It might be hard to believe Black Friday is back again. With Thanksgiving on the horizon, it’s time to start planning for the biggest shopping period of the year.
With many shoppers planning to spend less on gifts this holiday season, deals are likely to be in higher demand than ever before, so it will pay to be prepared.
Whether you need to know when Black Friday is this year, or you’re trying to find out what kinds of deals your retailer of choice is planning to roll out this year, we've got you covered.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
When does Black Friday start?
Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving. That means Black Friday 2025 will take place on Friday, November 28, 2025.
While Black Friday itself remains a key day for deals, many retailers have stopped limiting themselves to just one day’s worth of discounts. Nowadays, plenty of stores plan massive deal periods that can begin days or even weeks in advance of Black Friday.
When does Black Friday end?
As we mentioned above, Black Friday isn’t really a one-day event anymore. Typically, sales now run over the entire Black Friday weekend and lead into Cyber Monday, the online shopping equivalent.
This means we expect Black Friday sales to finally wind down on Tuesday, December 2 ... and then the holiday sales shopping starts!
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the name given to the Friday after Thanksgiving, and it's now synonymous with pre-Christmas deals in countries all over the globe.
The first (recorded) mention of the phrase was in November 1951 in the journal Factory Management and Maintenace, where it was used to describe people taking sick leave after Thanksgiving to get a four-day weekend.
In the early 1960s, traffic-weary police in Philadelphia were using Black Friday and Black Saturday to refer to the terrible traffic that started to appear over Thanksgiving weekend.
What to expect from Black Friday 2025
The short answer to this question is: expect discounts, and a whole lot of them. If you take a look back at previous years, you’ll spot deals on sought-after kitchen gadgets like air fryers, TVs, Amazon own-brand devices, laptops and computers, gaming, toys, fashion, and practically anything else you could think of.
These days, you can also get a solid idea of the discounts to come by heading to the websites of online retailers like Amazon or big-box stores like Walmart, Best Buy and Target to find out all the information about their sales days.
Does Target have a Black Friday sale?
Target sells everything from toys to tech, and you can expect some great prices on all sorts of items in the Black Friday sales event. But also note that Target started its Black Friday deals early, with weekly deals drops all the way through to Thanksgiving weekend.
Target has also launched its own Target Black Friday landing page. At the time of writing, the page lists where to find Black Friday opening hours for your nearest store, where to sign up to see Target’s Black Friday ads and other ways you can make great savings the next time you shop.
Be sure to look into their loyalty program, Target Circle, before the big day. Sign-up is free and gets you access to exclusive deals and other perks.
And you might be able to maximize your savings even more with a Target Circle Card, which offers an extra 5% discount on qualifying items.
Does Walmart have a Black Friday sale?
Walmart is just one of many big-box stores that will be offering big discounts on Black Friday. This year, Walmart is spreading out its savings across three major events.
The first event runs November 14 through 16, both online and in stores, with Walmart+ members getting five hours of early online access on November 13 at 7 p.m. ET.
Deals Event 2 runs November 25 through 30, starting online only November 25 through 27, before expanding to both online and in stores November 28 through 30. Walmart+ members get early online access on November 24 at 7 p.m. ET.
Finally, Cyber Monday lands on December 1, and is online only, with early access for Walmart+ members beginning November 30 at 7 p.m. ET.
If you’re planning on shopping with Walmart, we’d strongly recommend signing up for Walmart Plus if you haven’t already. Along with all the normal perks it brings — free shipping with no minimum order threshold, free access to Paramount Plus, and much, much more.
Does Costco have a Black Friday sale?
If you’re planning on stocking up for the holidays at Costco, you’ll be pleased to know that the wholesale retailer has a sale planned.
If you want to plan ahead and see some of the deals that are being offered this year, check out the Costco Black Friday hub page on their website for more info.
Is Black Friday worth it?
The answer to this question is entirely dependent on whether you were planning on splashing the cash before Black Friday.
If you were looking to make a big purchase like upgrading a TV or you’re looking to do the bulk of your holiday shopping at this time of year, there’s every chance that you could make some great savings with Black Friday deals.
That being said, not all deals are created equally; sometimes, prices on certain goods will shoot up in the weeks leading up to Black Friday, meaning that the “saving” you’re getting isn’t actually as good as it looks.
To get the most out of Black Friday, we strongly suggest you plan ahead to make the most of Black Friday. Make a list of some of the things you’re looking for, and set a budget that you can reasonably stick to.
By deciding what items, brands, or models you’re in the market for ahead of time, you can navigate the massive deals pages on retailer websites or take a little bit of the stress out of shopping in-store. And if you have a budget to stick to, you might be less likely to overspend or be tempted by regrettable impulse buys.
Related Content
-
Why Prepaying Your Retirement Dreams Might Be a Financial Game ChangerHe bought his retirement home more than a decade before he plans to retire. Was it the right move?
-
My $1.2 million vacation home has a $360K mortgage. I don't need my upcoming $45K RMD. Should I use it to pay down the mortgage?We asked wealth planners for advice.
-
5 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Giving Back, From a Financial PlannerTeaching kids generosity goes beyond simple rules and can involve fun, practical strategies, such as letting them lead giving, volunteering together and more.
-
I'm a Financial Planner: Here's How You Can Use AI to Improve Your FinancesApps can help with budgeting, saving and investing, financial coaching and debt management. But providing your personal information can also raise your risks.
-
How to Get HBO Max for $2.99 with Hulu This Black FridayTake advantage of Hulu’s holiday pricing and stream HBO Max hits for only $2.99 a month.
-
Hulu’s Black Friday Deal Gets You Starz for Only $2.99Get premium entertainment for less with Hulu’s limited-time Black Friday STARZ deal.
-
The Best Christmas Movies on Paramount+ (and How to Watch Them for Less)Settle in this holiday season with classic Christmas movies on Paramount+ and save with the service’s limited-time Black Friday deal.
-
5 Simple Fixes to Save on Heat Bills This WinterWith fuel prices expected to rise 10% or more this winter, making your home more energy efficient will really pay off.
-
Why It's Worth Booking a Winter VacationTravel Smart In the early months of the year, travel demand dips — and so do prices.
-
When Checkout Charity Gets Uncomfortable — and Maybe Even IllegalCashiers asking customers to 'round up' their total for charity can cross an ethical line if there's no disclosure about the benefiting organization.
