Believe it or not, Black Friday is already well underway. I know, the Turkey hasn’t even thawed yet, but Black Friday deals have officially begun. Why are Black Friday sales starting so early? Thanksgiving is late in the month this year. Retailers need to get these deals going to make their overall revenue goals. It makes for a weird schedule, but it actually probably works out in your favor if you’re willing to start shopping now. Whether you need a new computer, solar generator, or whatever else, we’re here to help. How we’re covering Black Friday Our team spends hundreds of collective hours searching and evaluating every deal we can find online. That includes everything from big high-profile door busters to that sneakily great deal on an extension cord. We use tools like Keepa and Camelcamelcamel in order to view price trajectory over time. We also monitor the most popular products that are selling across retailers in case a new deal has popped up—high-profile deals like that can sell out quickly. Our focus is on well-made and reviewed products for prices that make sense. That means not everything will be half-off (or more), but they’re worth it. Here are some great early deals we’ve seen right off the bat. Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2, 14 Oz, App-Controlled Heated Coffee Mug $99 (was $150) Govee Smart Light Bulbs, Color Changing Light Bulb $22.99 (was $34.99) SAMSUNG 34” ViewFinity S65VC Series Ultrawide QHD Curved Monitor $429 (was $699) EF ECOFLOW Solar Generator DELTA2 with 220W Solar Panel $699 (was $1,649) Black Friday tips While we’d be just giddy if you bought all of your Black Friday purchases through our posts, we know that’s not practical (and we forgive you). So, here are some general Black Friday tips to help you get the best deals across the board. Check out loyalty programs like Amazon Prime and Walmart+ Companies are eager to get you into their retail infrastructure, and subscription models do that better than anything else. And while it may feel a little odd to pledge your allegiance to an online retailer, it can really pay off. Walmart’s Walmart+ program (which is just $50 for the first year right now, down from $100) allows members access to the best deals several hours before they go out to the public. That could be the difference between snagging a new TV and seeing the dreaded “out of stock” warning. Amazon Prime offers access to exclusive deals that non-Prime members will never get. Sure, it comes with a little cost up-front, but these programs can make financial sense if you do the math. Look at price histories I personally use Keepa on my browser in order to view an item’s price history. Those discount percentages you see on product pages can be misleading and show discounts compared to an elevated retail price. You can also use Camelcamelcamel to achieve a similar task. But remember, just because something has hit a lower price in the past, that doesn’t mean it will hit that super-low price again in the future. That’s especially true here in 2024. Only buy stuff you actually need You can’t get a deal on something you don’t need. I personally make a list of items I hope to buy on Black Friday with the prices I’d like to pay for them. Doing this ahead of time gives me a real idea of what I actually need or want. You’re going to see lots of deals pop-up that look too good to pass up. But really think about the realities of buying that break maker before you add to cart. Latest Articles Gear The Bird Buddy smart bird feeder was last year’s most popular Black Friday deal and it’s now cheaper than ever The Bird Buddy smart bird feeder was last year’s most popular Black Friday deal and it’s now cheaper than ever This smart bird feeder automatically captures videos and pictures of feathered friends and identifies them using AI. By Stan Horaczek Gear Nintendo’s early Black Friday deal bundles a Switch with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for free Nintendo’s early Black Friday deal bundles a Switch with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for free The hybrid handheld and home console comes bundled with its bestselling game and access to its online subscription service. By Brandt Ranj Gear The Kindle Paperwhite is the best e-reader for most people and it’s $30 off for Prime Day The Kindle Paperwhite is the best e-reader for most people and it’s $30 off for Prime Day Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite has never been cheaper, and it’s a must-have for book lovers. By Brandt Ranj Gear Don’t wait on these early Black Friday laptop deals from Apple, Dell, HP, and more Don’t wait on these early Black Friday laptop deals from Apple, Dell, HP, and more You can save hundreds of dollars on a computer you’ll rely on for work and fun for years to come. By Brandt Ranj Gear Save $100 on a Google Pixel Tablet and more with these early Black Friday deals Save $100 on a Google Pixel Tablet and more with these early Black Friday deals The bigger-screen devices are a lot cheaper than normal even though the shopping holiday doesn’t start for over a week. By Brandt Ranj Gear The best Black Friday monitor deals you can buy right now The best Black Friday monitor deals you can buy right now Whether you need a massive screen for gaming, or a simple display for your home office, these monitor deals are worth checking out. By Brandt Ranj Gear The Oura Ring is our favorite smart ring, and its up to $100 off before Black Friday at Amazon The Oura Ring is our favorite smart ring, and its up to $100 off before Black Friday at Amazon The Oura Ring 3 is at its lowest price ever—don’t wait until Turkey Time to snag it. By Amanda Reed Gear This $99 early Black Friday deal on a Nespresso machine will save your coffee budget This $99 early Black Friday deal on a Nespresso machine will save your coffee budget The pod-based coffee maker has never been cheaper than it is with this early Black Friday deal. By Brandt Ranj Gear Roku’s $79 Ultra 4K streaming box is one of the best early Black Friday tech deals Roku’s $79 Ultra 4K streaming box is one of the best early Black Friday tech deals Stream your favorite TV shows and movies at the highest-possible fidelity regardless of who made your television set. By Brandt Ranj Gear Grab Blueair’s Mini Air Purifier for its lowest price ever with this early Black Friday deal Grab Blueair’s Mini Air Purifier for its lowest price ever with this early Black Friday deal You don’t have to wait until Black Friday proper to get this great air purifier for less than $50 at Amazon. By Brandt Ranj Sponsored Content We love this early Black Friday deal on Microsoft Office We love this early Black Friday deal on Microsoft Office That’s only 32 percent on—only while codes last. By Stack Commerce Gear Now is the best time to get a free Amazon Prime trial for holiday shopping Now is the best time to get a free Amazon Prime trial for holiday shopping Get your gifts as quickly as the day after you place an order and without paying a dime. By Brandt Ranj Sponsored Content Beats earbuds are making a huge comeback—now only $60 Beats earbuds are making a huge comeback—now only $60 Save 25 percent on yours before they’re gone. By Stack Commerce Gear Grab Sonos speakers for their cheapest prices this year During Amazon’s early Black Friday sale Grab Sonos speakers for their cheapest prices this year During Amazon’s early Black Friday sale Some of the connected speakers are marked down to their lowest prices ever. By Brandt Ranj The post A guide to Black Friday: The best sales, deals, and everything else you need to know appeared first on Popular Science.