Black Friday may look different for everyone this year, but that doesn’t mean the deals will be non-existent. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the big shopping day this year.

Every year for years now my mom and I have gone out shopping on Black Friday. Before my grandma passed away, she always went with us, too.

We would get up at 4 am, start shopping, stop for breakfast and coffee, shop some more, grab lunch, and shop some more. Sometimes we didn’t get home until late in the afternoon!

It’s the only shopping day I look forward to all year. Even if we didn’t find much, it was just the time spent together. All the laughs and such fun memories.

However, this year Black Friday shopping is going to look a lot different. We still have no idea what we’re doing yet. We may just end up on my mom’s couch with our laptops and coffees shopping online at 5 am.

Regardless of how Black Friday shopping looks for you this year, here’s everything you need to know about the big day (or days I should say).

And if you have no idea what’s on your Christmas list this year, maybe my gift guides can help spark some ideas!

Everything You Need to Know About Black Friday 2020

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Black Friday falls on November 27 this year, but it’s not going to be what you’re used to. Many stores have already started sales ahead of the day with most of them being online.

Early Sales and Deals Online

Retailers aren’t encouraging people to flock to their stores this year. Instead, sales are starting early, with the best deals online.

A lot of stores, such as Walmart, Target, and Best Buy have sales going on the entire month of November. (Read more about their sales schedules here.) Most stores will expand their sales into the weekend up to Cyber Monday. Doorbuster sales may be for only a limited time, though.

Benefits to early online sales include:

• Avoiding crowded areas
• No long lines
• Better deals can be found online
• You have a better chance of grabbing what you want

Tips for Black Friday Online Shopping in 2020

We already know shopping will be different for us, but how do we shop this year? Follow these tips so you can grab the best deals and save money while staying safe.

• Prepare

Sign up for the email lists from your favorite retailers. Once you start receiving their emails, you’ll get access to their upcoming sales, coupons, and promo codes.

• Research

Shopping online is the best way to compare prices with other retailers. Also, research reviews before you make a purchase to make sure you’re getting the best product for the best deal.

Unfortunately, some sites use bots to make reviews for them or they are paying people to leave reviews. These reviews are often deceptive. Use Fakespot to cut through all the bull and see reliable reviews from real people.

• Keep ads in one place

There are a lot of sites online that have all the Black Friday ads. My favorites are BestBlackFriday.com and DealsPlus.

• Shop early

Keep in mind that these sales are only for a limited time, so act fast to get the best deal. Just because it’s online doesn’t mean it won’t sell out. Shopping early will also guarantee that your items get to their destination on time.

• Look for promo codes

Search for promo codes and free shipping deals to help you save even more. A lot of retailers offer free shipping during the holidays and promo codes on non-sale items. Some stores offer different ways to save. For instance, Kohl’s offers $15 in Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent and Old Navy offers $10 Super Cash when you spend $25.

Most stores are offering free curbside pickup so you don’t have to pay shipping fees. Take advantage of those if you are close by.

Honey is an easy way to find promo codes and the best deals. You can add it as a Chrome extension and it will automatically show you if you have the best deal when shopping online. You can also see price history as well as be notified when the price drops on an item you want. I use Honey every time I’m shopping to save money and make sure I’m getting the best deal.

Sign up for Honey here.

• Sign up for loyalty programs

Check to see if your favorite retails have loyalty programs and sign up if they do. For example, with Kohl’s Rewards, you get 5% Kohl’s Rewards on every purchase you make. Once your rewards reach $5, you receive a $5 Kohl’s Cash certificate.

Other stores with loyalty programs are CVS, Kirkland’s, JCPenney, Target, and Macy’s.

• Stick to your budget

It’s easy to get carried away with all the fantastic deals and overspend. Decide your shopping budget ahead of time and stick to it. Try your best to resist impulse buying, especially if you’re not sure if it’s a good deal or not.

• Check store policies

Before you start checking out, check the store policies for returns and price-matching. Target is extending its price-matching guarantee on items advertised as “Black Friday deals” from November 1 – December 24. If you find a cheaper price of an item you purchased at Target either in the store or online, they’ll refund the difference.

• Use apps

Use apps to take advantage of getting cash back for purchases and finding the best deals. These apps are the best apps for saving money:

Rakuten: With Rakuten, you can see instant discounts as well as get cash back for purchases. Sign up here.

Flipp: Flipp collects flyers and coupons from hundreds of retailers and lets you upload personalized shopping lists. You can earn points or rebates when you upload your loyalty retail cards, too. Sign up here.

ShopSavvy: ShopSavvy is a QR code and barcode scanner that allows you to compare deals at different stores easily when shopping in person. This is great for helping you save money on items while you’re out! Sign up here.

• Use discounted gift cards

You can find discounted gift cards on sites like Gift Card Granny, Raise, and GiftCards.com to use while doing your holiday shopping. Bonus – if you get a gift card for Christmas that you don’t want, sell it on their website!

• Bookmark product pages

Be sure to bookmark the pages with items you’ve had your eye on. As soon as the sale begins, head to the bookmarked page with just one click.

• Clear your cookies and shop incognito

Retailers use “dynamic pricing” on consumers who frequent their websites. “Dynamic pricing” is when retailers sell the same product for different prices to different groups of people. (Pricing is based on market ebbs and flows.) Unfortunately, you could be getting punished as being a loyal consumer.

Clear your cookies and open an incognito window when you shop. That way retailers will think you’re a first-time buyer and offer you better prices.

• Sign up for a free Amazon Prime trial

On November 20, sign up for a free 30-day trial to Amazon Prime. Then take advantage of Lightning Deals that are only available to Prime members. These deals are only available for a limited time or until they sell out. As a Prime member, you can take advantage of the free 2-day shipping before Christmas. After the 30 days are up you can cancel and owe nothing!

Sign up for a 30-day free Amazon Prime trial here.

Top Stores to Shop

Below is a list of the top stores to shop at on Black Friday. Beside them I’ve listed the best products to buy at the deepest discounts.

Target: Beats, Graco, pajamas, holiday décor

Walmart: toys, pajamas, TVs

Kohl’s: small kitchen appliances, gaming consoles, FitBit, towels

Amazon: TVs, Alexa devices, toys,

Best Buy: Apple, laptops, printers, TVs

Macy’s: small kitchen appliances, glassware, throws, KitchenAid

JCPenney: Cuisinart, bath towels, Pyrex, cookware sets, small kitchen appliances, diamond jewelry

Ulta: Prestige Brands, beauty gift boxes, The Body Shop, fragrance sampler sets

Bath & Body Works: Wallflowers, 3-wick candles, hand soaps, body lotion

Top Black Friday Products

Below is a list of the top products to look out for on Black Friday and the stores to shop for the best deals.

Air Pods – Target, Best Buy, Rakuten

KitchenAid – Target, Kohl’s, Macy’s

Vacuums (Roomba, Shark, Dyson) – Macy’s, Kohl’s, Walmart

Apple Watch: Walmart, Target, Amazon

Apple iPad: Staples, Target, Amazon

Air Fryer – Walmart, Kohl’s, Macy’s

Lego – Walmart, Costco, Kohl’s

Xbox – Target, Walmart, Amazon

Instant Pot – Kohl’s, Target, Walmart

Laptops & Chromebooks – Best Buy, Amazon

Keurig – Walmart, Kohl’s, Target

Printers – Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon

Keep in mind that Black Friday deals aren’t the only deals to shop during the holiday season. There’s also Cyber Monday. And don’t forget to take advantage of Free Shipping Day, which is Monday, December 14. Online retailers offer free shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve.

What are your favorite Black Friday shopping tips, either online or in-store?