My tips to avoid wasting money on Black Friday

After six years of scouting the best deals for Android Authority readers, I know a bargain when I see one. Black Friday dominates my days because the deals go into overdrive, but this is great news for shoppers like you. Contrary to some of the memes you’ll see, not every retailer is trying to hoodwink you with price manipulations. In fact, I can state with confidence that some of the best phones, smartwatches, and other tech products will hit record-low prices in the coming days. That said, it’s also easy to splurge your cash in the wrong way in the frenzy of sales. Based on my experience, here are my top tips to avoid wasting money on Black Friday.

Spoiler alert: My favorite tip is number four.

It’s possible to both save money and waste money at the same time. You can achieve this by getting a good deal on something that you don’t actually need and maybe don’t even want that much. We’ve all succumbed to the lure of an irresistible offer, especially when under time pressures. This emotional spending can lead to buyer’s remorse and a new gadget gathering dust on the shelf.

There’s an easy solution to this impulse buying. Identify what it is you want to buy in the Black Friday sales and stick to your guns. That doesn’t mean that you won’t see something that you hadn’t considered previously as you shop, but you should then take the time to consider if you need it — irrespective of whether it’s a good deal or not.

Tip 2: Have a budget and stick to it

Knowing how much you can afford to spend before you take to the sales serves two important purposes. It ensures that you don’t overspend on the items that you’re looking for, and it also acts as a check on your spending in general. If you’re worried that you don’t have the discipline to follow the tip above, sticking to a budget at least keeps you from buying every gadget that’s 30% off and being left short on your rent payment for November.

It might not be the best thing about the internet, but the opportunity to do all of your shopping from the comfort of your own home is certainly one of the perks. Gone are the days of having to wake up at 4 AM, queue in the cold weather outside a store, then frantically throw elbows and clamber over other shoppers to secure the best deal. In almost all cases, the prices online will be equal to or better than the in-store offers.

The other thing about shopping from home is that you have a huge amount of extra information about the product at your fingertips. You can compare prices between retailers, read online reviews from verified buyers, and do other research on the tech.

Tip 4: Use a price tracker

As I mentioned in the intro, this is my favorite tip and the one that will likely give you the most confidence in the deals you’re eyeing. Almost everything will be on sale in the coming weeks, but some of those items will have been on sale for half the year and may have even been much cheaper in the past. A price tracker immediately shows you the history of the product’s price over time, and you might quickly realize that the 30% markdown happens regularly.  On the other hand, if you see the price is at a record-low point, it could be an unprecedented chance to save.

There are plenty of price trackers that you can add as Chrome extensions. I use CamelCamelCamel multiple times per day on Amazon, and Honey is also very effective across multiple retailers.

Tip 5: Set product alerts

While some deals will already be live and run for the rest of the month, others may only last a day, and some will only run for a matter of hours. For instance, Amazon has lightning deals, which are based on a limited amount of stock, and the offer ends once it has all been claimed.

The good news is that many retailers allow you to set up product alerts, which send you an email or notification when the price of an item you’re interested in changes. This is the best way to ensure you don’t miss the lowest price during the holiday sales. For Amazon, Prime members can set these alerts in the mobile app.

If you don’t want to set alerts or the retailer you’re planning to use doesn’t offer that feature, be sure to check the item regularly. It’s more of a hassle this way, but it’ll only take you a minute each day, and could pay off in the form of big savings.

Sticking to trusted retailers for Black Friday shopping can save you a lot of headaches. Big-name stores are less likely to inflate prices before a sale or offer misleading discounts, and they usually have reliable customer service to help if something goes wrong. Plus, their websites are generally secure, so you don’t have to worry as much about your payment information being compromised.

Be especially cautious with unfamiliar sites, especially if the deals seem too good to be true. Scammers love Black Friday just as much as shoppers do and often set up fake websites to lure in unsuspecting buyers.

If you’re shopping through a marketplace like Amazon, pay attention to third-party sellers. While some are great, others might have poor reviews or questionable practices. Stick with sellers you can trust.

Tip 7: Choose quality over quantity

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of big Black Friday discounts, but a high percentage off doesn’t always mean you’re getting a good deal. Prioritize quality over snagging a bunch of cheaper items that might not last. A durable, well-made product is often a better investment than something that’s poorly made, even if it costs a bit more upfront. Take a moment to research brands and product reviews before buying, especially for tech. Sometimes, flashy sales are used to offload older or lower-quality stock.

Tip 8: Optimize your Black Friday savings

If you’ve got coupons or store credit, now is a good time to use it. They will often be stackable with any Black Friday discounts from the retailers, so you have nothing to lose. If you’re buying a new device, see if you can trade in your old one to compound the savings.

Signing up for free subscriptions or trials can be a way to get the most out of your shopping. The free 30-day trial to Amazon Prime is a good example. While it isn’t like Prime Day, there will be some Amazon Black Friday deals that are only open to Prime members, and subscription holders get free shipping on all purchases. Just remember to set yourself a reminder to cancel any free trials you activate before you get charged.

It’s always worth taking a moment to review the return policies, and particularly so on Black Friday. Some retailers have stricter rules for sale items, making it harder to get a refund or exchange if the product doesn’t meet your expectations. Look for details like how long you have to return an item, whether refunds are issued as store credit, and if restocking fees apply.

Online shoppers should be extra cautious. Double-check who covers return shipping costs, as it can sometimes outweigh the discount you scored.

Tip 10: Be prepared to walk away

I’m not sure who needs to hear this, but you really don’t need to buy anything on Black Friday. It is your best chance to score big savings every year, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept whatever deal you’re served up.

Follow the other tips to identify the products you want, work out your budget, and use a price tracker to see what level of discount would represent an excellent deal on each item. Set your alerts and keep an eye on the sale. If you get the offer that you’re waiting for, then you’re good to go. If you don’t, don’t worry about it.

There are several big sales over the course of the year, and the best way to save money on any product is patience. For example, if you’re in the market for a new smartphone, waiting until right before its successor launches might trigger big savings as the retailers clear out the previous generation stock.

We hope that some of these tips will help you avoid wasting money this holiday season. If you’re interested in knowing which offers the Android Authority team thinks are worth checking out, we’re regularly updating our best Black Friday deals page.