When is a bargain not a bargain? And how do you avoid overspending? Here’s how to make Black Friday work for you

Black Friday didn’t exist when I was a kid. In the 80s, the fourth Friday in November was just another chalk mark on the run-up to Christmas. But Black Friday, which falls on 29 November this year, is now an autumn staple. We spend billions in an attempt to … save money. Therein lies the irony of sales. The spectacle of people fighting over stuff they wouldn’t normally want is why retailers love Black Friday even more than customers do. To win this game, you must know what you want, and whether it’s a real bargain. That means doing your research now.

Here are some practical tips and psychological tricks to find the best price for any product, be first in the queue for bargains, check whether a discount is legit – and stop yourself going rogue.