Key dates
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. Black Friday is November 27, Small Business Saturday is November 28, and Cyber Monday is November 30. Many retailers keep 'Cyber Week' sales running through Friday, December 4. Increasingly, early deals start in the first week of November, so the 'week' is really closer to a month.
Is waiting for Cyber Monday worth it?
For electronics, the best prices often appear on Black Friday itself and then reappear on Cyber Monday. Clothing and smaller online-only brands tend to push their biggest discounts on Monday. If something you want hits a price you're happy with, buy it; you can usually return it during extended holiday return windows if it drops further.
How to spot a real deal
Check the price history with a tracker before buying. Watch for 'was' prices that were only charged briefly. Compare the final price including tax and shipping. And remember that stacked discounts multiply: 30% off plus an extra 20% is 44% off, not 50%.
My simple plan
Write a list of what you actually need, with a target price for each. Set price alerts now. On the day, buy only from your list and stop when you hit your budget. I also keep a 'not now' list for impulse ideas and revisit it in January, when half of it doesn't seem so important.
Related
See Black Friday 2026, Cyber Monday 2026 and business days until Christmas for shipping deadlines.