Stick to a budget and avoid the scams this festive season

​Whether you're excited for Black Friday and Cyber Monday or just trying to avoid going into any shops - you have to admit it's hard to escape the emails and adverts promoting the sale of cheap, tempting items. 

So what can shoppers do to ensure they don't overspend this year and end up with a load of unwanted things?

It's important to ensure items purchased during Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the festive sales are budgeted for to ensure you are financially secure going into the new year. 

That's the advice from a consumer advisor at the Office for Fair Trading. 

Harry Brereton says comparing prices ahead of making purchases is key:

Meanwhile, Sam Hudson, a junior cyber security analyst at the Cyber Security Centre, says we're approaching the peak time for things like scams and so there is a lot to be aware of to keep safe: