Christmas is coming and, in the run up, so are the annual Black Friday sales. Financial expert Martin Lewis has shared some important advice to any shopper thinking of looking out for a bargain this year.
The Money Saving Expert was back on our screens on Tuesday evening (November 15) with his tips and advice for consumers. However, he also had a warning - be aware that not all Black Friday deals are 'deals', he said, and he followed it up with some sage advice.
Martin was stressing his point on social media and during The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, during which he gave his predictions about when and which stores would be discounting products. Black Friday takes place on November 25 this year and marks one of the biggest shopping events in the calendar of 2022.
READ MORE: I tried the Gregg's Christmas menu and was left disappointed
Despite the day being known for offering consumers huge discounts on items online and in stores to kick off the festive shopping season, Manchester Evening News wrote that deals are now coming earlier in the month as retailers compete with one another.
Stores that have already begun their sales including Amazon, Currys, John Lewis & Partners and Boots. However, the finance journalist said the sales came with a warning. Tweeting to his two million followers, Martin Lewis said on Twitter: "My Black Friday shopping memo...If you were going to buy it anyway and it's half price, you've saved 50%. If you weren't going to buy it, but do because it's half price you've wasted 100%."
He later added the same piece of advice in a post-it note style to emphasise his advice to consumers, as well as re-tweeting his original tweet.
In 2021, around £2.7 billion was spent in the UK on Black Friday alone, with the average Brit spending an estimated £275 on the shopping event. With the anticipation of mass spending, online scammers are likely to take advantage too; so knowing how to avoid and identify scams is crucial.
Over the years many retailers like Amazon have offered better deals in the run up to Black Friday, so throughout November rather than on the day. Many retailers will start their sales in the weeks leading up to this date and run discounts throughout the whole month of November.
READ MORE
