Holiday Gift Guide 2019: It’s Time for Some Black Friday Deals & Budget-Friendly Shopping Tips!

This post is sponsored by Slickdeals. As always, all opinions are entirely my own.

Black Friday deals are right around the corner (ready or not!). Whether you love the hustle and bustle of the day or just like casually browsing for deals, there’s no denying that Black Friday signals the start of the Christmas season. There are discounts to be had and awesome products to buy for everyone on your list.

As you prepare to shop ’til you drop for all your goodies, you can check out some of my best Black Friday shopping tips below to save money and streamline your day. I’ve also dropped some of my favorite deals for the upcoming 2019 holiday season at a few of my favorite budget-friendly retailers!

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

Black Friday Shopping Tips

I know everyone does Black Friday a little differently. I’m one of those casual Black Friday shoppers. I like getting a deal I know is a good deal. But I’m also totally okay with waiting if I think it might be a better deal at some other place or time, like on Cyber Monday. You will never see me camping out overnight to get a deal. Instead, I get a plan together, go where I need to go, and get it done! Here are a few tips that have helped me along the way:

Stick with discount department stores and retailers.

Discount department stores and retailers, like Target, are so helpful when it comes to Black Friday deals. That’s because they already offer incredible prices! When they discount stuff for Black Friday, they mean business. These are legit Black Friday deals that can save you a ton of money, unlike the “deals” department stores and boutiques might offer. I love Walmart deals on clothing and electronics, and Target’s Black Friday deals on toys and home products are awesome.

Stick to a budget (no matter what!).

I have a lot of friends and family that will spend outside of their means on Black Friday just because it’s Black Friday. PLEASE. DON’T. DO. THIS. It’s not worth it. Set a budget beforehand for your Black Friday deals shopping and stick to it, no matter what other discounts you come across. The holidays will come again. There’s no reason to go into debt for them, ever.

Spend some time comparison shopping.

Comparison shopping is my jam. It’s how I save hundreds of dollars on feeding my family every month. If it wasn’t for comparing prices, I’d be spending much more than I actually have to on home goods, clothing, food, and everything else. The same goes for Black Friday shopping. Just because it’s marked as a Black Friday deal doesn’t mean it is one. Spend a little time researching the products you plan to buy at other retailers, just to make sure you’re getting a good deal. Again, Target and other discount retailers may have a lower price even without a discount!

Go in with a plan.

I can’t stress this one enough. If you’re like me, you prefer to plan out your shopping trips. I write down where I need to go to get specific Black Friday deals on products I want to buy and what times they’re available, and that’s where and when I go. I don’t make extra stops. And I definitely don’t spend all day doing it. I think my longest Black Friday shopping trip was about two hours! Planning it all out a couple of days beforehand can save you a lot of stress the day of.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Black Friday Deals 2019

Some of the links below are affiliate links. I’ll receive a commission for qualifying purchases made using these links at no extra cost to you. As always, I only recommend products I love and I believe to be relevant for my readers.

Need some Black Friday deals in your life this year? Below are three of my top places to shop for Black Friday because they already offer some of the best everyday prices and a few of their best deals for 2019 Black Friday shopping.

Target Black Friday Deals 2019

Target is, hands-down, my favorite place to shop, period. I can go there and feel confident that I’ll find everything I need for excellent prices without having to drive around to different stores. When it comes to Black Friday, I’m just as confident that I’ll find some of the best deals at Target, especially on toys.

I love Target’s toys section. It has such a great selection of stuff you can’t find at other places and at fair prices. I can always count on Target having what I need for toys on Black Friday, but I also love it for its home decor and products, like bedding, pillows, towels, small appliances, etc. This year, I’m keeping an eye out for Black Friday Target deals on sofa covers, a boom box to replace my daughter’s worn out one (yes, she listens to CDs still!), and some Toy Story toys for my son.

Target has released an ad for several of its top Black Friday deals. Here are some of my favorite picks that you can get for deep discounts:

• KitchenAid Professional 5-Qt Mixer ($449.99 -> $229.99)
• Whirlpool 3.1 Cubic Feet Mini Fridge ($179.99 -> $159.99)
• Wondershop Holiday Printed Flannel Sheet Sets ($19.00-$29.99 -> $14.25-$22.49)
• Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner ($199.99 -> $99.99)
• Hot Wheels Super Ultimate Garage Playset ($199.99 -> $169.99)
• ECR4Kids Indoor Play Structure ($69.99 -> $49.99)
• JumpKing 10×14 Trampoline ($599.99 -> $439.99)
• Beats Solo3 Headphones ($299.99 -> $179.99)

Walmart Black Friday Deals 2019

Walmart is usually my go-to for clothes shopping on Black Friday, especially for stocking-stuffer items like socks, hats, gloves, and undies. I’ve also found that it has some incredible deals on techie items there(I once found a $2,000 TV for $800 – big splurge, but worth it!). Here are a few of the most exciting Walmart Black Friday picks this year:

• Instant Pot DUO60 ($99.95 -> $64.95)
• Apple iPad 6th Generation ($429.00 -> $329.00)
• Shark Ion Robot Vacuum ($299.00 -> $199.00)
• Arcade1Up Machines ($299.00 -> $169.99)
• Little Tikes Princess Cottage Playhouse ($449.99 -> $229.99)
• LEGO City Police Station ($99.95 -> $63.99)

Amazon Black Friday Deals 2019

Finally, we can’t forget Amazon for all you online shoppers out there (:raises hand:). I do a lot of my Black Friday shopping online, too. Amazon is one of my favorite places to shop for stuff you just can’t usually find in stores, especially in my somewhat rural area. Black Friday is always hopping with deals on Amazon!

The best part about Amazon is that it continuously releases new sales throughout November – every day! Keep checking back on Amazon.com to see what Deals of the Day are available. You can also check the Upcoming Deals to see what’s coming up and Lightning Deals for limited-time savings.

I want to know what your Black Fridays tend to look like! Leave me a comment below and let me know if you’re also a Target Black Friday shopper like I am, where else you like to shop, and what you tend to buy on sale.