The Ultimate Checklist for Black Friday/Cyber Monday Shopping

With Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday rapidly approaching, it is time to start planning out your shopping strategy. 

Knowing what you want to buy and what stores you want to buy from is important to get the most out of these shopping days. Especially considering it takes an average discount of 58% to get Americans out and about on Black Friday. 

Before you head to the store or bust out your credit card, review the following checklist to help you figure out what you need and the best time to purchase it.

TVs 

Major retailers like Best Buy are known for the Black Friday deals on televisions. You could snag a 70” Samsung 4K Crystal UHD Smart TV for only $599.99 or a 70” LG NanoCell 4K TV for $749.99. 

They have some store-wide sales that extend from Cyber Monday into a full, week-long sales extravaganza called Cyber Week, where you can snag TVs of all sizes for hundreds of dollars off retail price.

Gaming Consoles and Accessories

With the recent introduction of the PS5, the Xbox Series X, and the upgraded Nintendo Switch, expect to find huge Black Friday deals on last-gen controllers, headsets, and games. However, because these consoles are so new, it is unlikely you’ll find huge savings on the consoles themselves. 

U.S. retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and Gamestop typically offer cheap games and accessories on Black Friday, with discounts up to 80% off at some stores. Online retailers like Amazon and Microsoft are expected to have Cyber Monday sales for older gaming consoles, PC games, and gaming accessories.

Tech Accessories and Smart Home Devices

Cyber Monday is the best time to shop for deals on tech items such as Beats Headphones, chargers, iPads, or smart home devices like Alexa. 

Cyber Monday is also a great time to find amazing deals on laptops. For example, this year Best Buy is offering the Lenovo IdeaPad L340 15 Gaming Laptop for only $420, while Amazon is offering the 13” 2020 Apple MacBook Pro for $1,699. 

Expect to find great discounts on older generations of laptops, smart home devices, and tech items as well.

Cell Phones 

You can’t go wrong with purchasing a cell phone on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, as both days have sales catered to phones. This year has seen new models like the iPhone 13, the Google Pixel 6, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, which means their last-gen models are ready to go on sale. 

A common theme for Black Friday and Cyber Monday cell phone sales is gift card promotions. For example, you could purchase a new iPhone 13 and receive a gift card that can be applied to purchase a different phone or plan.

Toys and Games

If you’re a parent, obtaining the latest toys on your child’s wish list is a significant motivator for Black Friday, which tends to be the more prevalent day for these deals.

Major players for deals on toys and games are Amazon, Target, Kohl’s, and Kmart, many of which offer BOGO deals for eligible toys or discounts between 40 and 50% off. 

Look out for deals on Legos and Star Wars items, as well as popular toys like hoverboards and kick scooters.

Clothing and Jewelry

When it comes to deals on clothing or fine jewelry, you’ll find the best sales in-store on Black Friday. 

If you have a specific item in mind or certain sizes to contend with, Cyber Monday clothing sales from stores with online shopping portals are often between 30 to 50% off your entire cart.

Online Subscriptions 

Many people don’t think about subscription services going on sale, but Cyber Monday is full of great deals on online courses, apps, and annual subscriptions. 

Hulu is offering a Cyber Monday deal this year, which allows customers to enjoy a year of TV for only $1.99 a month. 

If you have a friend or family member who loves to learn new things, consider purchasing a yearly subscription to CuriosityStream for 25% off. You could also learn something new yourself this year with a Masterclass BOGO Cyber Monday offer, enjoy 50% off a year of Blinkist premium, or 60% off the language learning app Babbel.

The Takeaway

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are great opportunities to save major bucks on your holiday shopping. 

For big-ticket items like TVs or major appliances, you’ll want to keep an eye out for Black Friday deals. Smaller tech items, clothing, and online subscriptions to apps or streaming services are best purchased on Cyber Monday.

Related: Ten Inexpensive Ways to Give Thanks