Black Friday is dead. There, I said it, and the earth amazingly continues to revolve around the sun. OK, there are some exceptions when it does makes sense to make a purchase on Black Friday. But these exceptions are becoming fewer and fewer every year.

As a general rule, I am a huge advocate of Christmas shopping all year long as it allows you to only buy when you find a screaming deal. Then when December rolls around it greatly reduces your stress level as you have most, if not all, of your holiday shopping done. Since we are still a few weeks away from the infamous Black Friday weekend, I figured it was time to officially document when you’ll be able to get the best deal on specific items on your gift list. Use this information to plan your Black Friday shopping this year and you’ll definitely maximize your savings.

Important Note: I should also add that when I say “Buy on Black Friday” I am talking about the entire Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend.

Be on the lookout for deals (both online and in-store) on all of those days, which now unfortunately includes Thanksgiving day.

7 Stupid Black Friday Buys

1. Name Brand Televisions

Don’t Buy on Black Friday.

Sure there are always some screaming deals on TV’s on Black Friday.

The problem is the brands you’ll find on sale are typically unrecognizable.

Along with the 3rd tier brands come questionable specs and quality.

If you’re a college student and looking for a disposable TV from Best Buy for your dorm room you’ll want to head out BF morning.

If you’re looking for a quality TV that will hold up for the long run, you’ll want to look for deals right after Christmas through February.

The reasoning is new models are typically released in late January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas.

Plus, sellers always offer sweet deals around the Super Bowl.

Both of these reasons will help you score a sweet deal on a high quality brand like Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic.

See Also: The BEST Days to Shop Between Now and Christmas to Score a Deal

2. Popular Christmas Toys

Don’t Buy on Black Friday.

Instead, wait until 2 weeks before Christmas as they are notoriously lower in price than on BF weekend.

Sure, you might see some deals sprinkled in the Black Friday ads but none as good if you wait a couple weeks.

3. Fitness Equipment

Don’t Buy on Black Friday.

Always wait until January to shop for fitness equipment. Retailers notoriously offer some great sales and incentives to folks looking to get in shape as a New Year’s resolution.

Look for products like elliptical machines, treadmills, and weight machines to be offered at up to 50% off in early January at Sports Authority and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

4. Winter Apparel

Don’t Buy on Black Friday.

Deals will NOT be abundant in late November as retailers take advantage of a cold and captive audience for jackets, hoodies, boots, and parkas.

When it comes to scoring deals on apparel, the general rule is that it is always the most expensive during the season it is being worn.

Wait until the last few weeks of winter and you’ll easily save 50% off that next coat or pair of boots.

5. Large Appliances

Don’t Buy on Black Friday.

New model refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens hit the sales floor in September and October.

Because of this, you might be able to find a good deal on last year’s models on Black Friday but new models are typically not discounted very much.

Smaller kitchen appliances like microwaves, blenders, and mini fridges will be on sale at Home Depot and Lowe’s.

6. Tools and Hardware

Don’t Buy on Black Friday.

Unless you absolutely need them, power tools are a much better deal during the few weeks leading up to Father’s Day.

Our research has shown that Father’s Day coupons and sales on cordless drills, table saws, routers, and the like, are 30% better than Black Friday weekend.

If you can afford to wait you’ll save some significant money.

7. DSLR Cameras

Don’t Buy on Black Friday.

Buy your high-end DSLR camera in February after the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas.

You’ll be able to score a sweet deal on last seasons model as retailer discount them heavily in order to make room for the newest and greatest models.

If a slick little point and shoot digital camera is in your future, then there will be plenty of deals to pick from on Black Friday.

Also, be sure to check eBay the days right after BF as many of the door-buster camera deals will be up on eBay as wanna-be entrepreneurs try to turn a quick buck.

7 Smart Black Friday Buys

1. 3rd Tier Televisions

Buy on Black Friday.

Many of your doorbuster BF deals are on 3rd tier televisions. Last year saw some pretty crazy deals. 42″ HDTV’s in the $300 range.

I’ve actually seen a couple predictions that included a 32″ HDTV in the $75 range and a 4K TV under the $400 price point.

But be prepared to settle for brands you have never heard of in most cases.

A Best Buy employee actually just told me that most of the door-buster TV’s they get for Black Friday are specifically made for that day and are not of good enough quality to stock all year long.

Yes, the deals are often amazing but know what you are getting. Buyer beware.

2. Clearance Apparel

Buy on Black Friday.

Retailers really start slashing their fall clothing lines every Black Friday weekend.

We are talking like 65% to 75% off at stores like Old Navy, American Eagle, Kohl’s, Macy’s and Gap.

My wife and I regularly stock up for our 3 kids on Black Friday. We’ll buy a size or 2 up and store until the following autumn. With savings in the 75-80% off range it just makes sense.

Plus, if you prefer to stay at home on Black Friday and sleep in, just shop on Cyber Monday when you’ll see the best online coupons of the year at online clothing and apparel retailers.

3. Budget Laptops

Buy on Black Friday.

Last BF we saw budget laptops from Dell ($177 at Best Buy) and the 14″ Chromebook for $179. Look for similar deals this year.

These systems usually come equipped with a 14″ or 15″ screen and a dual core processor and RAM in the 2-4 GB range.

If you’re not doing any serious gaming, video editing, or going to be running a bunch of programs at once, they will definitely suffice.

4. Tablets

Buy on Black Friday.

Tablets from brands like Samsung, Microsoft, and Lenovo have been a major draw in recent years and the deals have been pretty amazing.

This year look for the Samsung Galaxy 4 tablet to drop to $99 on Black Friday (currently $179.99 at Best Buy.com).

Also, Amazon.com will be running big deals on their Kindle Fire tablet. Black Friday is an excellent day to score a deal.

Also, look for the iPad Air 2 to be $100 off at Best Buy.

5. Apple Products (Except the Newest iPhone)

Buy on Black Friday.

In 2022, there was only one day when Apple products were on sale almost across the board.

Any guesses? Yes, it was Black Friday. The discounts were modest bot definitely noteworthy.

Just be sure to not shop at the Apple Store as deals at stores like Walmart and Best Buy will be better.

Look for both retailers to offer significant gift cards with an Apple purchase to entice Black Friday shoppers.

6. Home/Kitchen Goods & Décor

Buy on Black Friday.

Deals are always abundant on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Great time to stock up if you’re not brand specific.

You might not find a screaming deal on All Clad and Calphalon but cheaper brands will really have their prices slashed.

7. Xbox One and PS4 Games

Buy on Black Friday.

According to many gaming websites the single best day to pick up a screaming deal on new and older games is on Black Friday weekend.

Look for new titles to drop by 20-30% and older titles to really be cleared out and sold for up to 75% off.

Also, if you are cool with pre-owned titles Gamestop will probably offer the same offer as last year of “Buy 2 used products, get 1 Free”.

Ask the Reader: What’s your Black Friday strategy this year? Will you be hitting the stores or hanging at home with the family and eating those delicious leftovers? As for me…I’ll probably end up doing a little bit of both.

By Kyle James

Photo by Erwin Bernal.

OK, so I figured it was time to come up with some highly practical ways to use my Crack the Price Tag Code resource to help you save money on your Holiday and Christmas shopping this year. I have had many emails from folks trying to figure out how to best use my info when shopping, especially on Black Friday. In other words, what products and gifts provide the best value when cracking the code. So it is with this in mind that I present some very usable ways to “crack the code” and cross names of your gift list at a MAJOR discount.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The earlier you shop, the better your chances of really making this stuff work to your advantage.

American Eagle Outfitters

Quick Recap: Price ending in .95 is full price, and prices ending in .00 or .99 is a clearance price and your best bet at American Eagle Outfitters.

• Your single best strategy for Holiday savings at AEO is to wait until Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend.
• Go in to the store on that infamous weekend, or shop online, and head straight for the clearance rack and look for items ending in .00 or .99.
• Why? Because they always offer coupons on clearance items that time of year which will help you Christmas shop at close to 80% off the original price. You’ll save 20-30% more than any other time of year.

Can you “Crack the Code” on Black Friday?: Yes. American Eagle always has in-store coupons on Black Friday/Cyber Monday that are good for clearance items. So head to the store, crack the code, and use a coupon for savings in the 80% off range.

Home Depot

Quick Recap: Price ending in .06 and on a yellow price tag means it is a clearance item and has 6 weeks until next markdown. After that six week period it will be marked down to .03 which means 3 weeks until the item is liquidated.

• Almost every Dad loves new tools for Christmas. Use the crack the code info and shop for tool and hardware gifts starting right now. You’ll save much more than if you wait for “Holiday” deals.
• I was just in my local Home Depot over the weekend and was quite impressed with the number of yellow tags I found in the tools/hardware department.
• You’ll find some good Black Friday deals on tools at The Home Depot but few of the deals will be as good as the yellow tag deals ending in .06 and .03.

Can you “Crack the Code” on Black Friday?: No. I highly recommend skipping Black Friday at your local Home Depot and instead shop the couple weeks before Christmas and shop the yellow tags.

You’ll not only save more money, but you’ll find more sales as they try to cash in on last-minute shoppers.

JCPenney

Quick Recap: .00 is full price, .99 is first clearance markdown price, .97 is final clearance and price will get cut in half every 2 weeks. The absolute lowest price an item can get is $2.97.

• When I was filming my “Crack the Price Tag Code” segment with Good Morning America we walked into a JCPenney and I quickly realized that I’ll be doing a lot of my Christmas shopping with them.
• They keep their clearance section in the far back of the store and it’s usually stocked with great gift ideas like housewares, dishes, apparel, heating blankets, silverware, linens, and pillows. I am totally going to shop for my Mom at JCPenney this year. Like starting right now.
• Look for items ending in .97 and if they have a bunch of any particular item, wait a week or two, come back, and the item’s price will be cut in half. No joke, it will be. Try it for yourself.

Can you “Crack the Code” on Black Friday?: No. The Black Friday ad at JCPenney’s usually has some good deals in it, but from our research, none as good as looking for items ending in .97.

Kohl’s

Quick Recap: Look at the digital price tags at Kohl’s, particularly in the upper right hand corner. If you see a “NM” it means new markdown and the item will go on sale that night or the following morning. “GV” means great value and is a limited time price drop. “S” is simply a sale item.

• While the NM can be somewhat elusive, the great value (GV) can be found fairly easily. Look for the GV and only Christmas shop in those sections of the store. By doing so you’ll save a minimum of 25% off your purchase.
• Also, be aware that you can use a Kohl’s printable coupon on ALL clearance items. So be sure to stack a coupon on top of your clearance purchase to save close to 50%.

Can you “Crack the Code” on Black Friday?: Yes. Because the Kohl’s coupons we get for Black Friday and Cyber Monday will also be good for clearance and “great value” items it is definitely worth your time shopping on Black Friday.

Office Depot

Quick Recap: Price ending in a 1 (example: $18.21) is first clearance markdown, ending in 2 is second clearance markdown, ending in 3 is third markdown, price ending in 4 is the “holy grail” and represents the final markdown price and the absolute best value at Office Depot.

• I have it under solid authority that Office Depot marks things down every 7-10 days. So if you’re shopping for gift ideas and stocking stuffers and they have an item at the first or second clearance markdown wait and come back.
• By Christmas shopping early you’ll have plenty of time to come back and get items only when the price ends in a 3 or 4.
• Items that present the best buying opps when cracking the price tag code are as follows: Basic office supplies, small electronics, printers, software, packing supplies, and desk organizers.

Can you “Crack the Code” on Black Friday?: Yes. Office Depot is notorious for unloading some great clearance deals on Black Friday.

Shop on BF and instead of fighting over the door-buster deals, head for the clearance sections of the store and crack the price tag code for better savings.

Old Navy

Quick Recap: Prices ending .47, .49, .97, and .99 denote a clearance item at Old Navy.

• The single best day of the year to shop at Old Navy, for both gift ideas and the ability to stock up for the following year, is Black Friday weekend. The autumn clearance deals are pretty darn amazing starting Black Friday morning going through Cyber Monday evening.
• My wife and I use this info to our advantage and annually venture out to stock up at Old Navy on items ending in .47, .49, .99, and .97 for our 3 kids. We buy a size or two up and store items for the following year.
• We easily save 65-80% off the original retail price on pants, sweaters, dress shirts, outerwear, and dresses.

Can you “Crack the Code” on Black Friday?: Yes. The real value of shopping on Black Friday at Old Navy is taking advantage of the clearance deals. In-season styles are typically not that great of a deal.

Plus, Old Navy typically offers some great clearance coupons on Black Friday that you can stack for even more savings.

Sam’s Club

Quick Recap: When shopping at Sam’s Club check out the letter in the upper right hand corner of the shelf tag and look for the “C”. This means the item is cancelled and is a clearance price and thus provides the best value.

• Similar to Costco, Sam’s Club stocks quality brands and products across the board.
• So if you’re Christmas shopping for your sister and she needs a new crock pot, go to the one with the “C” in the upper right hand corner of the price shelf tag.
• I have had loyal Sam’s Club shoppers do the research for me and the “Cancelled” item almost always provides savings in the 25-35% range.

Can you “Crack the Code” on Black Friday?: No. Sam’s Club does NOT have more “Cancelled” items on Black Friday than any other day. So you’re better off going shopping on a less popular shopping day to avoid the crowd.

Sears

Quick Recap: .99 is full price, .97 is a discontinued item on clearance, and .88 is the final markdown price at Sears.

• Where in the store should you look for the items ending in .97 or .88? This always works best in the Tools section as well as in Electronics and Appliances.
• So when shopping for tools for Dad, or a new TV for your honey, always look for items ending in .88. The price will typically be close to 30% cheaper than Amazon.com.
• Last year I was able to shop on Black Friday weekend at Sears, walk past the crappy door-buster deals, and head straight for the brand-name TV ending in .88. I found a 42″ Panasonic LCD that was at a final markdown price along with a in-store BF sale where I could take off an additional 20%. It was 25% cheaper than Amazon and Best Buy.
• Are you considering buying an appliance or TV for someone on your gift list? In addition to cracking the price tag code, be sure to learn how to successfully negotiate an even better deal at Sears.

Can you “Crack the Code” on Black Friday?: Yes. Take advantage of additional Sears coupons and clearance deals on BF, head into your local store, and then crack the code for maximum savings.

Target

Quick Recap: Price ending in .99 is full price. .88, .98. 24, .04 is a clearance item. Check out the upper right hand corner of the clearance sticker for the tiny little number. It will say 15, 30, 50, 75, or 90 and that represents the percent off the original price. Clearance items get marked down every 10 to 14 days at Target.

• When Christmas shopping, the best departments in Target to crack the code are: Electronics, apparel, shoes, small kitchen appliances, housewares, and linens.
• When looking for bargain gift ideas, always look for items where the store has many in stock. By doing so, you’ll be able to start shopping early (like right now) and use my crack the code info to your advantage.
• I was told by a Target employee that they mark items down every 10-14 days. So if the store has a bunch…wait and come back and nab your savings.
• This obviously works best when you aren’t shopping for specific brands but rather shopping for the best value.

Can you “Crack the Code” on Black Friday?: Yes. Because of the influx of clearance and sale merchandise at Target on Black Friday weekend you’ll have significantly more opportunities to crack the price tag code.

Ask the Reader: Have you been able to crack the price tag and save money this year? I’d love to hear how my resource is helping you save.

By Kyle James

As we head into Fall, many retailers are trying to roll out Summer and seasonal merchandise, as well as make room for new models, creating some great deals on certain products. Here are the 10 best deals to be had right now.

Large Appliances

When it comes to large appliances like washers, dryers, refrigerators, and dishwashers, October is a great time to buy.

Manufacturers always unveil new models in the winter, making October the key month to unload last years models to make room for the new stuff.

In order to do this, especially in a down economy, they have to sell them at a great discount.

Lawn Mowers

Grass stops growing in November and December, and the demand for lawnmowers plummets, leaving retailers with inventory they have to store, which obviously costs a lot of money.

So retailers put them on sale, making October the prime time to score a deal on a new mower. Don’t wait until next Spring to buy, you will pay 25% to 40% more than right now.

School Supplies

If your child doesn’t have everything they need for the new school year, don’t fret as deals abound. Many retailers over-bought school supplies and now have excess inventory they need to unload, much to your wallet’s happiness.

This is also a good time to stock up for next year, or to buy cool Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers for your kids.

Fireplace Tools

Don’t wait until your fireplace is in full roar to buy a grate, poker, or hearth decor. By that time, retailers are in the driver’s seat and you’ll end up paying full price. October is the last month to find a good deal until next spring.

Bicycles

Pretty much without fail, new bike models are unveiled every September. With this comes crowded showrooms and warehouses, making it essential that bike shops and sporting good retailers unload last years models.

As we head into October and even into November, shops will continue to slash prices in order to move out old models. So if you need a new bike, or are considering getting one for your child this Christmas, right now is a great time to shop.

Swim and Pool Stuff

I was walking through my local Walmart the other day and was blown away with their clearance rack.

It was chalked full of swim toys and water blasters priced up to 75% off the original price. Right now is a great time to stock up for next summer.

Digital Cameras

If you are NOT particular about having only the newest and latest, then October is a great time to buy a new digital camera. The main reason is because manufacturers tend to release new models heading toward the Christmas shopping season.

Retailers are quite aware of this and need to sell last years models to make room for the new. Thus, many stores are currently selling cameras at a discount.

Air Conditioners

If you need a new air conditioner for your home, don’t wait for triple digit heat to start your shopping, you will get racked over the coals. October is an excellent time to shop as many units will be on sale in order to clear out inventory space.

This is especially true at big box stores like The Home Depot and Lowe’s. I personally saw some great deals (40% Off) on A/C units last weekend. As you have seen with much of my advice, the best time to get a deal on a product is to shop when nobody else is.

Automobile Tires

You can set your watch by when tires go on sale every year. Specifically, every October, tire retailers offer incredible incentives to drivers to buy a new a set of tires before winter driving hits.

So if you are driving on balding treads, right now is a great to buy. Not only will you get a nice discount, but that first winter storm won’t be quite so slippery with a good set of tires underneath you.

Barbecues

BBQ’s are quite large as you can imagine and take up significant room. Thus, retailers need to clear them out once grilling season has ended in September.

The end result: Deals abound on new grills right now! I personally bought our Weber grill in October and saved 20% off the sticker price.

Happy Savings.

Photo credit to Kevin.