As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, shoppers are getting ready for Black Friday. This year, Black Friday falls on Nov. 25, but for many stores, sales begin earlier than its official start date and extend beyond it. 

Black Friday is a great time to purchase wishlist items for cheaper prices and splurge on gifts for the upcoming holiday season. I often do not like spending unnecessary amounts of money on things that I want, so I use this “holiday” as a time for me to buy these essentials without emptying my bank account. 

For those who are in-person shoppers and love to go to the mall, my biggest tip is: instead of going on Black Friday itself, go the days following. Usually with big sales, stores often stretch out their sale period. If you want to avoid hectic crowds, the best time is to go before the sale ends right around cyber Monday.

 Sophomore Allison Polin is an avid shopper and views Black Friday as a prime time to shop. 

“On Black Friday I have no morals,”  Polin said.  “I recommend buying electronics because they usually have huge discounts, that’s [Black Friday] when my family buys all our expensive gifts for my extended family too.”

This year, Target is having some amazing sales for headphones (50% off), laptops (40% off) and streaming devices ($50 off). For gamers, Target is offering up to 50% on Nintendo switch, X box and PlayStations. 

In my opinion, Macy’s and Nordstrom’s sales take the cake for best Black Friday stores.

Macy’s Black Friday Early Access sale goes from Nov. 7-13, and on Nov.14-19 new deals begin to drop. The entire store’s sale begins on  Nov. 20 and includes huge price drops from designer clothes, 50% off designer handbags and 60% off Tzumi massagers.

Additionally, this year Nordstrom’s Black Friday sale begins on Nov. 18, and many of their popular collections will be going on sale, such as The North Face brand, Ugg’s and Nike. Nordstrom is also offering free shipping and returns for all online purchases. 

The recent hot shoe, Mini Uggs, are being sold and worn everywhere and are the perfect cozy shoe for winter time. Luckily for those who think Uggs are too expensive, Ugg is offering up to 50% off sale items and free shipping as well. 

According to “The Krazy Coupon Lady ,” a website that gives the best insight on different deals and rewards, the Ugg sale will start around the day before Thanksgiving and will last through Cyber Monday. Some of the best stores you can find Uggs on sale are Nordstrom Rack and DSW, both in close proximity to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. 

Another huge trend in our generation is keeping up with the latest shoe designs and styles. Sophomore Avi Friedrich loves buying shoes and is always browsing the Nike website looking for new shoes and deals. 

“I like buying clothes and sneakers [on Black Friday]…I like that [sneakers] hold their value and every sneaker has a different story, also the aesthetics, you can match your whole fit around the shoe you’re wearing.” Friedrich said 

A great place to shop for shoes is Nike, as they typically have amazing sales prices and clearance sections, even when it isn’t Black Friday. This year, Nike is offering up to 53% off of select shoes, as well as 5$ for two day shipping.

Black Friday only comes once a year, so it is important to take advantage of these cheap prices and save your money so that you don’t spend it on overpriced items throughout the year.