Black Friday isn't a thing.

Firstly, it's not a day. Friday is a day, I am sure you have lived through many. Black Friday seems to be longer than a Bank Holiday weekend.

Secondly, Black Fri-Weekend is meant to be about fighting for a good deal but it doesn't happen.

Every year the news paint images of people scrapping for a bargain, making us ask ourselves the probing question, "How much money off a TV would it take for me to wrestle a granny?"

A few days later we get the follow-up news story they the brawls didn't really happen and that most spending was online. Of course it was.

Most spending seems to be online when it's not Black Friday, why would a date in November make any difference?

Sometimes it feels like the only reason people go into towns these days is to the Post Office to return the items thought bought online that didn't fit.

While the concept of Black Friday is an American import I am glad we didn't copy it too closely.

While the Americans might love a scrummage to get to the best deals the genetic British trait of saying, "No, after you," wins out and keeps things on the right side of civil.

Black Friday does so well online that criminals on the Dark Web also offer discounts. I'm not sure who would see a Dark Web deal and think, "At those prices I'd be a fool not to order the credit card details of millions of people."

I'm not against shopping. I have a fond place in my heart for the massive Asda Walmart. Due to its size it's responsible for a lot of my step-count.

The question we should asked ourselves when sales are on is, "Do I really need this?"

A half-price item sounds like a bargain but if you didn't need it you haven't saved 50 per cent, you've lost 50 per cent. At a time when we are trying to cut back on waste it might be smart to think before you buy even more.

Whatever you are replacing you will have to throw away and who knows what goes in which bin these days?

If you need it, buy it. Don't feel pressured to get the deal now, we have pre-Christmas promotions, Boxing Day sales and January sales just round the corner.

That's advice if you're in the UK. If you are in America, maybe head to the Dark Web. You could get a great deal right now on some thug who'll fight the other shoppers for you so you can bag that 50 per cent deal you have your eye on.