Most people go into their Black Friday shopping spree with some idea of what they want, but end up on the other side of a chaotic spend-fest with a bunch of stuff that ends up gathering dust around the house.

To put it differently, once the retail therapy high wears off, you’ve spent plenty of money and all you have to show for it is an outdated piece of technology and a year’s supply of paper napkins – sound familiar?

This year will be different, though, because this year you’re going to be prepared.

We’ve put together a handy survival guide, with some pro tips for making the most of Black Friday, which takes place on Friday, November 29.

Diarise that now, although I’m sure you’ll be hearing all about it in the weeks to come.

Tip time…

Shop Online

Do not go to the store. The store is going to be full of people fighting openly in the aisles over flat-screen TVs.

I mean, you’ve seen the videos and you know better.

Shop online from the comfort of your couch. The deals will be just as good and you won’t risk a concussion.

Buy Now, Pay Later

This is one of those pro tips I was telling you about, so pay attention.

To make sure that you can take full advantage of the upcoming sale, you’ll want to explore the payment options out there.

Yes, you are ready to wield your credit card, but there’s also another approach worth considering.

PayJustNow offers South African consumers an alternative to credit in the form of a dynamic tech-enabled payment solution, based on a widely used and internationally validated ‘buy now, pay later’ business model.

The company has already partnered with a number of iconic brands, and they’re adding new retailers all the time.

Once you’ve filled your cart,  you can select the ‘PayJustNow’ option at checkout and pay your purchase off over three months, in three easy, interest-free instalments.

This means that you can take advantage of that Black Friday sale and pay for it in smaller chunks rather than bankrupting yourself just before Christmas.

Sign up for PayJustNow now to get ahead of the game. It only takes two minutes, but anyone who’s shopped a Black Friday sale will tell you that two minutes can mean the difference between life and death.

Stick To Quality Brands That You Know And Trust

Don’t be tempted to buy a knock-off item just because the deal seems better – it’s going to cost you in the long run.

For example, rather buy a quality, beautifully crafted leather bag from Freedom of Movement than lose cash on something that’s going to break in a few months.

As an added bonus, PayJustNow partners with Freedom of Movement, so you can pay off your investment in three instalments.

Don’t Just Look For The Lowest Prices

Instead of looking for the lowest prices, you should be looking for the greatest value. Retailers will try and distract you with numbers and flashy ads. Don’t get tricked into buying something just because it’s cheap.

A pair of veldskoen, made by iconic SA company Veldskoen, is going to look better and last longer than a pair of cheapies.

Do your homework beforehand, so that you know which brands and products you’d like to look out for. Quality over quantity wins every time.

Also, look at the prices of things you’re interested in now, and make a note of that. Some of South Africa’s largest retailers have been caught tinkering with prices to make those discounts seem greater than they really are. Don’t be taken for a fool.

Do the homework, consider yourself ready to tackle Black Friday, and save some money on things you really want. Well done, we’re proud of you.