Cost of living: 'We've got a spreadsheet to plan Christmas spending'

Retailers across the country hope to lure in as much trade as possible with their Black Friday deals. But is the rising cost of living affecting spending plans among shoppers at Braintree Village, in Essex, one of the UK's discount outlet centres?

Gemma Clark has come to Braintree from the nearby village of Takeley to shop for Christmas presents.

"I'm at a bit of a loss for my parents-in-law," she says. "So I have been to Kate Spade for my mother-in-law and then Crew Clothing for my father-in-law.

"I got an absolute bargain on both - I think I easily saved £20 in Kate Spade and then about £15 in Crew Clothing.

"That's massive when you're trying to buy a big present such as the loungewear for my father-in-law - he does a lot of lounging - so getting £15 off is a bargain."

The 39-year-old says it is "100%" important to her to try to seek out bargains amid the rising cost of living.

"I think everybody is working a bit harder to save - I know we certainly are this year.

"We've spreadsheeted it - I know that sounds a bit sad, but we have done a spreadsheet this year because we are trying to be really careful and we have trimmed down the amount we would normally spend."

Matt Brian, a technology journalist, has come from Southend to shop.

Are there bargains to be found?

"There are, I think," the 39-year-old says. "I went to Nike and have got some stuff for the kids for Christmas.

"But as somebody who works in technology, I also see a lot of Black Friday deals so yes, I think they exist, you just have to know where to look for them."

He says he would always buy electronic items online or try to get a local shop to match an online price.

The recommended retail price of the item he has bought at Nike was £230 and he walked away with it for just under £80.

"I think that's a good deal," he says.

But he is not planning to scale back his spending this Christmas.

"We've got soon-to-be teenage kids so they are now going from the kids to the adult sizes and you have to pay the adult prices," he says.

"We are doing more at home to save money with the fuel bills and not using the heating as much but, when it comes to treating ourselves, I think we will blow out for the kids and ourselves."

Pam Brown, 75, has come to Braintree Village from Castle Hedingham to shop with daughter Sue Godsmark, 57, from Steeple Bumpstead.

Mrs Brown says she does not believe Black Friday offered better deals than any other time of year.

"I think they put the prices up during the year and then knock them down - I've been around long enough to notice what is going on."

Her daughter disagrees.

"I think there are bargains," Mrs Godsmark says.

The pair are Christmas shopping for a range of presents from fragrances to sportswear.

Is the cost of living crisis affecting their spending plans?

"No, it is not," says Mrs Brown, "because it is Christmas."

"We are still doing the same as we've done every year," says Mrs Godsmark. "I was actually quite organised this year and started shopping at the beginning of November.

"That's not like me as I'm normally a Christmas Eve shopper."

Julie Watson and Andrew Durrant travelled from Felixstowe on the Suffolk coast.

Mr Durrant, 50, says he thinks Black Friday offers bargains only "occasionally".

"We've come here anyway because we know that stuff is normally cheaper but I do think that we have got quite a bargain today," says Ms Watson, 44.

"We've got some pyjamas and clothing items, some edible things and some Christmassy bits in there.

"Yes, we've done well. We've definitely saved money."

The couple have managed to buy one present they found reduced from £54 down to £19.

Cost of living has been a factor in this year's spending plans.

"We have set a budget this year for the children, which we try to stick to," says Ms Watson. "Obviously, if we can make savings then that's even better and we can have a little bit more money."

Mother and daughter Michelle Smith and Hayley Marchant, 55, from Rayleigh, Essex, are also among the shoppers.

Ms Smith, 71, has bought some sweets but is suspicious about Black Friday.

"I think you should only buy what you need," she says. "Don't get sucked in to believing something is a good deal because you might not actually want it."

"This is like a traditional family shopping day for us," says Ms Marchant. "We come every year.

"But I think I'm spending a little less this year, just budgeting a bit more.

"I've not got a set amount but I am definitely going to cap it when I think that's enough because there are other things to pay for."

Braintree Village has 85 stores with 80 retailers currently trading (some, such as Adidas, are having their shops refitted).

"We are expecting a lot of people to come on Black Friday," says Josef O'Sullivan, centre director.

On a typical week day, Braintree Village gets between 8,000 and 9,000 shoppers. On Black Friday, the centre was expecting more than 11,000.

"There is pent-up demand from people wanting to go out and get a bargain," he says.

"I would confidently say there are bargains to be had.

"People are spending wisely I would say. People have started spending earlier.

"From October half-term they were spending a lot more then to prepare for the cost of living crisis that everybody is facing this Christmas."

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