I’m a Black Friday addict – I get up at 5am to shop & spend THOUSANDS… my top tips to bag the best deals
WITH Black Friday fever in full swing, consumers are salivating over the chance to grab huge discounts on big brand items.
And one savvy shopper reveals she gets up at 5am to secure the best bargains online, before heading out just hours later to try her luck in the shops.
Naay Akinade, 27, says she sets her alarm for the crack of dawn to make sure she doesn’t miss out and reckons she’s managed to save thousands thanks to her Black Friday obsession.
“It’s my favourite day,” she says. “I get my wish list out and I spend, spend, spend like I’m part of the Royal family.
“I’ll be up from 5am, I’ll do a few hours of online shopping and then I’ll go to the shops after.
“I’ve easily saved thousands over the years on everything from perfume, to jewellery to fashion and kitchenware.
“My mum used to have us queue up from 6am in the Next sales when I was little, so I’ve always been used to getting up early to get what I want.
“It’s important I don’t miss any big bargains.”
Among Naay’s best steals are her Apple Watch, which she saved £200 on last year, as well as designer shoes, cargo pants and Warren Smith jewellery, all of which went for over 50% off the initial retail price.
“These things still make a dent in your pocket, but not nearly as much as if you’d get them any other time of year,” she says.
Naay’s go-to shops are mainly sports fashion retailers like JD Sports and Footlocker.
She loves Primark but has some reservations.
“You can get some great stuff there but the enormous queues put me off,” she says. “I think it’s better to shop online for that one.”
The part time model and chef says her absolute musts this year are more clothes and kitchenware.
“I see a lot of food videos on places like TikTok and that inspires me to make new dishes,” she says.
“But I want them to be perfect and so I need to have the right equipment. The problem is it’s so pricey, so Black Friday is perfect for that.
I’ll be up from 5am, I’ll do a few hours of online shopping and then I’ll go to the shops after.
Naay Akinade
“This year I’m eyeing up new saucepans, another air fryer, a new grater, new serving spoons and new cutlery.
“Amazon is a great place to start for the kind of stuff but I also love Argos and John Lewis.”
While Naay is thrilled with her bargains, not everyone is quite as on board with her sales obsession.
“My family do not agree at all,” she says. “I have to hide my shopping from them! Or I’ll tell them someone else bought it for me as a gift. When we were young my mum was all about the sales but she still had discipline. I’m definitely a bit more wild.”
When it comes to Christmas, Naay is already thinking about how much she’ll save on presents for her nearest and dearest.
“Nearly all the gifts I get for people are bought on Black Friday,” she says. “For me it makes sense to get it out of the way early and at a good price.”
According to Citizen Communication, last year Brits spent a whopping £9.42billion over the Black Friday weekend, with 61% of that spent online.
But with the country’s current cost of living crisis, experts predict this figure may drop this year when Black Friday returns on November 24.
However, Naay won’t let the forecast put her off.
“I’m still planning on going mad with the sales this year,” she says. “I work hard for my money and this is how I like to spend it.”