Some call it the day of splurge, others call it their reward of the year, while some simply don’t have the funds; your favourite cheapskate calls it the battlefield of bargains—Black Friday.

If shopaholics needed a special day tailor-made for them, then the 28th of November would be the Super Bowl of spending. It’s that time of the year, the wallets are crying, and sales are booming, at least we think so. Black Friday is near, and we’ve got your survival kit: what to grab, what to avoid, and how to win big without losing your sanity.

Broke? Here’s the smarter move.

This day is not for the faint-hearted; if your funds are against you, I am sorry to say this, but you might have to sit this one out. Don’t go broke by collecting debt or running your credit cards dry just to impress. Get back to basics, because money is not a talking point; you have all the time to begin planning for your next year’s resolutions.

For the ready and responsible

Now that we have dealt with the ambitious, you, the shopper, need to listen up. Your mission, if you choose to accept, must be done in stealth mode; it’s a simple in-and-out.

The reality is that not many people know when to stop, but think of it like this: you are there for the deal; nothing else should cloud your judgement, not the tempting prices and definitely not the mannequins.

Don’t fall for the flashes.

The idea is to arrive already knowing exactly what you have desired to purchase. Remember to be decisive and honest; we don’t need more people spending stationery or rent money on an R1000 designer shirt.

The Price of Control

I suggest that on Black Friday your best friends should be your calculator, to see if you have remained in budget, and your conscience, because self-control is the best type of control. Another smart idea is to arrive with cash instead of a card, because credit cards give us the illusion that we are richer than we actually are. Credit cards reduce the pain of coins or that feeling of “my wallet is empty”, and it only takes a “sorry, sir, your card has declined” for some to wake up to that reality, so choose a fixed amount of cash, roughly 5-10%, or for that day, set a limit on how much you can withdraw.

Shop with Purpose

The whole idea of Black Friday is to simplify or enhance your lifestyle; it’s not a fashion week. I repeat, it’s not fashion week. This is where you stock up on your groceries, replace your worn-out wardrobe, and upgrade the home. Set yourselves up for success, because we all deserve sustenance, clothes on our backs, and a well-furnished house.

This blog is not against fun, but we are all for frugality. It’s to alert, to inform and, yes, to disqualify some of us, because we the customers have always been studied on how they can squeeze us of our money. It’s time to be intentional because you’ve worked hard for your money, and it would be a shame to see it all go down the drain. And if there is any remaining change, who am I to say… go ahead and treat yourself responsibly.