Shop the Black Friday sales like a pro

The Black Friday sales are undoubtedly the biggest sales event of the year.

What was once regarded as an American in-person tradition after the Thanksgiving holiday, the epic Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have now become a global online phenomenon where retailers dish out their biggest discounts for savvy shoppers.

Now you can snap up mega savings across the very best in tech, home, fashion, beauty, health, travel and so much more, all from the comfort of your own home.

I’ve been covering the Black Friday sales for over six years now, so I know a thing or two about how to maximise your budget and get the most out of the once-a-year sale event.

When is Black Friday?

Officially speaking, Black Friday falls on Friday November 29 but as expected, the sales are kicking off much earlier.

You can shop the mega (and early) Black Friday sales from our dedicated roundup here.

BEST BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY SHOPPING TIPS

Get in early

Don’t let the name Black Friday fool you, it’s very normal for retailers to kick off the sales earlier than the November 29 start date. The sales are normally around all month long, so you’ve got time to shop around for the best discount. If you see a killer deal, you’re going to want to jump on it now.

Know what you’re buying

You want to tackle the Black Friday sales with a plan, instead of jumping online and getting totally overwhelmed. Build your own shopping list of what you need to buy, and bonus points if you create a wishlist on your favourite online retailer site, as you’ll get notified when it goes on sale.

Don’t forget to use our comprehensive guide of the best Black Friday sales to source the very best deal for you.

Create a budget

As well as knowing what you want to buy, creating a budget will help you stay on track with your spending. Be realistic, depending on what sort of category you’re planning to shop during the sales.

Don’t hesitate

With all these epic Black Friday sales, it may seem too good to be true to see such big discounts. But really, they’re only this good at this time of year.

The calendar is full of sale events all year long, but insider tip, retailers save the biggest and best discounts for the Black Friday sales.

Have realistic expectations

Don’t go into the Black Friday sales thinking you’re going to save 70 per cent off the brand new Apple iPhone or a designer handbag – it’s just not going to happen.

From my experience, we normally see fashion and homeware brands slash prices by up to 70 per cent off and beauty brands will be discounted by up to 40 per cent off. Expect savings between 30-50 per cent off on home appliances and for tech, you can save anywhere from 5 to 20 per cent.

Stock up on Christmas presents

The Black Friday sales come in perfect timing to get a headstart on your Christmas gift shopping list. That way you can stay organised before the crazy holiday season and save your hard-earned cash at the same time.

Shop smart

More than just Christmas presents, the Black Friday sales are also a handy time to stock up on household essentials, especially if you have the space to keep year-long stock of your most-used items.

Some popular examples include bulk-buy cleaning supplies, toilet paper, soft drinks and more.

Find deals from trusted experts

Here at news.com.au checkout, we’ve got experts in women’s fashion, men’s fashion, beauty, home, tech and more. And we are tracking the sales and deals all year long, so each of our experts are able to locate the very best deals money can buy for you.

Sign up for newsletters

If you’re still waiting for your favourite brand or retailer to drop their Black Friday sale, we recommend signing up to their newsletter – you’ll get instantly notified when the sale drops, so you won’t miss out.

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