Preparing for Black Friday: Tips for The Savvy Holiday Shopper

Black Friday is no longer an all-day shopping affair. Some retailers start offering deals before Thanksgiving, and well after the feast. 

With so many sales pushed at you, it’s hard to know what’s a real sale and if something is at the lowest price it’ll ever be. A NerdWallet study found that more than half of shoppers are stressed out from holiday shopping, holding you back from getting out of debt or digging deeper into it.

WorkMoney put together an explainer that details planning for Black Friday shopping, price-checking, and safeguarding your money.

When Do Black Friday Sales Really Start?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. In 2025, Black Friday is on Nov. 28. But sales tend to start before Thanksgiving and last after, into Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. 

Previously, Black Friday used to start early in the morning, the day after Thanksgiving. However, with many shoppers turning to online retailers, the shopping holiday has gradually extended into Thanksgiving and the days leading up to it. Some retailers promote sales a few days before Thanksgiving, and others start weeks before, in late October or early November.

How to Make a Black Friday Plan

It’s easy to get caught up in the mayhem of Black Friday sales, especially as you’re scouring for deals. The NerdWallet study found that the average shopper will pay around $1,107 on gifts — up from $182 last year. 

With the expected spending increase, it’s essential to create a holiday shopping plan to avoid overspending on presents.

1. Set a realistic budget. Go through your regular budget, income, and debt to see how much money you can spend without impacting your essentials. Your budget is your North Star while holiday shopping to keep your spending in line.

2. Make a shopping list. Before the sales start, make a shopping list to know what to look for. It helps you avoid impulse shopping, which is the biggest stickler to overspending. You can also try breaking up your list into “needs” vs. “wants” so you have priorities set.

3. Do your homework. If you see a sale for an item on your shopping list, don’t buy it right away. Instead, compare the sale price you see to other retailers. It might be worth scooping up if it’s the lowest price you can find and within budget. If you can find a lower price somewhere else, skip it. If you want to use a specific retailer and find a lower price elsewhere, see if your store will offer price-matching on that item. Many shops do, but it’s up to each store to set the price-matching standards.

4. Track spending. Keep tabs on your spending, whether it’s in a spreadsheet, document, or you’re writing it down. That way, you know how much you’ve spent this season and how much you have left to go.

5. Make the most of your shopping. Use cashback websites or apps to maximize your spending. You can also use the credit card that offers the most cash back when shopping. If you do this, make sure you still stick to your budget so you don’t overspend.

Common Holiday Shopping Tricks to Avoid

Many retailers are vying for your attention — and dollars. This means you should be even more diligent with your attention during the spending season.

Trick: Inflated original prices

If you see a significant amount off the original sale price, don’t let the discount fool you — there’s a chance that the retailer boosted the original price so the discount looks bigger.

Tip: Use price history tools like CamelCamelCamel or Honey that show you the price for an item in the last few weeks or upwards of a year. Compare these prices across many retailers to determine if they are the lowest prices available.

Trick: Countdown timers

Some retailers inflict panic among shoppers when they install a countdown clock or timer. This tells shoppers you only have so much time until the “sale” price increases, triggering you to buy now or miss out.

Tip: Shop on your time. If you see a sale price with a quick end time or a countdown clock, do a quick search to see if it’s the lowest price available. Even then, there might be a time soon when the price drops again or in some cases, lower than before. 

Trick: Doorbuster deals

Doorbuster deals used to trick you into getting to a story early enough to get a great price on regularly higher-priced items, like TVs or appliances. 

Tip: Those prices aren’t necessarily good deals, especially if retailers sell lower-quality items from brands that don’t have a strong track record. Do your homework on these brands and sales before hitting the checkout line.

Skip The Holiday Debt When Shopping

Going into debt can be detrimental to your long-term budgeting and savings. According to the NerdWallet study, nearly one-third of respondents say they haven’t paid off their credit card balances from last year. With 3-in-4 shoppers planning to use credit cards for all or part of their holiday shopping this year, many folks are bound to carry that debt into the new year.

Even though credit cards are easily accessible, especially during the holiday season, remember you still owe that money. If you can, avoid using cards for shopping and use cash instead. Cash isn’t always feasible, especially when shopping online. If that’s your case, remember your budget is your guide when checking out. That keeps your spending in line, and when it comes time to make payments, you can pay off your balance in full.

The Bottom Line

Making a plan for Black Friday starts with setting a budget. Once you know how much you can spend, you can craft your gift list around that. Your budget dictates your entire holiday spending plan. You can give your loved ones intentional, affordable gifts without going into debt this holiday season.