The countdown to the holidays is on, and between the gifts, the gatherings, and travel, each person's expected to spend $1,552. That's according to *** survey from PWC. That sounds steep, but it's 5% less than last year, driven largely by cost conscious Gen Zers looking to cut back on spending. Bottom line, if you can, start budgeting now. Set up *** holiday fund and automate your savings, even if it's only $25 to $50 *** week. That'll add up to *** $100 by November. For another budget boost, turn clutter into cash by selling clothes, electronics, or kids' toys. Once you've done all that, make your budget and stick to it. Write down every expense, gifts, food, travel, even wrapping paper. Start your shopping early and spread it out. Many retailers start rolling out holiday sales as early as October, allowing for more wiggle room in your budget. Start there and then take advantage of sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For additional savings, join store loyalty programs, sign up for newsletters and deal alerts, and make sure to check your credit card for cashback offers. Reporting in Washington, I'm Amy Lowe.
Black Friday 2025 predictions and what we know so far
It's never too early to have a shopping plan together.
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Updated: 11:59 AM CDT Oct 31, 2025
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Sound the alarm: Black Friday is less than one month away. Instead of prepping for an early-morning mall run the day after Thanksgiving, you can cozy up on your couch and shop for online deals. You don't have to wait until late November, though, because discounts are already popping up across the web. If you're overwhelmed, don't fret: Our shopping editors and product testers—who've covered Black Friday for years—are here to help guide your way through the sales event.SHOP EARLY BLACK FRIDAY DEALSHere at the Good Housekeeping Institute, our Lab pros have been testing products for decades, and our commerce editors have reported on Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for almost a decade. Plus, our meticulous deal-checking process helps us find the best sales that are worth spending your hard-earned money on so that you can avoid mediocre, insignificant sales.When is Black Friday?Black Friday falls on November 28, 2025—the day after Thanksgiving. Cyber Monday falls on December 1, after the weekend.Shoppers can enjoy major savings on Black Friday, and many brands will extend their online sales through Cyber Monday (we often see deals extending well into the week following).Is it worth waiting until Black Friday to shop?Generally, the greatest savings will happen between November 28 to December 1. However, early deals often start going live at the end of October. While early sales will typically not be as steep as those on Black Friday itself, they give you a bit more time to order, receive, and wrap your holiday gifts, all while enjoying some discounts and savings.Some stores even offer price protection, meaning you could get a refund of the difference in prices if the sale is deeper on Black Friday—but this varies from store to store, so it's best to check the brand's refund and price protection policies.Are there any early Black Friday deals worth shopping?There are some great savings already happening, and even more retailers will be kicking off their sales events early. Here's what to know: Amazon hasn't announced specific dates around its Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale events yet, but the brand is pointing shoppers in the direction of the Holiday Shop and Amazon's Deals page for "early" sales.Walmart recently announced its Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale events: Event 1 from November 14-16, Event 2 from November 25-30, and Event 3 on December 1. Target will be kicking off its Deal of the Day event on November 1, and it'll be running through December 24 with savings up to 50%, per the brand. Deal of the Day events are exclusive to Target Circle shoppers, which is free to join. However, the brand's early Black Friday sale will run from November 6-8.Ulta is releasing new early discounts every week now through November 22 at up to 40% off.Yeti is currently offering 20% off holiday gift sets.Macy's is currently advertising over 500 early Black Friday deals on clothing, kitchen, and more.Best Buy's Black Friday sale will start on November 20, according to the brand—but starting on October 31, shoppers will be able to score discounted "DoorBooster" sales.Nordstrom is already offering discounts on over 280 products across various categories ahead of Black Friday. What are Black Friday store hours?After a few years of stores opening on Thanksgiving for early Black Friday shopping, companies have gone back to the traditional standard of waiting until the early hours of Friday morning to open. Of course, hours vary from location to location—but if you're hoping to score major savings in stores on Black Friday, here are some general opening times based on previous years.Best Buy: 6 a.m.Costco: 9 a.m. Home Depot: 6 a.m.HomeGoods: 7 a.m. Lowe's: 6 a.m.Marshalls: 7 a.m.Target: 6 a.m.TJ Maxx: 7 a.m.Walmart: 6 a.m. Before heading to a store, it's best to call ahead to check for open and closing times, as these vary by location. And remember, many companies will have online discounts for Cyber Monday or the entire weekend, so check brands' websites if it looks like physical stores will be closed. Is it better to shop online or in person on Black Friday?The savings tend to be comparable in-store and online, especially with more online retailers offering limited time discounts to compete with traditional brick-and-mortar doorbuster sales. So whether you want to browse through online retailers or walk down the aisles of your local mall is entirely up to you. Of course, the benefit to shopping in-store is that you get your item in hand immediately and there are no surprises; what you see is what you get without the concern of shipping delays or misleading imagery/sizing.Shopping online is more convenient in that you can avoid crowds and travel (and even getting dressed). Plus, some retailers offer online-only exclusives, discounts, and even products that aren’t available in-store. It really comes down to whatever you prefer—there are deals to be had everywhere, but we recommend shopping earlier than later to avoid stock and inventory issues.Should I wait for Cyber Monday or shop on Black Friday?Year after year, we see that deals are similar on both Cyber Monday and Black Friday—so if you see an item you've been eyeing go on sale on Black Friday, we say it's better to buy early in the (sometimes likely) event it goes out of stock. The difference in savings between Cyber Monday and Black Friday will likely be sub 10%—and in most cases, you can hang onto your receipt and ask for a price adjustment if the item goes on sale within a week of purchase anyway. How much money can I expect to save on Black Friday?We're monitoring sales on our experts' favorite vacuums, best mattresses, top-performing AirPods, kids' toys, and more—we are expecting discounts from 30-70% off based on past deals events and insider knowledge on what's to come.
Sound the alarm: Black Friday is less than one month away. Instead of prepping for an early-morning mall run the day after Thanksgiving, you can cozy up on your couch and shop for online deals. You don't have to wait until late November, though, because discounts are already popping up across the web. If you're overwhelmed, don't fret: Our shopping editors and product testers—who've covered Black Friday for years—are here to help guide your way through the sales event.
Here at the , our Lab pros have been testing products for decades, and our commerce editors have reported on Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for almost a decade. Plus, helps us find the best sales that are worth spending your hard-earned money on so that you can avoid mediocre, insignificant sales.
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday falls on November 28, 2025—the day after Thanksgiving. Cyber Monday falls on December 1, after the weekend.
Shoppers can enjoy major savings on Black Friday, and many brands will extend their online sales through Cyber Monday (we often see deals extending well into the week following).
Is it worth waiting until Black Friday to shop?
Generally, the greatest savings will happen between November 28 to December 1. However, early deals often start going live at the end of October. While early sales will typically not be as steep as those on Black Friday itself, they give you a bit more time to order, receive, and wrap your holiday gifts, all while enjoying some discounts and savings.
Some stores even offer price protection, meaning you could get a refund of the difference in prices if the sale is deeper on Black Friday—but this varies from store to store, so it's best to check the brand's refund and price protection policies.
Are there any early Black Friday deals worth shopping?
There are some great savings already happening, and even more retailers will be kicking off their sales events early. Here's what to know:
- Amazon hasn't announced specific dates around its yet, but the brand is pointing shoppers in the direction of the and page for "early" sales.
- Walmart its Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale events: Event 1 from November 14-16, Event 2 from November 25-30, and Event 3 on December 1.
- Target will be kicking off its Deal of the Day event on November 1, and it'll be running through December 24 with savings up to 50%, per the brand. Deal of the Day events are exclusive to Target Circle shoppers, which is free to join. However, the brand's will run from November 6-8.
- Ulta is releasing now through November 22 at up to 40% off.
- Yeti is currently offering .
- Macy's is currently advertising on clothing, kitchen, and more.
- Best Buy's will start on November 20, according to the brand—but starting on October 31, shoppers will be able to score .
- Nordstrom is already offering across various categories ahead of Black Friday.
What are Black Friday store hours?
After a few years of stores opening on Thanksgiving for early Black Friday shopping, companies have gone back to the traditional standard of waiting until the early hours of Friday morning to open.
Of course, hours vary from location to location—but if you're hoping to score major savings in stores on Black Friday, here are some general opening times based on previous years.
- : 6 a.m.
- : 9 a.m.
- : 6 a.m.
- : 7 a.m.
- : 6 a.m.
- : 7 a.m.
- : 6 a.m.
- : 7 a.m.
- : 6 a.m.
Before heading to a store, it's best to call ahead to check for open and closing times, as these vary by location. And remember, many companies will have online discounts for Cyber Monday or the entire weekend, so check brands' websites if it looks like physical stores will be closed.
Is it better to shop online or in person on Black Friday?
The savings tend to be comparable in-store and online, especially with more online retailers offering limited time discounts to compete with traditional brick-and-mortar doorbuster sales. So whether you want to browse through online retailers or walk down the aisles of your local mall is entirely up to you.
Of course, the benefit to shopping in-store is that you get your item in hand immediately and there are no surprises; what you see is what you get without the concern of shipping delays or misleading imagery/sizing.
Shopping online is more convenient in that you can avoid crowds and travel (and even getting dressed). Plus, some retailers offer online-only exclusives, discounts, and even products that aren’t available in-store. It really comes down to whatever you prefer—there are deals to be had everywhere, but we recommend shopping earlier than later to avoid stock and inventory issues.
Should I wait for Cyber Monday or shop on Black Friday?
Year after year, we see that deals are similar on both Cyber Monday and Black Friday—so if you see an item you've been eyeing go on sale on Black Friday, we say it's better to buy early in the (sometimes likely) event it goes out of stock.
The difference in savings between Cyber Monday and Black Friday will likely be sub 10%—and in most cases, you can hang onto your receipt and ask for a price adjustment if the item goes on sale within a week of purchase anyway.
How much money can I expect to save on Black Friday?
We're monitoring sales on , , , and more—we are expecting discounts from 30-70% off based on past deals events and insider knowledge on what's to come.
