As Black November promotions encourage South Africans to splurge, JustMoney urges shoppers to distinguish between genuine savings and purchases that put further pressure on strained household budgets. The issue is not how much you save, but whether you can afford a purchase without compromising household priorities.
Black November offers genuine opportunities to stretch your budget if you find a competitive price for something you really need. However, spending R1,000 on an item you wouldn’t have otherwise bought doesn’t save you R1,000, even if the advertised discount is attractive. Ensuring money is available for food, transport, electricity, and other essentials is more important than taking advantage of a deal that leaves you short later in the month.
Tips for shoppers during Black November:
- Set a strict budget. Decide how much you can afford to spend before browsing for bargains. Cover essential expenses and existing financial commitments first, and stop when you reach your spending limit.
- Make a shopping list. Identify what you genuinely need or have already planned to buy.
- Compare prices. Check offers at different retailers, comparing the same model, size, quantity, and features. Include delivery fees and other costs, rather than relying on the advertised discount.
- Give yourself time. Wait 24 hours before making a non-essential purchase. Closing a shopping app or leaving an item in your online basket will help avoid impulse buying.
- Track spending. Several small purchases add up. Record what you buy and check the running total against your budget limit.
Pressured shopping
Shoppers should be aware of the psychological triggers that influence spending. With tempting promotions proliferating across online platforms and in stores, shoppers may feel pressured to act quickly before an offer expires.
Countdown clocks, messages warning that only a few items remain, and large discounts create a sense of urgency, perceived scarcity, and pressure to buy. The excitement of finding a bargain can make spending feel like saving, making it difficult to step back and assess whether a purchase is truly worthwhile.
Scammers exploit the season too. Money & Me found that 47% of respondents have lost money to a scam. Check that a retailer’s website is legitimate, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and never share your PIN or one-time password (OTP). A tempting discount is not worth the risk of losing money.
Credit: The cost beyond the bargain
Retailers promote store accounts, credit facilities, and buy-now-pay-later arrangements with their Black November deals. Although these options can make a purchase appear more affordable, the repayments remain a financial commitment.
Money & Me found that 51% of respondents spent more than 40% of their take-home pay on debt repayments, compared with 38% in 2025. In addition, 37% did not know the interest rate of their largest loan.
An affordable-looking monthly instalment does not necessarily mean that you can manage the payments. Interest, fees, and other charges increase the total amount you repay, and several small instalments can add up to a significant monthly burden.
Before using credit, shoppers should:
- Check the total repayment amount, including all borrowing costs.
- Understand the repayment dates, length of the agreement, and consequences of missing a payment.
- Add the proposed instalment to existing debit orders and debt repayments to check whether the total is manageable.
- Consider whether you can manage repayments if an unexpected expense arises or your income is delayed.
Credit should not be treated as extra income. If a purchase can wait, saving for it is better than committing to repayments that will continue long after the sales have ended.
Right to say no
Check the retailer’s returns and refund policy for sale items, and establish whether unwanted goods can be returned, the timeframe allowed, and any applicable conditions. Keep your proof of purchase and remember that buying an item on special does not remove your legal rights if it is defective.
Under South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act, shoppers can generally return defective or unsafe goods within six months of delivery and request a repair, replacement, or refund. However, if you simply change your mind about a purchase, you do not automatically have the right to return it, unless the retailer’s policy or specific legal provisions allow this. For households under financial pressure, deciding not to purchase is just as important as finding a good deal.
The rules are simple: plan first, compare prices, understand the full cost, and buy only what you can afford. A genuine bargain should make your money go further, not leave you struggling to make it through the month. If a deal doesn’t match your budget, walk away.
