4 Black Friday Tips to promote mindful shopping and avoid overconsumption

The worst thing you can be on Black Friday weekend is unprepared. A lack of planning can quickly lead to overspending and overconsumption. That’s why we’ve put together a list of our favourite sustainable shopping habits—just a few simple tricks that you can implement to prevent overbuying while still making the most of next weekend’s discounts...

Make a list ahead of time
Know your recipient (choose something they will love to avoid waste)
Add to your basket a day in advance so you don’t get caught up in a rush and over-order (we hold your basket for 24 hours)
Do your research:

Some brands inflate their prices for Black Friday to make you feel like you are getting a deal that you aren’t. We will never do this.
Be planet-conscious
Shop small

1) Make a list ahead of time

Making a list of the items you wish to purchase or the people you need to buy Christmas gifts for will help you stay on track and avoid unnecessary purchases. Black Friday marketing is carefully crafted to foster a sense of urgency and scarcity, which can lead you to buy things you don’t need or, often, even want.

Now, we aren’t suggesting that you skip Black Friday altogether; it can be an incredibly effective way of saving money on your Christmas shopping. Chances are, as soon as December hits, you’ll be in a mad panic to buy gifts for your family and friends. So, getting organised ahead of time and sourcing gifts during this weekend’s discounts is a great idea.

2) Know Your Recipient

When choosing gifts for others, it can be easy to buy things just for the sake of it. “Yeah, that’ll be fine for Mum,” we say all too often. But let’s be honest– Mum deserves better than "fine." Generic or impersonal gifts frequently end up unused or discarded, which contributes to overproduction and waste.

If you instead take the time to understand your recipient– what they enjoy, their favourite pastimes, places, or consumables– you will find it much easier to select something they’ll love and actually use. Gifting something that aligns with your recipient’s needs and values encourages more mindful and sustainable consumption, and lessens the demand for new or disposable products.

3) Fill your basket in advance

To promote mindful consumption, we allow our shoppers to hold items in their basket for a 24-hour period before making their purchase. Impulse buying triggers a dopamine rush, which is why it can feel so satisfying in the moment. Our bodies crave the instant gratification of making exciting, spontaneous acquisitions that leverage our brain’s reward system. Over time, this creates a habit loop where the brain associates buying with pleasure, leading to habitual consumption of things we don’t truly want.

Impulse buys are momentarily thrilling, but they don’t give the same long-term satisfaction as a well-thought-out purchase. To negate this effect, it’s good practice to add your desired products to your online basket and wait a day before buying. This way, you can be confident that you truly want to make the purchase.

As well as preventing overconsumption, this trick will also allow you to catch any sneaky price inflations. Many brands increase their prices before offering Black Friday discounts to create the illusion of a much bigger saving. Rest assured that, with us, what you see is what you get. Home County Co. is a small business run by real people, with no interest in misleading our loyal customers.

4) Research the brand

If you’re aiming to shop more sustainably, it’s important to take the time to research the brands you’re planning to buy from. Decide on which elements are important to you, whether it's eco-friendly materials, transparent supply chains, or local production, and choose brands based on these criteria. The more consumers choose brands with sustainable practices, the more these practices become normalised and even expected.

By implementing these four simple strategies, you can shop more intentionally this Black Friday. Not only will you reduce waste and avoid impulse buys, but you'll also be supporting businesses that are working toward a more sustainable future.