THE biggest sale day of the year is very nearly upon us, and it can be a great time to pick up some absolute bargains.
But not every Black Friday deal is as great a deal as it first appears just because it has a reduced price tag – and you could be spending more than you need to.
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Black Friday has become a fixture on the shopping calendar over the past few years with discounts across a range of items including technology, beauty, clothes and toys.
This year Black Friday falls tomorrow, November 24, a whole month before Christmas, and some retailers have even started them early.
They also run for longer than just the Friday, continuing into Cyber Monday, on November 27.
Retail giants like Amazon, John Lewis and Argos are among the shops that so Black Friday deals, and smaller local independent shops too.
Plenty of high street and online fashion brands like New Look, Mango and more will usually slash prices too – though others like Primark don’t join in.
But whatever day of the year you’re shopping, it always pays to compare prices first – just because it’s got a discount doesn’t mean it’s always the best deal around.
Remember too, it’s not a bargain if you didn’t intend to buy it in the first place.
There are a range of easy tool to help you do this like Google Shopping, Idealo and Price Spy.
There are even some shops you might not think of where you can find it cheaper.
Second-hand retailers and little-known online sites known for their low prices are among them.
Here we’ve rounded up some of the places where you’ll find items for less than Black Friday deals.
Farmfoods – save £184.31
Fans of Farmfoods will know that there are plenty of bargains to be had.
The supermarket often has great deals for shoppers to get their hands on, which are updated every week.
Despite generally being a grocery supermarket, it does occasionally sell other non-food items too, and at low prices, like toys and garden furniture.
We found that the bargain retailer is selling a Lay-Z-Spa inflatable hot tub for a whopping £184.31 less than the Black Friday offer.
The “Vegas” hot tub is on offer this week at Farmfoods for £199.99.
On the Lay-Z-Spa website, it’s currently offering a 30% off Black Friday code.
With the code, it brings the usual £549 price down to £384.30 – not quite as good a deal when compared to Farmfoods.
Although, do bear in mind that Farmfoods is only available in-store and not online.
The chain has had some scorchers in the past too.
For example, it recently had a halogen air fryer on offer for £19.99 and shoppers went wild.
And back in July, it was selling a Daewoo 3.5l slow cooker for just £4.99.
These offers are usually around for a limited time so shoppers are always encouraged to be quick if they want to snap one up.
This is similar to other chains like Aldi and Lidl, famed for their middle-aisle items.
You can find one of Farmfoods’ 300 shops using the handy store locator tool on the chains’ website.
eBay – save £94.21
When it comes to second-hand shopping, eBay is the original marketplace.
The website is a treasure trove for unwanted items like rare coins, clothes and furniture.
But it can actually be a great place to browse electronics too, particularly if they’re in “like new” condition.
Not only that but the website has its own Refurbished on eBay range which is specifically for items which have been refreshed and given a new lease of life – but for less than the original price.
We found a pair of third generation Apple AirPods for just £54.79 on the marketplace.
Meanwhile, Argos is selling the same version of the bluetooth-earphones for £149 – down from £169 in its Black Friday sale.
In total eBay’s price is £94.21 less than the special offer.
The online description reads: “Like new open box, all accessories and retail packaging.
“100% like new condition. Inspected, tested, cleaned and sterilised.”
It’s important when you’re shopping on second-hand retailers like eBay that you look for items which are “like new” if you’re concerned about quality.
If there’s an option of “unopened” or “with tags” too it’s just a good way to know the item is likely in prime condition.
Direct Cosmetics – £13.11
Direct Cosmetics is an online beauty store that sells all sorts of things from make-up to perfume.
It’s been operating for over 40 years and sells products at clearance prices.
The retailer offers a whole load of big-name makeup, skincare, and perfume brands.
We spotted a 30ml bottle of Burberry Weekend on the site for just £23.99 – down from £45 RRP.
Not only that, it’s cheaper than Look Fantastic’s price too.
The online-only shop is selling the same size bottle for £37.10.
That’s a 30% Black Friday discount on its usual price of £53, but still £13.11 more than Direct Cosmetics’ cost.
Of course, when you’re ordering online you do need to bear in mind delivery charges too.
And have a look at reviews where possible.
Facebook Marketplace – £69
Facebook Marketplace is a great place to look if you want to get your hands on a bargain, but the key is knowing what to buy.
The social media site is an easy way to snap up items from people nearby and all you need is a Facebook account.
You can find all sorts of items on Facebook Marketplace, from TVs to plants and even rare collectables like vinyl records and CDs.
Basically, if you’re after something, someone is probably selling or something similar.
The only slight issue with Facebook Marketplace is that you’ll usually need to arrange to pick up the item from the seller so it helps if they’re nearby.
You could also arrange to have it delivered with the seller if you need.
If you’re on the hunt for a pair of hair straighteners for Christmas, we found a massive saving.
You can pick up a pair of GHD Original Straighteners for just £40 in Darlington.
That’s a huge £69 less than GHD’s own Black Friday offer of £109.
It’s a £20 reduction on the usual price.
Gumtree – save £34.95
Founded back in 2000, Gumtree is another well-known flogging site.
It sees millions of users selling their unwanted bits and bobs from all over the country.
It’s among the largest re-commerce sites in the UK and can be a treasure trove if you know what you’re after.
You can find anything from cars to full-size fish and chips fryers (yes, really).
If you have your eye on a gift for Christmas this year but it’s a bit out of your budget it’s definitely worth having a look on the platform to see if anyone is selling an unwanted one.
For example, we spotted a Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser hot chocolate maker for just £50 in Cardiff.
The seller describes the gadget as in “very good condition, not used much”.
It’s a big saving on the cost of a brand-new Velvetiser, even with a Black Friday offer.
We saw John Lewis has cut the price of the kitchen appliance by 15% from £97.69 to £84.95 as part of its promotions this week.
That’s still £34.95 more than the seller’s price on Gumtree.
Although, as with Facebook Marketplace, do bear in mind that you may need to pick up anything you buy unless you arrange for the seller to post it to you.
It’s also a good idea to ask for as many pictures as possible of the product so that you can get a good idea of the condition.
As with all second-hand sites it can be helpful to find “like new” items too.
Meanwhile, keep up to date with all the latest Black Friday offers and deals by following our live blog.
Plus, a major high street discounter has launched its first ever Black Friday sale.
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
