My first Black Friday: I spent $800, it filled 3 boxes when I carried it. My second one, I tried to develop a strategy but still fell apart: $200, and still unnecessary stuff. My third one, I spent $95 and only bought what I was looking for. What changed?
What changed was learning not to make rushed decisions. I think it is worth sharing.
Why Black Friday Can Be a Big Trap
It is a campaign designed for American consumer culture. "Limited stock", "valid for 24 hours", "today only". These bypass your decision-making process. And they work.
People generally make two types of mistakes on Black Friday:
- Thinking something is "on sale" without checking the price: Some products get their prices raised 2 weeks before Black Friday and then shown as "discounted." Real? In some categories yes, in others no.
- Buying something you do not need: Saying "how can I not buy it at this price" is not a real decision. A couch you would not buy at $400 is also not necessary at $280.
Which Categories Have Real Discounts?
Based on my experience and research, the most reliable discount categories:
- Televisions: Black Friday's strongest category. Brand-name TVs actually drop to low prices. For anyone wanting a 55-65 inch 4K TV, this is the best time of the year.
- Laptops and computers: Serious price drops at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, especially on previous generation models
- Robot vacuums: iRobot and Roborock models get noticeable discounts on Black Friday almost every year
- Air fryers and kitchen appliances: Ninja, Instant Pot and similar brands get consistent discounts at Walmart and Target
- Gaming console accessories: The console itself rarely drops, but controllers, headsets, and game prices do go down
Alternative source: Besides Amazon and Best Buy, daily deal sites like UntilGone also put out interesting products during the Black Friday period. Different products every day, limited stock. For refurbished electronics and home products, sometimes there are serious price advantages. The downside: products change constantly and return options may be limited on some items. But it is worth comparing prices.
UntilGone: See Today's Deals →
- Clothing: Even if it says "70% off", what is the base price? Very often fake discounts
- Toys: Popular toys sell out before stock runs out, what remains is not that popular
- Small electrical appliances (blenders etc.): Lower quality models are the ones being sold. Check the brand and model
- Cheap products in general: Buying something that normally costs $9 for $6 is not saving you serious money
Strategy: Start 3 Weeks Before
Do not walk into a store on Black Friday and make your list then. Start the list-making 3 weeks before:
- Identify the products you want to buy. Not "I want something like this" but "I want this specific model"
- Record the current price. On Amazon, use the CamelCamelCamel tool. It shows the price history of a product. Is the Black Friday "discount" real or fake? You will see.
- Set up alerts. Did the Amazon price drop to what you want? It can send you a notification. Other retailers have similar tools too.
Cyber Monday Exists Too
If you miss Black Friday, there is Cyber Monday (usually 3 days after Black Friday, on Monday). In electronics and online shopping categories, sometimes better deals come up than Black Friday. No need to rush.
Online or In-Store?
My first year I went to the store. Lines, crowds, sold-out stock. Now I do it entirely online. Amazon, Walmart.com, Target.com, BestBuy.com. The same product is usually the same price, and it comes to your house.
The one exception: store-exclusive products. Some retailers put out extremely low-priced, very low-stock items called "doorbusters" only at physical stores. In this category, going to the store makes sense, but you will be waiting in line early in the morning.
Know Your Purpose: Gifts or For Yourself?
Black Friday is great for gift shopping. If you are buying in December, Amazon has a "gift wrap" option. Return rights are also usually extended until January. When you combine these two advantages, you can adjust your Black Friday gift purchases later without regret.
If you are buying for yourself: the question "do I actually need this?" is critical. "The price was low" is not a sufficient reason.
My Final Word
Black Friday pulls a big portion of Americans into a yearly rhythm. I know people who start planning "what am I buying this time" from October. Coming from Turkey, it takes time to understand this culture. You do not have to participate. But if you are going to participate, doing it consciously can save you quite a lot of money.
On my third Black Friday where I spent $95, I got exactly the two products I was looking for, at lower prices than I expected. And I walked out without throwing anything into the cart with "how can I not buy this at this price." That feeling is genuinely satisfying.
