A singular Black Friday
Black Friday has morphed from a day to weekend and now monthlong sales event. Pre-black Friday started dropping faster than the fall leaves and the pace hasn’t slowed, but there are still some stellar deals to be had on and around the Thanksgiving holiday.
Like so much of 2020, Black Friday will be different in how we shop. However, deals look to be as good if not better. While nearly all retailers have been hosting preBlack Friday sales to soften crowds and stretch out savings, most are still planning to launch exclusive deals on the pinnacle shopping day of the year, set for Nov. 27.
The best part? You won’t have to bid goodbye to family on Thanksgiving and bolt out before you have a slice of pumpkin pie, roam lots for a parking space, sprint for popular products, wander aisles and wait in endless lines at the wee hours to grab the most coveted gifts.
Hopefully this guide will help you plan your adventure (even if it involves you, a couch and some cozy PJS), score the best deals and save money along the way.
The paper
There's no need to wait until Thanksgiving Day to feast on the preeminent edition of the Times Union. You can preorder a copy now for $5 and pick it up between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 at the Times Union, 645 Albany Shaker Road, Colonie.
In addition to all the retail ads, pre-ordered papers will include a 2021 Save Around the Capital Region Coupon book (while supplies last), Savings Source Magazine, Puzzle Mania book, Holiday Gift Guide, a full-page NY
Tough poster, Holiday Recipe Guide and much more.
The early edition will also be available at over 700 stores around the Capital Region, including Stewart’s Shops, Price Chopper and Market 32 stores, Hannaford and Shoprite so you can save yourself a trip out on Thanksgiving Day.
To pre-order, visit Visit https://www.timesunion.com/store.
Store hours
Note: Stores open hours apply to Black Friday, unless otherwise specified
Best Buy: Stores open 5 a.m. Online deals start: 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 22; deals added Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday
Big Lots: Stores open 7 a.m. Thanksgiving Day; 6 a.m. Black Friday Online deals start: Underway
Dick’s Sporting Goods: Stores open 5 a.m. Online deals start: All day Wednesday
Gamestop: Stores open 7 a.m. Online deals start: 9 p.m. Wednesday
Home Depot: Stores open 6 a.m.online deals start: TBD; expect most Black Friday specials to be available starting Wednesday.
Jcpenney: Stores open 5 a.m.online deals start: 1:01 a.m. EST Sunday
Kohl’s: Stores open 5 a.m.online deals start: 1:01 a.m. EST Sunday
Lowe’s: Stores open 6 a.m. Online deals start: 12:01 a.m. EST Thanksgiving Day
Macy’s: Stores open 5 a.m. Online deals start: Underway
Staples: Stores open 7 a.m. Online deals: Underway
Target: Stores open TBA, Online deals start: TBA but select items will be available starting Sunday TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Homegoods: Stores
open 8 a.m.
Walmart: Stores open 5 a.m. Online deals start: 7 p.m. EST Wednesday
Maximize your savings
Black Friday is all about bargains, but if you heed these practical hacks you’ll keep even more coin in your pocket.
A Download all of the major store apps: Over the past few years, retailers have been adding more and more incentives for shoppers to download their apps.
A Get cash back: Cashback sites link to retailers’ e-commerce stores via a shopping portal and let you earn back a percentage of the money you spend. Rakuten.com, TopCashback.com and Retail
Menot.com are among the exhaustive slew of sites willing to pay you to shop online.
A Look for valuable bonus offers: Some retailers will offer gift cards instead of direct discounts, especially on brands that tend to be price-fixed, like Apple. Kohl’s is doling out $15 in Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent. When combining this with their sales, the net discount increases dramatically.
Stock up on discounted gift cards: Sites like Raise and Cardcash are a great way to save some cash on your holiday purchases.
Not only can you give a discounted gift card as a gift, you can also use it as your currency to shop.
A Get web ready: Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Kohl’s and all of the other large stores are going to have a ton of online doorbusters, so it is essential to be prepared. Set up an account at each store with current information in advance and familiarize yourself with the site. Time will be of the essence.
A Use the right credit card: You’re going to spend money, right? You may as well get something
in return. Stick with credit cards that help you earn hefty rewards, like cash back, bonus points or travel perks.
A Ask for a price match or price adjustment: Many stores, both online and brick and mortar, are price matching this holiday season. If you’re in-store, make sure to take your smartphone with you and ask for the match, which often includes online pricing.
This can save you time and money on any shipping fees you might incur if you were ordering
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