from one retailer over another, such as free delivery.
It’s worth mentioning that in all of our Black Friday guides, we’ve done this work for you, so you can be sure you’re getting the best deals.
Stuck between two retailers? One may have a lower price, but another may have a longer warranty period, better customer service or more flexible delivery. In such a situation, it is worth checking whether its price will match.
Many retailers will price match (such as till, boots, john lewis, Curries, EBAY and many more), but they all have different terms and conditions. For example, many people don’t match Amazon’s prices; Some are price matched only if there is a physical store, and some are price matched only if the guarantee and warranty details of the product are exactly the same.
This can all be a bit technical, so make sure you fully understand your chosen retailer’s process before you decide.
Using cashback sites like Topcashback and Quidco during sale season is an easy way to make your money go further. Essentially, these sites will pay you to shop through them – for example, when you shop at Boots via TopCashback, you can currently get 20 per cent back on your spending.
Sign up to Topcashback or Quidco and download their browser extensions. This way, you will see a pop up telling you what you can earn cashback on. Click and the cashback will be credited to your account – although sometimes there can be issues, so you should view this as a bonus and not a guarantee.
When purchasing an item costing more than £100 but less than £30,000, using a credit card gives you extra protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. This means that if something goes wrong, such as your purchase being defective or not arriving, your credit card provider is jointly liable and can give you your money back.
It’s a good rule of thumb to use a credit card during Black Friday and, in general, when purchasing big-ticket items. If you use a debit card, you may still be able to get your money back if something goes wrong by filing a chargeback claim, but Section 75 is a legal protection, so it’s far stronger.
Remember, if you use a credit card, you should always pay it off in full every month to avoid interest charges.
Many of us feel like we are constantly surrounded by scams these days, especially online. So it’s important to be vigilant during big sales events like Black Friday, as fraudsters look to take advantage of the millions of people who come to shop online.
I’ve written about how to spot scams (and What to do if you have been scammed?) for years, helping you avoid losing money or giving out your personal information. In short my best advice is this: don’t rush into any purchases; Be wary of any deal that sounds too good to be true, and be very skeptical of promotions you receive in your inbox. The last one is a little tricky, because, sure, reputable brands will send you emails about their Black Friday sales, but make sure you check for spelling mistakes and suspicious-looking email addresses. If in doubt, always visit the retailer’s website rather than clicking on any links in the email.
If you become a victim of a scam, immediately cease all communication with the fraudster and contact your bank to cancel any payments. you can dial 159 To be in direct contact with your bank. I would also suggest reporting the scam action fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040,
10. Avoid no-name brands
Similar to the above, some online marketplaces are filled with no-name brands that make poorly made products. The IndieBest team and I will never feature these, and we strongly recommend that you avoid, avoid, avoid. Again, if the deal seems too good to be true and the price is extremely low, it’s probably not worth buying.
Check out IndieBest’s range black friday guide For really good deals from reputable brands. We’ve reviewed hundreds of products and only highlight deals from brands we trust.
You may be aware of ‘buy now, pay later’ (BNPL) schemes like Klarna and Clearpay, as these interest and fee-free payment methods are available for use with many major retailers.
Although I wouldn’t say you need to avoid BNPL plans altogether, you should be careful. The wide availability of these schemes may lead consumers to buy things they cannot actually afford or do not need.
So before you use BNPL to make purchases in the Black Friday sales, ask yourself whether you would still make the same purchases if you weren’t using the credit, and make sure you’ll have the funds available to pay for the expense if needed.
On that note, check out our guide best black friday dealswe also have liveblog Where we’re bringing you the best deals whenever they drop.
But it’s not just during Black Friday that we’re finding really good savings on our favorite tried-and-tested products. our dedicated deal latest in page discount code Plus money-saving tips and tricks to help you save during sales season and beyond. Our expert deals team sources the best discount codes, including exclusive codes you’ll only find here Independent by choice charlotte tilbury, Goldsmith, looks amazing and more.
Save on popular tech with our round-up The best Apple Black Friday deals