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Black Friday is almost upon us (and in fact, in several instances, already is). With it comes the prospect of buying more for less – at a time of year when we’re all gearing up for the Big Christmas Spend.

It’s understandable that we are going to find many a tempting deal.

But I, among many others, have learnt that buyer’s remorse is a dreadful thing – so before you get carried away by the ‘best deals ever’, pause a moment.

Take the time to consider the rules of engagement, so you can bask in the warmth of a bargain while safely avoiding the dangers of overspending,

Rule 1: shop with intent

The easiest way to overspend, or buy things you really don’t want or need, is to doomscroll for deals. This is where you’ll endlessly browse through offer after offer on websites, without any real idea of what you’re after.

It’s easy to do, and I’ve been guilty of this myself in the past. But there’s a way to avoid it: shop with intent.

This simply means only going to shops or websites for the item you already know you want. To do this you’ll need to do a little planning.

I tend to make a list in my phone’s notes when anything comes up that 
I think I need and use this as the basis for a little research.

You can think a little outside the box here, too. Black Friday isn’t just a time to buy gifts or white goods. In years gone by I’ve got low prices on cinema memberships, craft beer, flights, gig tickets, restaurants and broadband. Think too about everyday purchases, especially cosmetics and groceries that you can stock up on if you find decent prices – this is where I tend to do a lot of my Black Friday spending.

Rule 2: benchmark

Sadly, just writing down that you need a new coat or air fryer isn’t going to help you shop with intent. Ideally you want to know the make and model 
you want and then get a rough idea of what a good price is.

I use price history websites to get an idea of both the going price and the lowest price. These benchmarks help sort the good from the bad when the deals start flying around.

This really is key to getting a bargain and avoiding temptation based on the size of the discount. Instead you can focus on the selling price itself.

For Amazon, use the website
uk.camelcamelcamel.com, while PriceSpy is your best bet for other retailers, such as Argos and Currys.

Rule 3: only spend what you can afford

If you follow my advice so far then you’ll hopefully avoid impulse spending (one of the big ways to overspend), but it’s still very easy to break your budget, especially with Christmas pressures.

But going into the red on your current account, relying on Buy Now, Pay Later or deferring payment via credit cards on non-essentials will just cause you problems in the new year.

So work out before you start shopping exactly how much money you have available to spend – and stick to that limit.

I’d also keep a bit of a buffer available if you can, for any surprise offers you hadn’t anticipated, but are things you want and need, such as the aforementioned everyday groceries and services.

Rule 4: find extra cash

Rather than borrow, you’ve still got time before the sales begin to boost your coffers, or at least set in motion some extra cash arriving to offset your spending.

Bank switches are one way to get free money, with a number of banks offering around £200 right now 
(find all the latest offers at 
becleverwithyourcash.com/banks).

Check any old accounts that could have a balance you can cash in, from loyalty schemes such as Nectar and Clubcard, through to cashback sites such as Quidco and TopCashback.

You should also check old utility providers, particularly energy firms, who could be sitting on refunds that haven’t been issued.

Rule 5: stop spending (for now)

Though we’re already seeing many retailers launch their Black Friday offers, in most cases the lowest prices are going to happen on Black Friday itself. This means I try to avoid spending any cash in early and mid-November.

There are exceptions. As much of Black Friday is about clearance, it could be the stock goes before we even reach November 28. So if you’re worried about missing out completely (on something on your list, of course), then snapping it up now isn’t a bad move.

I’ve just got some reduced-to-clear slipper-socks from John Lewis that would definitely have been gone in
a week.

Rule 6: unsubscribe

Despite your best plans, you can still 
get waylaid by emails and adverts bombarding your inbox and feeds. These bring that temptation to stray from your list, which in turn means you spend more than planned.

If this is a concern, then unsubscribe from any email and unfollow any account that you don’t intend to 
shop with.

However, for brands you are planning to spend with, then an email is a good way to keep informed of offers or 
extra savings.

You can also set price alerts with PriceSpy, Idealo and others to find out when the item you’re after has hit your desired price.

Rule 7: find the lowest price

Once you’re ready to start shopping, don’t just assume the first price you see is going to be the best one. Compare against other retailers but remember to factor in extras such as delivery costs and guarantees. It could be worth paying a few quid more to get these. And you can take it a step further with price matching. John Lewis is the most famous shop to do this, but others include AO, Halfords and All Beauty.

You’re normally limited to making 
a claim in just seven days after purchase and they’ll usually only
match certain retailers but it can 
pay to go with one of these shops in 
the first place.

Alternatively, others such as Argos and Amazon will usually promise to refund the difference if they lower prices on things you’ve already bought before Black Friday.

Rule 8: stack savings

The discount from the retailer isn’t the only way to pay less. You can earn money back on your spending if you use a specialist card such as one from Trading 212 or American Express rather than your everyday debit or credit card.

Combine this with voucher codes or cashback sites to bring the price down even further. Look out too for short-term flash bonuses. These can run all year but there are always more on Black Friday weekend itself.

For example, last year I stacked Boots’ Black Friday offers with a £15 voucher from Vouchercodes for spending £50, and received a £20 bonus cashback from Quidco for spending £100 at Argos.

Rule 9: return

Once the frenzy is over, if you do find you’ve overspent, don’t despair. You can still send online purchases back for a refund as long as they’ve not been customised or are perishable.

What you do need to be careful of are return fees. Research for Be Clever With Your Cash found one in three shoppers did not check whether these were free before making a purchase, and as a result one in five lost money.

This is where shopping around and price-matching in advance can really pay off. If prices are the same, go with the retailer that will let you send things back for nothing.

You should be checking high-street stores too, as there’s no legal right to return anything, unless it’s faulty.

That means some will only give you 
a credit note, or could refuse any form of refund.

Rule 10: wait

Finally, remember that Black Friday isn’t the only sale before Christmas, let alone all year.

You will have other opportunities to buy the items on your list at low, if not lower, prices. So if you don’t actually need it right now and either your budget is too tight or the prices too high, just hold off for a bit.

Two items on my list are a parasol base and a hose – not typical 
winter purchases! I’m hoping the non-seasonality for them will help me get clearance items, but equally it could already be too late. If that’s the case, I’ll just get these next year.

Andy Webb is the founder and head of money site Be Clever With Your Cash, becleverwithyourcash.com

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