The Five Things I Buy Every Black Friday

November 22, 2020

Once again, Black Friday has rolled around far too quickly, serving as an epic reminder that December is literally just days away. In a year that has seen many of us stuck at home, it still seems to have flown past at record speed and shows no sign of slowing down #33daystilchristmas. Black Friday has gotten a bit of a bad rep over the past few years as the day where crazies line up at department stores the night before to wake up early and elbow each other out of the way for a $10 television. And although the chaotic aspect of the sale is slowly fading, the general idea of significant store-wide discounts lives on and this year, as usual, online is definitely my preferred option.

So what better time to get a head start on that Christmas shopping list? Or buy the everyday essentials you buy every year? Sales and promotions are great if you can take advantage of them and buy things you were already going to pay full price for. A gentle reminder though, 30% off a $200 pair of shoes you weren’t planning on buying is still $140 more than you were going to spend, so only shop for things you really need. As a general rule, I make a list pre-sale day and try to only let myself buy things that I have already decided on. Sometimes I break the rule, but it helps keep the excess spending to a minimum.

So here are the items I look for every Black Friday. I have a running list of things I buy each and every year so I keep an eye out for emails with discounts and offers, and shop accordingly.

Black Friday Christmas Shopping List

A New Diary
I buy a diary every year, a good old-fashioned paper, write in it with a pen diary. I wish I could run my life from my phone or a digital diary app, but something about a physical diary makes me happy so we’re sticking to it. Not gonna lie, courtesy of Covid this year’s diary has been more ‘dust-collector’ than ‘life-organiser’, but I’m buying a new diary to try and will 2021 into being better. Depending on if you like a bound or compendium style, big or small, spiral-bound or leather-covered, basic or customised, the options go on and on, and so do the brands that offer them. But a couple of years ago I converted to the customisable ease of the compendium style and I haven’t looked back. I get mine from this small Aussie business located in Tasmania called Chasing Planner Peace but the best diary for you is the one that suits you and that you’ll actually use, so have a good look around at all the different styles available. MiGoals –

Books
Everyone loves books, myself included. The joy of Summer holidays and that long week between Christmas and New Years’ (where nobody knows what day it is) for me is all about laying on the couch or by the pool reading. I have a Goodreads accounts that I constantly add books to whenever I hear about a good one and a note on my phone that I add gift ideas to as well. So as soon as the promo emails start rolling in I check my list and try to check it off with minimal damage to the budget.

Beauty
Every year I use this as an opportunity to buy backups of favourite products I’m nearly out of, or to try something that I’m not super sure about but have thought long and hard about. Last year it was Aspect skincare. I’d hate to pay full price only to find that it did nothing for me, but paying a huge markdown off the normal price makes the risk slightly more palatable. Spoiler: a few of the Aspect products were average, but some of them were total game-changers, read all about my favourite Vitamin B Serum. Don’t go crazy with stocking up though, there’s always another sale and products can expire sitting in your drawer for months on end because you went a little too hard buying multiples. Trust me, I know…

Black Friday Christmas Shopping List

Christmas Presents:
If there’s anything that you know you want to get for someone, or if the people in your life still subtly mention that they ‘have a list…’ then this is the perfect time to get organised and order now. Especially this year with couriers already warily cautioning customers about long shipping delays. For example, this year on my shopping list is a purple acupressure mat, a dachshund embroidered hot water bottle cover, and some digi-converter-cord-transponder thingimagig (I told him to send me the link). Quite specific things, from particular stores which will make Black Friday online shopping quick and easy.

Kitchen Essentials:
Whether you consider yourself a home MasterChef or if your idea of gourmet is more along the lines of fancy cheese on toast, certain things are pretty essential in a kitchen. Small appliances, quality knives, and good cookware can be pricy investments, but if you know that your blender is on the way out or that your non-stick pans are not so non-stick anymore now is the perfect time to take the plunge and get much more bang for your buck. It sounds boring and basic but your future self will thank you for me being so sensible.

So those are the items that are always on my radar for Black Friday. I think it’s crucial to reiterate the importance of only buying things you really need or would have been buying in the near future at full price. It’s totally fine to buy things that you merely ‘want’ but just make sure that you haven’t been swept up in the mayhem of the day or by an inbox full of promos, and that you’re only ordering stuff you truly want and will use.

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