The biggest shopping day before Christmas is fast approaching so you need to be prepared if you want to get the best bargains. Black Friday falls on November 24 this year.
Forget getting up at dawn, or even skipping work this year, the deals are just as good online. The first piece of advice I can give you is to not overstretch yourself financially, just because you think something is a good deal. Disappointment with the small size of giveaways in the Budget has left consumers feeling underwhelmed. This prompted a drop in consumer sentiment last month, new figures show. Consumers are cautious about their household finances but are ready to splurge at this time of year, so we have decided to give you some useful tips to follow on Black Friday.
Make a list
Like when you write to Santa, you should make a list and check it twice. Get your pen and paper out and make a list of what you want to buy. Budget for each gift to ensure you stick what you need and are not distracted by impulse buys. A recent consumer survey revealed that 72% of Irish shoppers made unplanned purchased in the last 3 months. Guess what a whopping 91% of millennials have made impulse purchases in the same time period. Hopefully, you won’t see scenes like this video down in Shop Street on Friday.
It’s not all about Black Friday
Some sales have already started, some won’t start until the Monday after – which has become a phenomenon of its own. Cyber Monday has deals that are only available online and will fall this year on November 27. Some stores may also run deals in the next few weeks ahead of Black Friday so make sure to keep your eyes peeled both in-store and online. Not all products will be cheapest on Black Friday itself – only 8% of the Black Friday deals checked last year were actually the lowest prices.
Plan your budget
We wouldn’t be good financial advisors if we didn’t mention anything about budgeting now, would we? Your budget is the most important element – cheap deals can be very tempting, but unless it ticks off something on your list, leave it behind. The Christmas season is expensive enough as it is so, don’t spend your money on anything unnecessary – and if you don’t trust yourself, set a certain limit on your card or take out cash and only spend as much as you have withdrawn when spending in the sales.
It’s not just the big stores who take part
Smaller independent retailers like ourselves will also be getting in on the act – so don’t limit yourself to the larger players in the market. We’re continuing offering our free review (worth €150) for the month of November. We do however have a special offer this Black Friday, email epollard@alphawealth.ie letting me know you have read the blog & you’ll be given the chance to win €5000. That’s right €5000!
