Avoid Black Friday spending pitfalls

Written ahead of Black Friday 2016 the same will apply in 2017 and beyond.

"It's black Friday in the UK.

Of course it is not really.

It is Friday November 25, 2016, and Christmas is four weeks ahead.

But British Americanisation and our use of the Internet means the phenomenon that is Black Friday in the USA has crossed the pond.

In fact it is now an annual event in many countries.

Today millions of pounds will be spent in the UK. In some cases it will be people buying things for themselves or others that they do not really want and certainly do not need. Many people will not dig deep into their pockets or savings but rack up more debt in order to participate fully.

​Long gone are the days of "window shopping" when passers by would longingly browse shop windows without actually committing to a sale.

FIrstly most shops now have metal shutters when the shop is closed giving town centres a ghetto look and feel.

Secondly some supermarkets are open almost 24/ 7 with shopping day and night.

Finally there is the Internet offering a real, albeit virtual, shopping experience truly 24/7 and every day of the year.

Sucking you into black Friday and so-called cyber Monday which will follow the weekend was not enough though. Now we have Black Friday extended into the weekend and beyond.

​Are those one-time only offers really as good as they seem? If they are do they cost consumers more in the long run as retailers try to pull back some profits on other pricing at other times of the year?

If most of the Black Friday spending is debt is it really beneficial for any person or group of people or the economy?

I was taught if a deal seems too good to be true it probably is.

Final words go to Charles Dickens.

“My other piece of advice, Copperfield,” said Mr. Micawber, “you know. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."

Buy now, pay later at your peril!

Black Friday 2016 madness includes:

• Two shot dead in the US as Black Friday shopping frenzy sweeps the world
• Huge Black Friday riot breaks out over discounted TOILET ROLLS in South African supermarket
• This morning the Metro sarcastically wrote "Britain descends into total unutterable chaos for Black Friday."
• Black Friday horror after policeman is stabbed in the neck confronting 'HMV shoplifter' ahead of Busted visit"