9 hacks to save the most money on Black Friday 2018
Whilst Black Friday sales might already scream 'MASSIVE SAVINGS', there's always more that can be done to keep the £££ firmly in your pocket - which is where these 9 money saving hacks come in. Ahead of the big day on November 23rd, here's all the advice you need to equip yourself with the best possible attitude for saving your pennies and spending less.
1. Sign up for newsletters and update emails
Signing up to voucher code websites pre-Black Friday will mean you stay ahead of the game and on top of the deals as they start to come through throughout the day itself. VoucherCodes.co.uk, for example, will send through the best deals and discounts first thing, and have their own codes to make your shopping even cheaper.
2. Follow your favourite brands on Twitter
Following the shops and brands you love on social media is a smart move on Black Friday, because aside from it being the first place to see deals, it's also where surprise discounts and FLASH SALES are announced throughout the day at certain times. With this in mind, it's probably worth getting on the email newsletter, too.
3. Research what you want
Before Black Friday comes around, do your research to see what you want/need to buy and write yourself a list - because the last thing you want is to spend more money than you would have done initially anyway.
Not only will this restrict what you buy to exactly what you want, but pre-Black Friday research will help you work out how much it's being discounted on the actual day and what you're saving. Do a comparison check to ensure that you can't get the item elsewhere for a cheaper price outside of Black Friday - because whilst you might *think* you're getting a great deal because it's BF (yes we just gave it a nickname), you might actually be getting fobbed off.
4. Decide high street or online
If you hate shopping IRL, there's no point dragging yourself to the high street only to be Black Friday-ed out by 10am. Bear in mind that deals can be different online to in-store, but stay at home if you don't feel like sharpening your elbows and know you'll be sick of it pretty quick.
5. Enlist the help of your friends
If you're planning on buying a lot but are worried about how you'll hit every shop or site at the same time, ask your friends for help. Despite the hype not everyone shops Black Friday, which means some of your friends will be quite happy to wait for that 11am flash sale for a Kindle, or grab a bargain on the Topshop site for you. Just be clear about what you want and price specifications before you let them loose(!)
6. Be a night owl
Some of the best Black Friday deals start at midnight. In the UK shoppers spent £1.1 billion on Black Friday - that's £764,000 a minute - and much of that happens in the morning from midnight onwards. According to Voucher Codes, the top time to buy online is 8am because it's when the best deals kick off - of course, though, flash sales throughout the day usually equal the cheapest shopping.
7. Be smart about what you buy
This one sounds obvious but it's worth thinking about. Toys, for example, might look like a great purchase, but major stores actually do big toy deals between Black Friday and Christmas and will save you more. Plus when you buy tech, read the small print and ensure it's the version/model you want with the right memory and accessories etc etc. It's very easy to get caught up in spotting deals and then ending up with an item that's slightly out of date. Also check the delivery date and price - it may sound silly, but it's easy to get caught out with something that won't arrive on time or costs £££ to have delivered.
8. Create a game plan and stick to it
If you're shopping online or in store, you need to know what you're prioritising and make sure you head there first. If you start with the more expensive purchases or the things you'll be saving more money on, it's not the end of the world if the other things have already sold out later on in the day. The last thing you want is to buy a couple of stocking fillers first and miss out on the big deals.
9. Don't restrict yourself to just the Friday
Although historically Black Friday is when the big deals happen, brands have started dropping discount codes throughout the week building up to it, so keep an eye out on social media. That's not forgetting Cyber Monday, either, which is typically when the big deals drop online after Black Friday. So if you miss something on the actual day? You've got another shot.
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