Black Friday has arrived in Australia, and your inbox is probably already flooded with "70% off" emails and "biggest sale of the year" notifications. The deals look incredible. The urgency feels real. And the fear of missing out is doing exactly what it's designed to do.
But here's the thing about Black Friday: the best deals aren't always the ones that save you the most money upfront. They're the ones you actually need, will use, and won't regret when your credit card statement arrives in January.
Here's how to approach Black Friday strategically, so you save money without the buyer's remorse that often follows.
Before diving into strategy, it's worth understanding what you're dealing with.
Research into shopping behaviour around Black Friday shows many purchases are impulse buys driven by sale psychology. Retailers use specific psychological triggers:
Scarcity: "Only 3 left in stock" or "Sale ends tonight" creates urgency that overrides rational decision making.
Anchoring: Showing a crossed out "original price" of $299 next to a "sale price" of $149 makes the deal feel massive, even if the item was never actually $299.
Loss aversion: Your brain hates the idea of "missing out" on a deal more than it values keeping the money in your account.
Decision fatigue: Endless sales across multiple retailers exhaust your decision making capacity, making impulse purchases more likely.
Understanding these tactics doesn't make you immune, but it helps you recognise when they're influencing your choices.
The most effective Black Friday strategy starts before the sales begin.
Make a needs list now: Write down items you genuinely need or have been planning to purchase anyway. Not things that might be nice to have, but actual gaps in what you own.
Examples: "Winter jacket because mine has a broken zip" or "Replacement headphones because current ones are failing" or "Gifts for three specific people."
Research regular prices: Check what items actually cost normally. That "$400 laptop now $299" might be $320 most of the time. The "saving" is less impressive when you know the real baseline.
Websites that track price history can be helpful here. Verifying regular price history before buying helps you understand whether a discount is genuine or inflated for marketing purposes.
Set item specific budgets: For each item on your needs list, decide the maximum you're willing to spend. If winter jackets are on sale for $180 but your budget is $120, that's not a deal for you, regardless of the discount percentage.
You'll see items you didn't plan for. Something will catch your eye. The discount will look incredible. Your brain will start justifying why you need it.
Apply the 24 hour rule: If it's not on your pre-planned needs list, wait 24 hours before purchasing. Add it to your cart if you want, but don't complete the checkout.
This simple delay allows the initial excitement and urgency to fade. Tomorrow, you'll have a clearer sense of whether you actually want it or whether the sale psychology was doing the work.
Many items that feel essential in the moment feel completely unnecessary the next day.
When you're looking at a potential purchase, run through these questions:
Would I buy this at full price? If the only reason you're considering it is the discount, that's a red flag. Saving 50% on something you don't really want isn't saving money.
Where will this actually go in my home? If you can't immediately picture where it will live and how you'll use it, you probably don't need it.
What am I not buying because I'm buying this? Every purchase is a trade off. That $200 you spend on a sale appliance is $200 not available for something else. Is this the best use of that money?
Will I remember buying this in three months? If the answer is probably not, it's not meaningful enough to purchase.
Under Australian Consumer Law, you have certain protections when making purchases. Products must be of acceptable quality, match their description, and be fit for purpose.
However, it's worth knowing that being on sale doesn't automatically guarantee a return or refund if you simply change your mind. Many retailers have generous return policies, but they're not legally required to accept returns on sale items unless the product is faulty or doesn't match what was advertised.
Before purchasing, check the specific return and refund policy for sale items. Some retailers restrict returns during major sales periods, which is another reason to be confident about purchases before completing them.
Buy now pay later and credit: Services like Afterpay, Zip, and Klarna can be useful payment tools when used intentionally. However, it's worth treating them like credit rather than cash.
If you choose a payment method such as BNPL or a credit card for Black Friday purchases, consider whether you can comfortably afford the repayments. Missed or late payments can build up and may impact your broader financial situation.
Black Friday purchases are particularly prone to regret, and payment commitments lock you into paying for something you might wish you hadn't bought. If you can't afford to pay for something immediately, consider whether you actually need it, regardless of the discount.
Credit cards require awareness: The gap between purchasing and paying makes it easier to overspend. If you're using credit, keep a running total of what you're spending across all retailers. That $80 here and $120 there adds up faster than it feels in the moment.
A 70% discount sounds more impressive than a 30% discount, but the actual dollar amount matters more than the percentage.
Example:
Item B has a bigger percentage discount, but Item A saves you more money if it's something you actually need.
Don't let percentage discounts override the fundamental question: do I need this item at all?
Electronics: Tech deals can be genuine, but watch for older models being cleared out and presented as premium discounts. Check model numbers and release dates. Last year's model at 40% off might be fairly priced for old stock, not a bargain.
Clothing: Sales often include items that didn't sell well at full price for a reason. Just because a jumper is 60% off doesn't mean it fits well or suits your style. Try things on if possible, even during online sales with free returns.
Homewares and appliances: These purchases often trigger additional spending. That discounted coffee machine might require filters, cleaning products, or premium coffee to justify. Factor in the ongoing costs, not just the purchase price.
Subscriptions and services: "12 months for the price of 9" deals can be worthwhile if you were planning to subscribe anyway. But annual commitments to services you're unsure about often end up as expensive experiments you forget to cancel.
Black Friday falls before Christmas, making it tempting to knock out gift shopping early with good deals.
This works well when:
This backfires when:
Thoughtful gifts matter more than discounted gifts. A $40 item someone genuinely wants beats a $100 item marked down to $50 that sits unused.
Retailers know you'll comparison shop, so they create exclusive "Black Friday models" with slightly different specifications that make direct comparison difficult.
When comparing:
Black Friday can deliver genuine value when:
You were planning to buy anyway: If new work shoes were already in next month's budget and they're now 40% off, that's a real saving.
You're purchasing something with long term value: Quality items you'll use for years become better value at discount prices. Cheap items you'll use once don't become valuable just because they're cheaper.
You can afford it now without relying on credit: If the purchase fits within your current budget without requiring buy now pay later or credit card debt you can't pay off immediately, you're actually saving money.
After Black Friday, review what you bought:
Being honest about regret purchases and returning them quickly minimises the financial impact. Retailers expect returns after Black Friday, so don't feel awkward about it if you've changed your mind and the return policy allows it.
Not participating in Black Friday at all is a valid strategy.
If you find sales overwhelming, stressful, or regularly lead to regret purchases, opting out entirely might save you more money than any discount would.
The sales will exist next year. The items you genuinely need will still be available at reasonable prices. Black Friday creates urgency, but very little of what's on sale is actually urgent.
The more Black Friday sales you navigate successfully, the better you become at recognising when you're being influenced by sales tactics versus making genuine purchasing decisions.
Over time, you might notice patterns: certain categories always tempt you but rarely deliver satisfaction, or specific retailers use urgency tactics that don't reflect actual scarcity.
This awareness compounds. Each Black Friday you approach strategically makes the next one easier to navigate.
The goal of Black Friday isn't to buy the most stuff at the biggest discounts. It's to purchase things you need at prices that work for your budget, without the regret that comes from sale driven impulse decisions.
If you end Black Friday weekend having bought two planned items at good prices and successfully resisted fifteen impulse purchases, you've won. The money you didn't spend is just as valuable as the money you saved.
This article contains general information only and is not financial advice. Everyone's situation is different, so consider what approach to sales works best for your circumstances.
Sales can make it harder to see where your money is actually going. WeMoney automatically tracks all your spending, showing you exactly what you spent during Black Friday and whether purchases align with your usual patterns. See your complete financial picture, spot impulse purchases, and stay on top of your budget. Download WeMoney free for iOS and Android.
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