5 Tips To Avoid Impulse Purchasing This Black Friday!

I still remember when I was first introduced to Black Friday. It was in 2012, when I was in the US doing my Au Pair-year. I’m pretty sure I spend the entire Friday shopping, and I might even have gone to two different malls… Of course, nowadays the concept of Black Friday is a whole lot different. Rather than it being a single day, possibly followed by Cyber Monday, we now get Black Week. I have even seen Black Month. And it is hardly limited to in-store-shopping. I think that probably makes up for the smallest part of it. Today, most of our Black Friday shopping is of course done online. No need to stand outside a shop all night to get in first and secure yourself the best deals. It can easily be done from the comfort of your own home. Plus, the selection online is unmatched.

While I don’t condemn Black Friday shopping, my thoughts around it have changed over the past couple of years. One of my New Years resolutions for 2024 was to do less online shopping, but rather support local retailers. In order to prepare myself for the massive overload of Black Friday deals and discounts, I have come up with 5 tips to avoid impulse purchasing!

Tip #1: Do you actually need it?

The first tip seems obvious, but it is well worth remembering when you’re caught up in your Black Friday shopping. Do you actually need the item(s) in your basket? If it wasn’t for the deals and discounts, would you have popped out to a physical store to pick up said item? Or did you maybe just click on it, because it’s such a great deal? Remember, you won’t actually save any money if you’re spending it on things you don’t actually need!

Tip #2: Do you already have something similar?

This tip applies not only to Black Friday, but to shopping in general. Before purchasing anything, be it clothing, accessories, or homeware, ask yourself if you already have something similar. I am a sucker for knitwear. I just can’t seem to pass up a cable knit for the life of me. So I regularly stop and think to myself, that this would be the umteenth oatmeal colored jumper in my wardrobe. Same with cups and crockery – how many does a two person household really need? If you find you already own something that is similar, there are two options: you don’t buy the item in question or you do buy it, but sell/donate the old one. Let’s be honest, most times you have two similar items you end up preferring one over the other – so what’s the use of having both?

Tip #3: Black Friday or not – Stick to your style!

Black Friday discounts can be insane. This can tempt you to buy things you not only don’t need, but that aren’t in sync with your style either. And again, this goes for fashion as much as interiors. So before clicking buy now try to think of at least three ways you would style or use this item. If you can’t come up with three ways, it is probably not fitting your taste or the items in your wardrobe/home.

Tip #4: Would you buy it at full price?

A great way to determine whether or not you really need something is to ask yourself if you would have paid the full price for the item. Would I pay 50 € for a silly Christmas jumper? No. But with a 50 % Black Friday discount? It suddenly became an option. To avoid impulsive purchases of things you really don’t need, playing this little game can be quite helpful.

Tip #5: Make the most of the Black Friday deals

The way I like to go about Black Friday shopping nowadays is to basically think all year of (expensive) things I need. I like to make wishlists at my favorite online retailers way in advance. That way I’m not tempted to go crazy when I see a 50 % discount. And I also like to focus on making bigger purchases, like furniture, electronics, designer brands, etc. Basically the stuff I couldn’t necessarily afford at full price. Remember, Black Friday isn’t the only time of year retailers offer discounts. No need to impulsively purchase everything you ever thought of. Take some time to curate a list of things you actually want/need, and stick to it. Your bank account, as well as the environment, will thank you for it! Happy shopping 🙂