Black Friday is a relatively new concept which started over in the US in the late 90’s and early 00’s, and has now become an established event in the UK. In the US, on the fourth Thursday of November (which falls on the 26th this year) they celebrate Thanksgiving – a holiday which celebrates the first harvest of the first non-native settlers in the country. It’s a major part of their wider ‘holiday season’ and many Americans deem Thanksgiving to be a bigger deal than Christmas. The day after Thanksgiving is also deemed a holiday by many states and it’s this Friday – the day after Thanksgiving – which came to be known as Black Friday. As the result of many people getting this day off and their thoughts turning towards Christmas once Thanksgiving is over, the shops put on big sales and events to get people spending in the run up to the festivities. The day has grown so much as an international event, that it’s now observed in over 15 countries and the amount of money spent can be staggering – a whopping $50.9billion in the US alone in 2014.
The reason why Black Friday is so popular, is because many stores will slash the prices of their goods so much that it’s possible to get very expensive items (such as electronics and designer goods) for a heavily discounted sales price – sometimes up to 90% off, depending on the store. Crowds will flock to shopping centres, supermarkets and retail parks, and it’s not unusual to see people camping out through the night in order to get first pick of the bargains. For those who know exactly what they want, Black Friday can mean they save an awful lot of money, but you need cash to spend in the first place, and the run-up to Christmas is not always the most lucrative time of year. If you want to take advantage of Black Friday bargains, and you know exactly what you would like to buy, then a guarantor loan could help to spread the cost whilst ensuring you don’t miss out on the best deals.
Create A Budget & Wishlist
Before using credit to shop in the Black Friday sales, it’s very important that you do your research. Black Friday can get out of hand, with people stampeding for and fighting over heavily-discounted popular sale items. It’s easy to get swept up in the energy of it all, so having a plan and a shopping list before you go can save a lot of time, energy and expense. Being strict with yourself and sticking to your list is important, as it’s easy to get carried away, and you may end up spending more for some things which you don’t need or which are not a good deal in the first place. It’s important to remember that just because something is in a sale, doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. The power of the discount tag is strong, so try to look at each item individually and ask yourself – ‘is this worth the price?’.
Home décor items, white goods and electronic/tech items are some of the more popular Black Friday purchases, particularly for those who are taking out a loan – like a guarantor loan – in order to take advantage of the bargains. Big ticket items like this, which you may have been wanting for some time, make up many of the most wallet-busting deals. If you’re in the market for a new fridge, TV or tablet, then you should set a budget for each item, whilst also listing any essential features it needs to have. Once you’ve found a Black Friday deal which ticks all of these boxes, you know you have spent your guarantor loan wisely in relation to what you personally want to achieve.
Find A Reputable Guarantor Loan Lender
There are many guarantor lenders out there, and a lot of them can get the money to you relatively quickly once the application for both yourself and your guarantor have been completed and approved. Finding the guarantor is often one of the trickier aspects of gaining credit through a guarantor loan, but for those gearing up for the holiday season, friends and family are likely to be at hand. Once a suitable guarantor has been found, finding the right guarantor lender for you is the next step. This can be done by searching online and doing a bit of research. Try looking at the different guarantor lenders on independent review sites like Trustpilot and discussing your plans with trusted family members and friends in order to get an idea of which lenders may be suitable for you.
Best Sites To Grab The Best Deals & Black Friday Bargains
The biggest ‘players’ on the Black Friday scene tend to be well-known, large retailers who have the space, the logistics and the money to offer such large discounts on their goods. In the US, large department & individual stores like Macy’s, JCPenney and Walmart often stock the biggest bargains. In the UK, the best places to concentrate on are department stores and supermarkets, as well as more specialist stores if you’re looking for something more unique. For a general overview of the best Black Friday deals available in the UK, Hot UK Deals is a good starting point.
If you’re looking for a large variety of items but you don’t have time to shop around too much, sites like Amazon are a good bet. Amazon discounts a huge amount of items, both large and small, and will post them out to you, so you don’t have to worry about beating the Black Friday crowds.
With supermarkets – which as we all know, now sell a huge range of products other than food & drink – you may need to physically be at your nearest participating store in order to find the best deals for you. Some supermarkets don’t list their Black Friday deals online, so doing some prior research before the day comes could help you to get exactly what you want and for the best possible price