by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – AS Black Friday promotions accelerate and festive season marketing intensifies, financial experts are urging South Africans to prepare for a period marked by emotional triggers and high-pressure spending cues.
Last year, First National Bank (FNB) customers spent more than R3.2 billion on Black Friday alone—an 11% increase from 2023—driven largely by purchases of groceries, clothing, entertainment, and travel.
While the annual spike highlights strong consumer appetite, it also reflects the psychological forces embedded in seasonal retail campaigns.
From countdown timers to social-media-fuelled FOMO, year-end promotions often activate deeper desires for reward, belonging, and status—blurring the line between need and impulse.
TransUnion South Africa’s Consumer Pulse Report for Q4 2024 shows that rising living costs and financial uncertainty continue to influence consumer behaviour.
Although the report doesn’t directly address emotional spending, it indicates that households under pressure may be more vulnerable to persuasive marketing during major retail events.
According to Dhashni Naidoo, Programme Manager for Consumer Education at FNB, understanding the emotional relationship people have with money is a critical safeguard in an inflationary environment.
“When individuals understand the psychological triggers behind their spending, they’re more likely to make choices that support long-term financial goals rather than momentary impulses,” Naidoo says.
“Financial literacy gives consumers the tools to pause, reflect, and make informed decisions that match their financial reality.”
Naidoo emphasises that end-of-year spending is often emotionally charged. “Awareness is the first step toward financial empowerment.
When you recognise what triggers your spending, you’re less likely to overspend or experience regret afterwards.”
To help consumers navigate Black Friday and year-end promotions, Naidoo offers five practical strategies:
- Identify your emotional trigger. Whether it’s relief at reaching year-end, social comparison, or time-limited deals, naming the emotion—excitement, guilt, FOMO—helps break impulsive decision-making.
- Create digital distance. Remove saved card details, use wish lists, or leave items in your cart overnight. Checking your balance on a budgeting or banking app can also help ground your decisions.
- Pre-plan a discretionary budget. Allocate a fixed amount for non-essential deals before promotions begin, turning spending from reactive to strategic.
- Review your spending afterwards. Reflect on how the purchase made you feel and whether it aligned with your goals. Over time, patterns become visible and easier to manage.
- Anchor festive joy to values, not impulses. Set a few “joy goals” and allocate funds intentionally to them.
Naidoo concludes that the festive season offers an opportunity to reset financial habits with clarity and intention. “Financial self-awareness gives you the freedom to choose your spend—rather than allowing your spend to choose you.”
– CAJ News