How to Stay Savvy During Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales

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Your inbox is probably flooded right now and massive “SALE” posters are everywhere. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have officially arrived. While those discounts are tempting, the sales environment is designed to make you spend money you haven’t planned to. This isn’t about skipping the deals; it’s about being strategic. Read on for our essential tips to shop smart, maximise real savings, and make the most of the Black Friday sales. 

Preparation: Before you buy

1. The Real Need List: 

• List out your must-have items, for example, a new appliance to replace the broken one at home or Christmas gifts for family. Then separate those from impulsive wants. If it is not on the list, it is not in the cart.

2. Price Tracking and Comparison

• Sometimes, retailers would increase the price just before the sales to make the discounts look bigger. Use price tracking tools to check the item’s price history over the last few months. Only buy when you confirm it’s truly a bargain.

3. Set a Clear Budget

• Set a spending limit to avoid overspending. If possible, set aside your shopping funds in a separate account. Once the shopping fund is used up, your shopping is done, so is the impulse buy.
• If a budgeted purchase falls before your scheduled payday, you can consider accessing your earned wages with Wagepay to cover your planned purchase instead of risking overdraft fees.

Avoiding Financial Traps

4. Avoid BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) traps

• BNPL may seem convenient but using it for multiple items can quickly leads to a stack of weekly payments. If you miss even one of those deadlines, you’ll often face late fees that immediately cancel out any savings. Also, when you only need to pay a small amount upfront, BNPL can create an illusion of having more money to spend.

Execution: Getting the maximum value

5. Abandon your cart

• After adding items to your cart, don’t check out immediately and wait a few hours. Many online retailers will send you an email with a promo code to prevent “cart abandonment.”

6. Look for Stacking Discounts

• Check if you can combine the Black Friday sale price with cashback offers, loyalty rewards, or voucher codes. A little extra effort can lead to bigger savings.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are great opportunities to grab what you need at lower prices, but only when you shop smart. Staying savvy during Black Friday and Cyber Monday isn’t about missing out — it’s about staying in control. Plan smart, set a budget and shop wisely. If you need to budget ahead but payday is far, Wagepay’s wage advance can help you stay on track by giving you early access to a portion of your wage with low fees.