As we begin to ease into late October, the holiday season nears ever closer, and with it the biggest shopping days — and most unbeatable sales — of the year. In many ways Black Friday 2024 has already begun, with major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Wayfair and more already dropping bundles of deals and coining the term “Black November” to describe the frenzied shopping season that’s stretched from a few days to over a month. It seems like the 2024 holiday shopping season is set to be bigger than ever before, which can seem a little overwhelming when it comes to honing in on the best Black Friday deals available.
As you being plotting out your holiday shopping, we’re here to help you devise a smart strategy to maximize your savings. Here’s how to really stretch your dollars this Black Friday, which officially kicks off on Friday, Nov. 29, and includes sales through Cyber Monday on Dec. 2.
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Do your research: Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst with DealNews.com, advises shoppers to make a list of items that they’re interested in buying, then note their current prices. That way, you’ll be able to spot a great Black Friday deal as soon as you see it. Adds Kristin McGrath, shopping expert with RetailMeNot: “The most important thing is to know exactly what you want. What specs you want in a TV or laptop and which headphones you want.” According to Kristen Gall, retail and shopping expert for Rakuten, “Consumers shouldn’t assume that just because a product is discounted that it’s the best price out there. I recommend checking for the product on one to two other retailers to compare the regular price with a potential ‘sale’ price to ensure you’re actually getting the best deal.”
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Check out holiday price guarantees: Have a few favorite retailers? “Check to see if they’re offering any kind of price match or guarantee for Black Friday,” Ramhold says. The idea is that you’ll know whether you can request that your preferred retailer match a competitor’s price during a Black Friday event, or if you’ll have to shop the competitor instead. “And if there’s a price guarantee in place, it’s good to know that if you buy something early on and it later drops in price, you’ll be able to receive a price adjustment for the difference,” Ramhold adds.
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Try to get cash back: “In addition to doing a price comparison, you can ensure you are getting the absolute best price by stacking deals to maximize savings,” Gall says. “Cash-back services like Rakuten allow you to earn cash back on top of sale prices. For extra savings, plan to apply promo codes or digital coupons, and use a rewards credit card to extra earn points or cash back.”
Amazon
When Oprah says she likes something, we know it’s gonna be good — so it’s no surprise that this wildly popular jacket (aka “The Amazon Coat) has acquired a massive fan base.
It graced the media queen’s Favorite Things list in 2019 and features a fleece-lined hood, cozy down filling and about a zillion pockets for storing small essentials. It’s also much chicer than many puffer coats, and at nearly 40% off, it’s only a few bucks more than it was during October Prime Day.
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
