Christmas is right around the corner, and the holiday shopping season is about to kick off with Black Friday sales. With your email inbox full of unbeatable bargains and preparations for the festive season underway, it can seem like every retailer is offering the deal of the year.
Many of us use Black Friday to tick off Christmas gifts early or finally replace that appliance that’s been on its last legs for whoever knows long. If something you already need, or were already planning to buy, is being offered at a genuine discount, the sales can be a great way to save money. Black Friday isn’t the problem. Unplanned spending is.
All too easily, the promise of a bargain can tempt us into buying things that were never part of the plan. Spending pressure creeps up as we countdown to the holidays, and you might find yourself spending money you don’t have, or making credit card purchases you’ll be paying off well into the new year.
You might be thinking it’s a case of go hard or go home. But you don’t have to avoid the sales altogether to avoid overspending. The trick is to go in with intention.
Big savings versus big spending
There’s a key difference between saving money on something you were already planning on purchasing, and spending money because something happens to be on sale.
If you manage to nab that new phone you had your eye on and it’s 30% off, that’s a genuine saving. But if your current phone is perfectly functional and you hadn’t given the idea of a new one a second thought until you saw the discount, buying one isn’t saving you 30%. It’s costing you 70% of the price you weren’t planning to pay at all.
Picking up a new gadget at a reduced price isn’t automatically a good financial decision. When you next find yourself drawn in by a sale price, ask yourself: did I want this before I saw the discount? If the answer is no, it’s probably worth a pass.
Write your list before the sales start
The best time to plan for a sale is before it arrives. Before you check out the hottest Black Friday offers, sit down and write a list of the things you genuinely need or have already decided to buy.
When it comes to Christmas shopping, this might look like jotting down who you’re buying for and a rough idea of what you’d like to get them. If you’ve been putting off a bigger purchase, like a laptop, mattress or new kitchen appliance, that goes on the list too.
Once the sales land, your list becomes your filter. Not on the list? Not in the shopping basket.
Set a budget and stick to it
Having a list can help you cut through the noise, but when it comes to being money savvy you need to know how much you can afford to spend. Not what you could spend if you stretched your funds thin, but the number that actually fits comfortably with your other financial commitments. Plan ahead not just for your Christmas shopping, but for the bills and costs that come with the season.
It can help to set an amount for each item or person on your list, as well as an overall total. That way you can be sure that one great bargain isn’t going to take away from the money set aside for everything else.
Spend what you have, not what you will have
One of the simplest things you can do to protect your finances is to shop with the money you have now, rather than borrowing from your future income. With a list and a budget, it’s easier to be intentional with your shopping and avoid spending beyond your means.
Picking up Christmas gifts early and at a good price can take a lot of pressure off December. Just be mindful that getting a head start on Christmas doesn’t mean starting the new year paying for it.
You might already be familiar with the long tail of holiday spending on credit. According to the Centrix Credit Indicator Report for January 2026, consumer credit demand was up 9.4% year-on-year at the start of 2026, with heightened borrowing over the holiday period. Consumer arrears also rose seasonally to 12.07% in December. For many New Zealanders, a lot of festive spending gets carried into the new year.
January already brings its own costs, from summer holidays to back-to-school expenses, and nobody wants to face those with a bill from November still hanging around. A bargain stops being a bargain if you’re still paying for it months later.
Being able to buy something on credit can be useful when you need an essential item or if things are tight. But if you’d need to borrow to buy something you weren’t planning on getting anyway, take it as a sign to give it a miss.
Don't let fomo override the plan
Sale seasons are designed to encourage us to act first and think later. Between the countdown clocks, “only 3 left” pop ups, and deals that disappear at midnight, it’s easy to get swept up in the fear of missing out on a great deal.
Giving yourself a little breathing room can help. If you’re shopping online, leave items in your cart overnight and come back to your list before you make the call.
It’s worth remembering that there will always be another sale. Boxing Day, end-of-season clearances and plenty of other promotions are never far away. If a deal only looks good because you only have ten minutes to decide, it’s okay to let it go.
Enjoy the sales, on your terms
With intentional, considered spending, Black Friday can absolutely work in your favour. Sales can be a great opportunity to get a deal on those things you’d already decided were worth your money.
Go in with a list, know your number, and spend within your means. Make sure that the bargain that sticks with you next year is the one you planned for, not the one that came back to bite you.
Want to head into summer with a plan?
The lead up to Christmas is a great time to check in on how your spending fits with your bigger goals. If you’d like help setting a festive budget, getting on top of existing debt, or making sure the new year starts on the right foot, we’re here to help. Get in touch with our team for a chat about where you’re at and where you’d like to be.
General information only
The information in this article is general in nature and is not intended to be personalised financial advice. It does not take into account your individual circumstances, objectives or financial situation. Before making any financial decisions, including decisions about borrowing or using credit, you should consider whether the information is appropriate for you and seek advice from a qualified financial adviser. While we take care to ensure the information is accurate at the time of publishing, we accept no responsibility for any loss arising from reliance on it.
