Author: Craig Stocks

It’s BFCM week, better known as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s a marketing onslaught that can be hard to resist. Our email inboxes are already filling up with promotions of all kinds, from electronics to apparel and fashion brands. Most retail websites we visit are offering generous voucher codes. We can’t browse our socials without finding clickbaitesque deals. We can’t read a newspaper, watch TV, or even listen to the radio without being offered even more discounts. It’s easy to get caught up in the shopping frenzy of Black Friday and end up spending more than we should. However, you should avoid spending money that you don’t have. Almost four in ten shoppers admit to Black Friday regret after splurging on impulse buys, according to new research by Tesco Mobile. Just over a quarter of the 2,000 respondents admitted to buying items they have never used. PriceWaterCooper, a global consulting, audit and tax firm, predicts that Total UK Black Friday spending is predicted to be £6.4bn in 2025, a 1.5% increase from 2024. The average spend per person is expected to be £262, up 13% from last year. Men are forecast to spend 43% more than women.

Resisting the pull of Black Friday and how it can affect mental health

Black Friday is designed to create urgency. Limited stock messages, countdown clocks and bold discount claims encourage quick decisions. When we feel we are running out of time, we are more likely to buy something without thinking it through. Studies also show that the pressure to buy can impact mental wellbeing. Constant advertising can create a fear of missing out (FOMO), which pushes some people to spend in order to feel better in the short term. Compulsive Buying Disorder also known as shopping addiction or oniomania, is a harmful behavioural condition and is estimated to affect around 300,000 people in Scotland. Psychotherapists writing in the Comprehensive Psychiatry journal have argued that addiction to online shopping should be formally recognised as an official mental-health disorder. Researchers say the condition presents consistent symptoms and characteristics, and that it can significantly affect emotions, thinking patterns, and daily life. Although “buying-shopping disorder” (BSD) has been recognised for decades, experts warn that it has taken on a new intensity in the internet age. Constant access to online stores, targeted advertising, flash sales and one-click purchasing can make urges stronger and harder to control. The Priory Group notes that when individuals overcome one addiction, such as alcoholism, other compulsive behaviours can sometimes emerge, including shopping. These behaviours often worsen in the run-up to the festivities, throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and again during the January sales. Speaking about shopping addiction, they explained: “All rationale and reason around overspending are overlooked for the short-term gain, ignoring the longer-term consequences.” Some temporary coping and recovery strategies include:

• Seeking support from people who understand the urges (other recovering shopping addicts, therapists, trusted friends)
• Removing shopping apps from your phone
• Unsubscribing from email and SMS marketing
• Discarding promotional leaflets that arrive through the letterbox
• Avoiding websites that you know will push Black Friday or sales content
• Planning other activities before, during and after Black Friday
• Avoiding social media entirely, or at least muting or unfollowing retail brands

If you are concerned about your mental wellbeing, our Support Services Hub provides further guidance and lists organisations such as SAMH and Breathing Space, two excellent Scottish organisations specialising in mental health support.

Black Friday and Buy Now, Pay Later: A toxic combination

  As retailers compete aggressively for your attention, the tactics used to drive spending often become more intense, especially during Black Friday. Time-limited offers, countdown timers, and personalised ads create a sense of urgency that can lead people to spend more than they intended. At the same time, the rapid expansion of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options across almost every major e-commerce website has added another layer of risk. BNPL is often promoted as a simple, interest-free way to spread payments, but the reality can be very different. The risks of BNPL during Black Friday BNPL can quickly become a problem because of: Deferred payments that seem manageable in November but pile up in December and January Late fees or additional charges if just one instalment is missed Debt stacking, where multiple BNPL plans run simultaneously across different providers Reduced visibility of your total borrowing — BNPL payments are easy to forget, and not all appear clearly on bank statements Encouragement to spend more, as BNPL increases average order values and lowers the psychological barrier to checkout During heavy sales periods, these risks increase dramatically because people make multiple purchases in a short space of time.

BNPL regulation in 2025

As of 2025, the UK has continued moving towards greater regulation of BNPL products, with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) urging firms to treat customers fairly and provide clearer information. However, full regulation of all BNPL providers is not yet complete, meaning many shoppers still face:

• Inconsistent affordability checks
• Limited transparency around late fees
• Varying levels of consumer protection depending on the provider

This creates a grey area where vulnerable consumers, especially those already worried about money, remain at risk of harm. The FCA have said that in 2026, thanks to the UK government’s intervention, it will start regulating Buy Now Pay Later, using its more formal name – Deferred Payment Credit (DPC). A real-world example of why BNPL needs tighter regulation: A typical situation we hear from customers goes like this: “I bought a few things over Black Friday. £30 here, £60 there. Each one felt affordable, and BNPL let me spread the payments. But by January I had six different instalment plans due at once, all small amounts individually, but together it was too much.” This pattern is extremely common and can push people into overdrafts, credit cards, or further borrowing to cover BNPL instalments. The bottom line BNPL is not inherently bad, but during Black Friday, when spending pressure is at its peak, it can become a toxic combination. Without careful budgeting, BNPL can turn short-term convenience into long-term financial stress.  

Black Friday: Why the Deals Often Aren’t Real Deals

Black Friday has a reputation for huge savings, but the evidence shows otherwise. Recent research from Which? (2024) analysed 175 products across major UK retailers including Amazon, Currys and Argos. Their findings were clear: 0% of the products were at their cheapest price on Black Friday 100% were cheaper or the same price at other points during the year. During the broader Black Friday period (15 Nov–12 Dec), 83% were cheaper or equal in price at another time, and 42% had been cheaper at least once in the previous six months Coverage in the UK press, including The Guardian, highlighted that not a single tracked item hit its lowest price on Black Friday, undermining the belief that it’s the best time to buy big-ticket items. In other words: the ‘limited-time deal’ you’re rushing to buy may not be a deal at all. Some retailers also take advantage of the Black Friday hype by promoting discounts that look substantial, but still don’t offer the best value. This becomes even more risky when buying expensive items, especially if it means dipping into an overdraft, using a credit card, or relying on Buy Now, Pay Later to “grab a bargain”. A simple tactic to avoid impulse purchases If you see something you think you must buy, add it to your basket — then step away and revisit it later. Ask yourself:

• Do I still want this?
• Can I actually afford it today, without borrowing?

If you hesitate on either point, it may have been an impulse decision triggered by the sales environment.

Why waiting can save you money

Most online retailers use cart abandonment strategies. About 41% of shoppers abandon their baskets and retailers know this. As a result, waiting can lead to:

• additional discount codes
• free-delivery offers
• price-drop notifications

Or, you may simply realise you didn’t really need the item after all.

Christmas debt

Regardless of how you feel about Christmas, don’t let money and debt cause you stress. Christmas debt can be really damaging…

1. It adds stress in the back of your mind & stops you from enjoying time with your family.
2. You start the new year on the wrong foot, New Year’s resolutions are trumped by Christmas debt.
3. It cost you money. Buy now pay later, credit cards and store cards are expensive forms of borrowed debt.

To avoid going into debt this Christmas, we recommend making a Christmas budget and sticking to it. Don’t feel pressured to spend more than you can afford. You don’t want to start 2026 with Christmas debt hanging over your head.

Help with unaffordable debts

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