Rory Brachner, founder of Doshguide, a subscription-based platform that connects people with financial planners, has warned that the smartest move this Black Friday isn’t chasing discounts but ensuring every rand spent serves a real purpose.
Brachner warned against the Black Friday excitement, saying it could lead to overspending rather than saving.
This year’s Black Friday will be on November 28, while other stores have already been having Black November sales.
As shoppers gear up for the annual rush of unmissable and unbeatable deals, Brachner says the thrill of discount shopping often masks a more expensive truth: that most people dig deeper into their pockets than they had planned to.
“Black Friday plays right into our psychology. We see 50% off and feel like we’re saving money, but what’s really happening is that we are often spending cash we hadn’t planned to spend.
“The 50% off deal still costs you more than you would have spent. The illusion of saving is one of the biggest threats to consistent wealth-building,” said Brachner.
He highlighted that Nedbank and FNB saw higher transaction volumes last year, with FNB processing more than R5.4-billion through its Speedpoint devices. This amount was an 11% increase from the previous year.
This, he said, shows that Black Friday has become one of South Africa’s biggest shopping events. However, he advises that the key is not to avoid sales altogether but to shift from impulsive spending to value-driven shopping.
“It’s about taking control of how you spend so that your money supports your goals, not just your impulses. Reframe your thinking of a ‘good deal’—it is only truly good if it serves a real purpose in your life, something that aligns with your needs and delivers long-term value.
“Each impulse buy, even if small, chips away at money that could have been saved or invested. Delayed gratification is one of the most powerful wealth-building tools we have.”
He said people should plan ahead for events such as Black Friday to spend with purpose.
He emphasised that working with a financial planner during such financially demanding events would help build a broader financial plan and grant the freedom to spend consciously.
He said financial control meant that money is always working for you, even on
Black Friday.
He also provides five smart spending tips for the upcoming Black Friday:
Make a list: Identify what you genuinely need ahead of time and research prices
early to spot true deals.
Use cash or debit: Credit interest can quickly cancel any savings. If you can’t pay it off immediately, it’s not a saving.
Avoid fear-of-missing-out purchases: He said the idea that everyone is buying is not a good reason to spend, adding that deals will come again, but debt lasts longer.
Apply the 24-hour rule: Wait a day before checking out. If it still feels worthwhile, it probably is.
Redirect your savings: Invest the money you would have spent impulsively; even a few hundred rand can grow over time.
