Martin Lewis has issued a warning to shoppers ahead of Black Friday, the biggest shopping event of the year.

Many retailers have already launched their Black Friday sales despite the actual day falling on Friday November 24 this year. One of these is Amazon, which began droppings its prices for the shopping event at the end of last week.

However, the Money Saving Expert has urged shoppers to not be "tempted" by deals that they see - despite how good they can appear to be.

Before making any purchase, it's worth considering if you actually need it in the first place, and if you can afford it as well.

Martin Lewis echoed this point as he made a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, addressing his 2.5 million followers in the run-up to Black Friday.

He said: "Amazon has launched its Black Friday offerings, my team have been through to try and sort deals from duds... https://moneysavingexpert.com/deals/amazon/#55226… PS remember only buy what you planned to, don't let it tempt you just because its cheaper."

Appearing on his Money Show Live broadcast on ITV earlier this week, Martin also warned Black Friday shoppers to only buy what they need this year.

He said: "If you were going to buy it anyway and it is half price you have saved 50%. But if you weren't going to buy it but do cos it's half price you have wasted 100% of your money."

The pro also urged shoppers to 'be careful' and do their research before making any purchases as some sales may not be as good as they seem.

It's also advised that you spend within your means at Christmas time to dodge a financial "hangover" in 2024.

Martin added: "Christmas has become a retail festival and it shouldn't be. It should be joyous, but causes some people unhappiness, debt and worry."

Black Friday doesn't actually fall until November 24 this year, but with retailers keen to tempt us to part with our hard-earned cash, more brands than ever before have pushed the button on some huge discounts early, including not just Amazon but also eBay, Shark, Ninja, Boots and more.

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