Don’t let Black Friday bargains blow your budget
27 Nov 2025
Two in five Australians planning to shop the Black Friday sales say they won’t set a budget, prompting fresh warnings for shoppers to plan ahead, stick to a list and avoid slipping into debt.
The sales weekend is expected to be bigger than last year, with Australians forecast to spend $6.8 billion from Black Friday through to Cyber Monday (28 November to 1 December), according to Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan forecasts – up 4% on 2024 figures.
However, it’s also a time when people can overspend and fall into a debt trap.
A Canstar survey of 1,477 Black Friday shoppers found:
- 41% have not set a spending budget.
- Of those that have, the average budget is $538
- 55% plan to pay for at least part of their shopping on credit or BNPL.
How to nail the sales
The Black Friday sales are a marketing event, designed to get you spending. However, budget conscious shoppers can get ahead instead of in the red if they’re strategic in their approach:
- Plan ahead: Write out a list of things you need and set yourself a budget.
- Stock up on discounted essentials: Black Friday sales don’t just include luxury items. Focus on things you know you’ll need and use, rather than impulse buys.
- Do a price check: Just because something is ‘on sale’, doesn’t automatically make it a bargain. Do a price comparison and a sweep for discount codes before you buy.
- Sleep on big-ticket items: If you’re about to spend hundreds of dollars, give it 24 hours. The sales go for four days – you’ve got time to think about it.
- Avoid credit: Only pay with credit if you’re 100% sure you can pay the money back before you get hit with fees and charges.
- Tally it up: Keep a running tally of what you have spent and make sure this figure stays in budget.
- Watch for upsells: Extended warranties, accessories you don’t need, gift packs when you only want one of the items, spending more to get free shipping. If it’s not on your list, say no.
- If you make a mistake, send it back: You’re better off having money at the end of the month to pay the bills rather than the latest frozen drink machine.
Know the returns policy
Change of mind returns policies can vary significantly between retailers, with some as short as 14 days, while others such as IKEA extend to up to a year, so hang onto your receipts, keep the tags on and know your deadline for sending things back.
Being a member of the store’s rewards program can also help keep track of your receipts, while some stores will give you longer to return items if you’re a paid member.
Also understand what can’t be returned simply because you changed your mind, which often includes personal items, perishables and clearance items (as opposed to sale items).
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| Change of mind returns policies | ||
|---|---|---|
| Usual policy | Notes | |
| Myer | 30 days | If bought in Nov or Dec, up until 31 Jan |
| David Jones | 30 days | If bought in Nov or Dec, up until 31 Jan |
| Big W | 90 days | Excludes BigW Marketplace. |
| Kmart / Target | 60 days | 365 days if a OnePass member |
| Apple | 14 days | Eligible purchases before Christmas have until 8 Jan |
| Ikea | 365 days | |
| Harvey Norman | Varies | Depending on product, must be in original condition |
| Bing Lee | 14 days | Goods must be unopened |
| The Good Guys | 30 days | Goods must be unopened |
| BCF | 30 days | 60 day returns from Nov 11 over Christmas period. |
| Bunnings | Varies | 1-yr perfect plant policy. Excl. Bunnings Marketplace. |
Source: Canstar. Note: above timeframes are accurate as at 27.11.25. Exclusions apply for change of mind returns and exact returns policies vary between stores. Shoppers should read the terms and conditions of a store’s returns policy before purchasing.
How to stay in the black in the lead up to Christmas
People planning to use credit cards during the sales rush should make sure they can clear the balance in full the moment their next statement arrives.
Shoppers tapping a credit card that offers ‘up to’ 55 days interest free tomorrow (28 November), will need to clear this debt between late December and 21 January, depending on their billing cycle. This assumes they do not already have a debt on their card. Anyone that can’t is likely to be up for interest charges, at an average rate of 18.61%.
Canstar research shows if someone put $2,000 on their credit card this sales period, and only made the minimum required, at 2%, it would take them an estimated 21 years to pay it off, with over $4,394 in interest charges.
If they paid an extra $100 a month to clear this debt, it would still cost them an estimated $368 in interest and take them two years to clear the debt in full, not including annual fees.
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| Time taken to pay off $2,000 credit card debt | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total interest charges | Time taken to pay | |
| Minimum repayments | $4,394 | 21 years |
| Higher repayments (extra $100 per month) | $368 | 2 years |
| Savings | $4,026 | 19 years |
Note: Based on the RBA credit card statistics, original data. Average estimated spend is based on a Canstar survey. Interest calculations are based on the RBA average rate of 18.61% and assume the minimum monthly repayment is 2% or $20. Calculations are based on ASIC MoneySmart credit card calculator.
Be on high alert for scams
It’s not just overspending shoppers need to watch for – as people are hunting for bargains, scammers are hunting for victims, making the sales period a prime time for fraud.
A Canstar survey of 3,000 Australians found 26% have been the victim of a scam. Of those that have been scammed, almost one in 5 (18%) had bought something from a store that didn’t exist.
Latest figures from the ACCC Scamwatch show shopping scams cost Australians $11.2 million in the 12 months to September – an increase of 18% from the previous year.
Of those reported to the ACCC, the average amount lost to shopping scams was $441 this year, up from $357 last year. However, the number of scams has dropped from 26,662 to 25,455 – down 5% year-on-year.
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| Shopping scams recorded by the ACCC per year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year ending | Amount | Number | Av. amount scammed |
| Sept 2024 | $9.5 million | 26,662 | $357 |
| Sept 2025 | $11.2 million | 25,455 | $441 |
| Change | +18% | -5% | +24% |
Source: ACCC Scamwatch statistics prepared by Canstar.com.au.
How to protect yourself from financial scams when shopping
- Buy from stores you know and trust. If it’s a store you don’t know, read reviews, type the URL directly and use a secure way to pay. When in doubt, walk away.
- Think about which card you’re using. Use a card with limited funds for online purchases and set low daily spending limits.
- Turn on real-time notifications on your banking app to catch suspicious activity immediately.
- Check over every transaction – double- or triple-check large transactions and confirm important payments by phone.
- Be wary of fake deliveries. Don’t click on links you don’t trust and never pay extra money for a delivery you have already paid for at a secure checkout.
- Monitor your credit score regularly – unexpected changes to your score is a red flag and should be investigated.
Canstar’s data insights director, Sally Tindall, says, “Black Friday sales can be tempting and a great way to tick off your Christmas shopping list. However, spending without a plan can potentially be a fast track to regret.”
“With two in five Australians saying they won’t set a budget for the sales, it’s worth pausing before you click ‘buy now’.
“Rising cost-of-living pressures mean many families are leaning on big sales to grab what they need at a discount, but retailers are counting on you to spend, spend, spend.
“Remember, an impressive-sounding discount doesn’t automatically make the purchase a good deal. Check to see if you can find the item cheaper elsewhere, but then go on to ask two of the most important questions. One: do I need it? And two: can I afford it?
“Anyone who reaches for the plastic over the next four days should have an iron-clad strategy to pay back this money within the interest-free period. A clever buy that goes on a credit card can turn into a complete calamity if it starts collecting interest charges into the New Year.
“Finally, if you get hit with buyers remorse after the sales, know you might still be able to do something about it. When you get home from the shops, don’t take the tags off straight away. Give yourself at least a couple of days to make sure you’re happy with it on your shelf, rather than the store’s.”
This article was reviewed by our Consumer Editor Meagan Lawrence before it was updated, as part of our fact-checking process.
