As Black Friday banners flash across screens and festive cheer builds, South Africans face a surge of high-pressure buying moments. On Black Friday last year alone, FNB customers spent over R3.2 billion, marking an 11% increase in spend from the previous year.
The bulk of this spending went toward groceries, clothing, entertainment, and travel, reflecting both seasonal consumer enthusiasm and the emotional triggers that often accompany year-end promotions.
This seasonal spike reveals not just spending potential, but the emotional undercurrents that drive it, from the surge of FOMO (fear of missing out) messaging and countdown timers to advertising that taps into deeper desires for status, belonging, or reward. Black Friday campaigns can often blur the line between urgency and identity, making consumers feel that missing a deal means missing out on more than just a discount it’s missing out on being seen, included, or fulfilled.
Findings from TransUnion South Africa’s Consumer Pulse Report (Q4 2024) reveal that rising costs and financial stress continue to shape how consumers spend, with many adjusting their behavior in response to income uncertainty and inflation. While the report doesn’t delve into psychological triggers directly, it underscores how economic pressure can heighten emotional responses, especially during key retail moments like Black Friday, where urgency and social comparison often amplifies impulsive decisions.
“When individuals understand the psychological relationship, they have with their finances and the emotional triggers behind their spending, they’re more likely to make choices that serve their long-term goals, rather than fleeting impulses.” says Dhashni Naidoo, Programme Manager for Consumer Education at FNB. “And in this case, financial literacy as an essential life skill plays a crucial role in equipping people with the knowledge and tools to pause, reflect and make informed decisions that align with their financial goals and right size for current financial circumstances.”
“Awareness is the first step toward financial empowerment. Holiday season spending is exciting, but it’s also emotionally charged. Awareness helps you stay grounded when product marketing tries to stir urgency or social pressure. And, when you understand your triggers, you’re less likely to overspend or regret your choices later.”
Naidoo shares five tips to avoid emotional spending this Black Friday:
- Label your trigger before you tap
Whether it’s the end-of-year-period relief, social media envy, or countdown timers on deals, name the feeling (excitement, FOMO, guilt, reward). Naming the feeling slows the decision-making loop. Naidoo emphasises that by acknowledging the trigger, you shift from being reactive to being aware.
- Create digital distance
When deals are designed to push “buy now” calls to action, create a buffer. Instead of saving your card details on various buying apps, enforce an extra step to buy you more time to think. You can do this by adding your item to a wish list, leaving the tab open overnight and checking to see how you feel again the next day. Naidoo also suggests using banking or budgeting apps to check your money before you buy, as seeing the numbers helps you spend more mindfully.
- Pre-map your “deal potential” budget
Set aside a fixed amount for non-essentials before the offers arrive. By pre-mapping a budget specifically for discretionary purchases, you give yourself the freedom to act on great deals without compromising your essentials or dipping into savings. It transforms reactive spending into strategic opportunity: the deal serves your goals, not your impulses.
- Build a post-spend review habit
After major spending bursts, take some time to reflect: What was I feeling before I bought? Did I feel good after the purchase? Did it align with my goals? Use your banking app to track not just what you spent, but when and why. Over time, patterns will emerge, and you can intervene intelligently.
- Anchor joy in your values, not impulses
You deserve to enjoy the season. Define 2–3 “joy goals” (e.g., a gift for yourself, an outing with friends, upgrading a useful item) and allocate a small recurring amount to them. Naidoo notes that spending aligned with values yields a stronger payoff than the fleeting buzz of an unplanned deal.
Resetting financial habits for the season ahead
Whether you’re entering your first full-pay-cheque job or moving past impulsive spending habits, this isn’t about denying fun it’s about clarity, control, and intention. The spending spike around Black Friday and festive season offers a huge opportunity. Let it be positive and intentional. Knowing your motivations, steering your money with awareness, and still enjoying the moment? That’s the path to financial self-awareness.
“Financial self-awareness gives you the freedom to choose your spend, rather than allowing spend to choose you. Stay alert. And let your money serve your goals, not your impulses,” Naidoo concludes.
