Don’t buy new tech this Black Friday: expert tips for buying refurbished phones and laptops

Tech is on its last legs? Refurbished can be the cheaper, greener option. Here’s how to choose well and avoid the pitfalls

• How to shop smart this Black Friday
• How to make your phone last longer

Even if you do your best to avoid it, it’s hard to escape the noise of retailers offering implausible-seeming Black Friday discounts on desirable technology. What they won’t be so keen to highlight is the huge environmental cost that comes from feeding the capitalist beast year on year, given what an obvious sales vibe-killer it would be.

While the best approach for the planet is to opt out completely and observe the alternate holiday of Buy Nothing Day instead, such an approach can prove self-defeating to your finances in the long term. If you shop smart on Black Friday and avoid the lure of impulse buys, it’s a good time to stock up on the things you need, at lower prices than at the rest of the year.