Calm amidst the cart chaos: What real savings look like this Black Friday.
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
On Black Friday, millions of South Africans will wage silent battles in stores and online, hunting for discounts, deals, and the thrill of the checkout. But as the frenzy ramps up, the smartest form of saving isn’t always about scoring the lowest price. Rather, it’s about investing in technology that improves your daily life, lasts for years, and even helps reduce the mountains of electronic waste piling up globally.
Trevor Brewer, Director at consumer technology specialist Solenco, frames it simply: “We’re living in a world where some technology is cheap for a reason: it doesn’t last. For every mini-fan or handheld gadget bought, a significant portion is discarded within a year. A study shows that 62 million tons of e-waste were produced in 2022 alone. That’s enough to fill over 1.5 million 40-ton trucks and, to put that into perspective, park those trucks end-to-end and they’ll circle the equator. Hard to imagine? It’s happening.”
Brewer highlights that ‘slow-tech’ alternatives – high-quality, long-lasting appliances – aren’t just about durability. They also enhance your everyday life in subtle, meaningful ways. Take the MeacoFan Sefte 8-inch air circulator. Compact, whisper-quiet, and cordless with a replaceable battery, it delivers hours of effortless comfort wherever you need it. “It’s designed to serve you for years, if the battery life starts to shorten – you simply replace the battery and not the entire unit,” Brewer says. “And it’s about more than cooling a room. It’s about intuitively creating a space where you can relax, focus, or sleep peacefully.”
The same principle applies to lifestyle luxuries like wine. Solenco’s Life Precision Wine Cooler isn’t just about chilling a bottle, it’s about preparing moments of calm and enjoyment in everyday life. “It’s not a gimmick,” Brewer explains. “It enables a ritual you look forward to… A perfectly chilled glass of wine at the end of a long day, effortlessly ready when you are. This sense of ease, of taking a breath and enjoying the moment, is the real return on this kind of investment.”
In other words, value isn’t measured purely in Rands saved during a Black Friday sale. It’s measured in time reclaimed, experiences enhanced, and e-waste avoided. Smart, durable technology gives back something money can’t buy: convenience, and a little more joy in everyday life.
Brewer notes that innovation plays a key role. “Technology that adapts intelligently to your life doesn’t just perform a function. It frees up your time and your mind for the things that matter.”
For consumers navigating the Black Friday mayhem, Brewer’s advice is clear: “Pause before clicking ‘buy’. Ask yourself: will this make my life better in the long-term? Will it still be useful and usable next year? If the answer is ‘yes’ you’re investing in real savings. If it’s a cheap, fleeting thrill, you’re probably just spending your hard-earned money irresponsibly and adding to the e-waste problem.”
The smartest Black Friday shopping move isn’t racing against the clock or hunting down the biggest discount. It’s choosing quality over quantity, slow-tech over fast, and experiences over impulse. Because at the end of the day, the best investment is the one that keeps giving calm, comfort, and a little more breathing room in the chaos.
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