6 Black Friday Tips to Get the Best Deals
- Approach Black Friday strategically for maximum savings and minimum hassle.
- Make a shopping list and a budget so you know what you want to buy and how much you can afford to spend.
- Set price alerts, use social media, and sign up for the email newsletters of your favorite brands.
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Year-round holiday preparation is the name of the game. Strategize early to minimize costs, avoid debt, and maximize the fun.
Turkey and pumpkin pie might be the most popular Thanksgiving traditions, but shopping for Black Friday deals is a close second. In 2024, about 81 million people shopped in stores on Black Friday, and another 87 million shopped online.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are a great opportunity to save on holiday gifts, appliances, electronics, and much more. So if you’re planning any big-ticket purchases, you may want to take advantage of this shopping holiday. Black Friday deals might even come early from your favorite retailers, so be ready. Use the Black Friday tips below to shop smart, get the best deals, and avoid a situation where you might be looking for debt relief.
1. Plan Ahead With a Black Friday Shopping List
Before you hit the stores on Black Friday, make a list of the must-have items you want to buy. For an even easier time, put the items you want the most at the top of your shopping list.
The sales seem endless on Black Friday, and there are discounts everywhere you look. With a list, you can stay focused on what you need and avoid the distractions of what you don’t. Once you get your must-have items, you can browse around for other deals that catch your eye. Or you can call the day a success and head home for leftovers.
2. Make a Budget and Stick to it
Review your income, expenses, and savings to figure out what you can afford to spend on Black Friday. Set a budget that will keep you out of debt so your shopping doesn’t derail your financial goals.
Once you have a budget in place, make a list of people you’re shopping for, the gifts you plan on purchasing, and an estimated cost for those items. Add up everything to see if your estimated spending is within your budget. If not, try to swap out some of your gifts for cheaper alternatives. The nice thing about setting up a budget beforehand is that you have time to make adjustments if necessary.
3. Follow Your Favorite Brands Online
Companies are known to share special Black Friday tips and deals with their customers via email and social media. To help ensure you don’t miss out on any deals, follow your favorite brands on Facebook and Instagram, and sign up for their email newsletters.
Check your inbox and social accounts in the weeks leading up to Black Friday for special in-store discounts and doorbuster deals. Many stores offer Black Friday deals before the big day, so don’t miss out on those opportunities to spend less and get more.
4. Set Price Alerts
Not all Black Friday discounts are as amazing as you might think. Retailers sometimes raise the original price just so they can make the discount look bigger. To know which deals live up to the hype, set price alerts ahead of time for the products you plan to purchase during the holiday season.
You can do this with a price-tracking app or browser extension. Here are a few options:
Keepa
ShopSavvy
CamelCamelCamel
Honey
Slickdeals
Google Shopping
By setting price alerts, you can monitor the price of an item throughout the year. Price-tracking apps are a good way to save money any time of year, but especially during the holidays. Once Black Friday rolls around, you’ll know the pre-sale cost of the items you want and how much they’ve been discounted.
5. Snag Early Bird Discounts
Many of your favorite stores will open their doors to shoppers on Thanksgiving. If you don’t mind a Thanksgiving shopping trip, check the holiday hours of the stores on your shopping list. It’s worth checking the night before, too, in case the sale prices have already kicked in.
Don’t forget about online shopping, either. Many retailers will be offering early bird discounts to online shoppers in the days leading up to Cyber Monday.
6. Prioritize Big-Ticket Items
Black Friday is usually a good time to buy the most expensive items on your wishlist. Expensive products tend to have bigger markdowns, so you can get the most bang for your buck if you buy them on sale.
If you’re looking for ideas, here are some of the best things to buy on Black Friday:
TVs
Smart home devices
Bedding
Video games and gaming consoles
Home appliances
Beauty products
Fitness equipment
Toys
7. Look for Outside-the-Box Deals
You can find more than just the traditional Black Friday items, like TVs and clothing, if you venture off the beaten path. For example, some stores offer discounts on groceries. Target, Walmart, and Amazon all ran grocery discounts on Black Friday 2024.
Subscription services may offer discounted plans. If you have a streaming service you already use, or that you want to try, find out if the provider is offering a yearly plan at a lower rate.
Gift cards are a deal opportunity not everyone knows about. Many retailers have gift card sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You could grab one for a retailer you like and use it later.
Make the Most of Black Friday Discounts
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or doing your holiday shopping on Black Friday, planning ahead makes it easier to save money. If you go with a shopping list, a budget, and knowledge of which products are truly discounted, you can score some nice deals on things you need.
Debt relief stats and trends
We looked at a sample of data from Freedom Debt Relief of people seeking a debt relief program during July 2025. The data uncovers various trends and statistics about people seeking debt help.
Credit card balances by age group for those seeking debt relief
How do credit card balances vary across different age groups? In July 2025, people seeking debt relief showed the following trends in their open credit card tradelines and average credit card balances:
Ages 18-25: Average balance of $9,117 with a monthly payment of $283
Ages 26-35: Average balance of $12,438 with a monthly payment of $366
Ages 36-50: Average balance of $15,436 with a monthly payment of $431
Ages 51-65: Average balance of $16,159 with a monthly payment of $523
Ages 65+: Average balance of $16,546 with a monthly payment of $499
These figures show that credit card debt can affect anyone, regardless of age. Managing credit card debt can be challenging, whether you're just starting out or nearing retirement.
Personal loan balances – average debt by selected states
Personal loans are one type of installment loans. Generally you borrow at a fixed rate with a fixed monthly payment.
In July 2025, 44% of the debt relief seekers had a personal loan. The average personal loan was $10,718, and the average monthly payment was $362.
Here's a quick look at the top five states by average personal loan balance.
| State | % with personal loan | Avg personal loan balance | Average personal loan original amount | Avg personal loan monthly payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 42% | $14,653 | $21,431 | $474 |
| Connecticut | 44% | $13,546 | $21,163 | $475 |
| New York | 37% | $13,499 | $20,464 | $447 |
| New Hampshire | 49% | $13,206 | $18,625 | $410 |
| Minnesota | 44% | $12,944 | $18,836 | $470 |
Personal loans are an important financial tool. You can use them for debt consolidation. You can also use them to make large purchases, do home improvements, or for other purposes.
Tackle Financial Challenges
Don’t let debt overwhelm you. Learn more about debt relief options. They can help you tackle your financial challenges. This is true whether you have high credit card balances or many tradelines. Start your path to recovery with the first step.
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Author Information
Written by
Lyle Daly
Lyle is a financial writer for Freedom Debt Relief. He also covers investing research and analysis for The Motley Fool and has contributed to Evergreen Wealth and Monarch Money.
Reviewed by
Kimberly Rotter
Kimberly Rotter is a financial counselor and consumer credit expert who helps people with average or low incomes discover how to create wealth and opportunities. She’s a veteran writer and editor who has spent more than 30 years creating thousands of hours of educational content in every possible format.
What are the best things to buy on Black Friday?
The best things to buy on Black Friday are the things that were already on your gift list. But just about everything is likely to look like an enticing, amazing deal. Avoid impulse purchases. Make a list of what you really need before you shop. If any big ticket items are on your list, like electronics, appliances, home goods, toys, bedding, or furniture, Black Friday could be the best time of year to find the steepest discount.
What's the best time to go on Black Friday?
Earlier is better for Black Friday shopping. Foot traffic is normally lowest before 6 AM at stores that are open this early. Stores get busier starting at about 8 AM, and crowds hit their peak in the afternoon. While the crowds calm down later in the day and during the evening, some deals could be sold out by then.
How long does Black Friday last?
Black Friday technically lasts one day, but the entire shopping holiday could last from four days to a week. It’s common to find special deals that last from Black Friday to Cyber Monday the following week. And more and more retailers kick off their Black Friday specials before Black Friday because they want your business before anyone else gets it. Black Friday sales could start on Thanksgiving Day or earlier, and could last for a full week after Black Friday, known as Cyber Week.