Black Friday: worth waiting for, or mostly hype?

[Louise84]

Black Friday is only a few weeks away, and the early deals are already starting to appear. Every year, retailers promise huge savings on tech, appliances and everything else. Some people plan purchases around it for months, while others think most deals are recycled prices and clever marketing. The truth is probably somewhere in between

Consumer groups like Which? have found in the past that many Black Friday deals were the same price or cheaper at other times of the year. Some retailers raise prices before the sale so that discounts look bigger. But there are also real bargains, especially on popular gadgets like TVs, headphones, smart speakers and laptops from the big brands

Price tracking tools can help separate real deals from fake ones. Sites and browser extensions that show price history make it easy to see whether a discount is real. Setting a budget and a shopping list in advance helps avoid impulse purchases too

I usually wait for Black Friday for big purchases, but only after tracking prices for a few months. Last year I saved a decent amount on a TV I had already chosen. But I also bought a gadget I did not need, simply because it was discounted. That is the trap

Do you wait for Black Friday, or think it is mostly hype? Any tips for finding real bargains?