WHEN Black Friday rolls around, the headline deals are always on big tech items and appliances: TVs, headphones, laptops, vacuums.
However, that’s not what the experts at Sun Shopping add to their baskets when the annual shopping event rolls around.
Instead, we look for the deals that will save us money day to day — they’re not the most glamorous or exciting deals, but they leave more cash in our pockets at the end of each month.
We’re talking discounts on dishwasher tablets, coffee, soft drinks, toilet roll — the little things that chip away at your monthly budget.
Because they’re by nature essentials, they don’t often get mega discounts, but now’s a great time to save — we’ve rounded up the best five deals below.
Cadbury Dairy Milk Lotus Biscoff Advent Calendar, £7.79 £4.07
Cadbury Dairy Milk Lotus Biscoff Advent Calendar, £7.79 £4.07 from Amazon
What’s the deal? This Dairy Milk/Lotus Biscoff Advent Calendar has been slashed to just £3.40. On the official Cadbury’s website, it’s £6, and it’s £5.50 at Iceland.
Only Asda has managed to undercut Amazon, charging £3.98, but you’ll need to do a full shop to avoid the minimum basket charge — we’d rather fork out the extra 9p.
Why we love it: You can get Advent Calendars filled with everything from moisturiser to merlot these days, but you can’t beat classic chocolate.
This collaboration between Dairy Milk and Lotus Biscoff is the crossover we didn’t know we needed, featuring 12 chunks of classic Dairy Milk and another 12 filled with crunchy Biscoff pieces.
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And if you’re a Prime Member, you can get it as quickly as tomorrow, meaning you’ll have two days to restrain yourself from tearing it open.
Excuse us while we add to basket…
Heinz Baked Beans 12 x 415g, £16.80 £7.99
Heinz Baked Beans 12 x 415g, £16.80 £7.99 from Amazon
What’s the deal? 12 cans of Heinz Baked Beans for just £7.99 — their lowest ever price at Amazon — working out at 66.6p per can.
At Tesco, a pack of eight will cost you £5.85 with a clubcard, working out at 73p per can. At Asda, a pack of four costs £3.74 — that’s 93.5p per can.
It’s small savings, but they add up — especially during winter, when beans on toast is basically medicine.
Why we love it: If you ask us, beans should be a mainstay in every British cupboard — especially for all of those cold, hungover Christmas mornings — and everyone knows it has to be Heinz.
While 12 cans is certainly… enough, it’s not so many that you’ll struggle to store them, and at just 66p a can, it’s value that supermarkets can’t compete with.
Finish Dishwasher Tablets x 146, £51 £17.99
Finish Ultimate Plus Infinity Shine Dishwasher Tablets x 146, £51 £17.99 from Amazon
What’s the deal? Don’t be fooled by the 65% saving — these Finish dishwasher tablets have only very rarely been sold for their claimed £51 price.
However, that doesn’t mean this isn’t a good deal; this is the lowest price we’ve seen this bulk buy at on Amazon.
And if you compare to other supermarkets, it gets even better: Ocado sells 105 of these tablets for £19 (and that’s half price!), meaning that getting 146 of them for £18 is a bargain.
Why we love it: These tablets have near-perfect reviews on Amazon, garnering a 4.8/5 rating from customer feedback.
One reviewer said that Finish Ultimate Plus Infinity Shine “cleans thoroughly every time”, while another wrote: “Excellent results in our dishwasher, no streaks or debris left on plates or cutlery.”
Lavazza Qualità Rossa Ground Coffee (1 kg), £25 £13.99
Lavazza Qualità Rossa Ground Coffee (1 kg), £25 £13.99 from Amazon
What’s the deal? According to Amazon price tracker CamelCamelCamel, this multipack of Italian coffee has steadily been offered at around £17 for the last year or so, so it’s great to see it slashed to £13.99 for Black Friday.
The pack contains four 250g bags of coffee, working out at just £3.49 each. At Tesco, a single 250g bag goes for £6.25 — that’s a 44% discount.
Why we love it: This coffee is a popular purchase on the Sun Shopping team — it has a rich but not overwhelming 5/10 intensity rating, and works with a French press, moka pot and filter machine.
Amazon customers seem to agree: one reviewer called it “hands down one of the best ground coffees”, while another said that it’s a “premium, reliable, and delicious coffee that delivers an authentic Italian experience at home”.
Gourmet Perle Chef’s Collection Wet Cat Food 40 x 85g, £22.23 £11.68
Gourmet Perle Chef’s Collection Wet Cat Food 40 x 85g, £22.23 £11.68 from Amazon
What’s the deal? This multipack of highly-rated cat food usually sits somewhere around the £15.50 mark, but we’ve never seen it dip below £13, never mind £12.
The same multipack costs £15.50 at Tesco, even with a clubcard.
Why we love it: We’ve not personally tasted it, but famously fussy cats love it, according to Amazon reviews.
One said: “My cats all love the flavours, particularly the fish ones, and unlike with other foods, they’re actually eating the meaty chunks rather than just licking the gravy. That alone is a win!”
Pet food is an especially good buy during sales periods — if you’ve got the space, check out this mega 120 pack of Felix cat food, which has been slashed to half price.
Huggies Pure Plastic Free Baby Wipes (Pack of 12), £12 £7.59
Huggies Pure Plastic Free Baby Wipes (Pack of 12), £12 £7.59 from Amazon
What’s the deal? This multipack of baby wipes, which contains a massive 576 wipes, actually does retail for £12 most of the time — so this 37% price slash is as good as it looks.
Why we love it: Any new parent will tell you there’s barely anything MORE essential than baby wipes, and in the quantities they’re used, it’s always worth stocking up.
If you’re a brand loyalist, you might also be interested in this 32% discount on a bulk-buy of WaterWipes Sensitive+.
Cushelle Simply Soft Toilet Roll x 45, £18.95 £10.59
Cushelle Simply Soft Toilet Roll x 45, £18.95 £10.59 from Amazon
What’s the deal? At £10.59, this mega-pack of Cushelle toilet roll works out at just 23.5p each — their lowest price ever.
Why we love it: Let’s face it — products don’t get any more essential than toilet roll.
Now’s a great time to stock up, especially if you’ve got family coming over for the Christmas period, and reviewers rave about this Cushelle’s “excellent, gentle, cushiony feel”.
