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black friday [2024] the history and information behind it

What Is Black Friday? Origins, History, and Shopping Tips

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When is Black Friday 2025?

Black Friday takes place the day following the Thanksgiving holiday, with specific start times varying among retailers. It’s advisable to check in early with your preferred stores to ascertain the commencement of their discount sales.

The official date for Black Friday in 2025 in the United States is Friday, November 28.

Prepare Early to Maximize Your Black Friday Shopping Experience.

With the holidays nearing, the biggest sale of the year comes in the form of Black Friday. All businesses prepare for it, and shoppers get some of the best deals anyone will see in the year. However, the challenge is maximizing your money so you can save more.

Considering how there’ll be so many things that will try to catch your attention, you need to know a few tips and tricks. That way, you’ll avoid getting overwhelmed and can have a solid plan when the fateful day arrives.

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, offering deep discounts on everything from electronics to clothing. It began as a U.S. tradition in the 1960s and has grown into a global phenomenon, especially popular for holiday gift shopping. Though not an official holiday, many businesses extend store hours and hire extra staff to manage the surge of eager shoppers.

While Black Friday deals are enticing, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why planning ahead is key to maximizing your savings and staying stress-free. Below are tips to help you prepare for the day.

How to Prepare for Black Friday 2025

1. Start Planning Early

Begin by listing the items you’re most interested in buying. Whether it’s holiday gifts, household essentials, or a high-ticket item you’ve been waiting for, having a clear focus will keep you on track. Use online and in-store ads to research prices and deals ahead of time.

Don’t forget to compare competitors. For example, if you’re eyeing a pair of Nike sneakers, check other retailers like Adidas or local stores that might offer better discounts. Compare online options as well—many retailers launch exclusive online deals before Black Friday.

2. Stay Organized with a List

Once you’ve identified the items and stores offering the best deals, create a detailed shopping list. Apps, notes on your phone, or even a printable checklist will help you stay on track. Organize your list by priority—must-have items should come first, followed by less urgent purchases.

By focusing on your top priorities, you can avoid impulse buys and allocate your budget where it matters most. Adjust your list as needed to reflect any last-minute sales or changes.

3. Sign Up for Alerts and Reservations

Join email lists and loyalty programs at your favorite stores. Many retailers offer early access to Black Friday deals, exclusive discounts, or reservations for high-demand items through these programs.

Don’t want your primary email cluttered? Set up a secondary email account for store newsletters and flash sale alerts. This way, you can stay informed without feeling overwhelmed.

For items you know will sell out quickly, ask if stores offer reservations or pre-orders. While not guaranteed, it’s worth the effort to secure those hot-ticket items before they’re gone.

4. Set Priorities for Shopping Day

Strategize your shopping schedule by focusing on:

  • One-stop stores: If most of your items are available at a single retailer (e.g., Walmart or Target), start there to save time and bundle deals.
  • High-demand items: If you’re worried about stock running out, prioritize stores offering the must-have items on your list. Whether shopping in person or online, act quickly to secure these deals.

Remember, some of the best Black Friday deals are on high-ticket items like electronics, appliances, and furniture. If you’ve been saving up for a big purchase, now is the time to act.

5. Budget Wisely and Save Smart

Overspending can turn post-Black Friday excitement into buyer’s remorse. Stick to your budget by using a mix of cash and credit. For credit card purchases, limit usage to around 30% of your card’s maximum limit to avoid high-interest payments and damage to your credit score.

Supplement your budget with gift cards, store rewards, and coupons. Many retailers accept these on top of Black Friday discounts, adding even more value to your purchases.

Beyond Black Friday: Keep the Savings Going

The savings don’t stop on Black Friday. The following days offer additional opportunities to save:

  • Small Business Saturday (November 30): Support local businesses while enjoying unique deals.
  • Cyber Monday (December 2): Perfect for tech and electronics, this online-only event often includes exclusive promotions not available in stores.

By spreading out your purchases and maintaining your shopping list, you can maximize value throughout the weekend without overspending.

Black Friday 2025 is one of the best times to score deals and save money, but preparation is key. Start early, stay organized, and focus on your priorities to make the most of the sales. Whether you’re shopping for gifts, essentials, or long-awaited splurges, a well-planned strategy will ensure you save money and avoid unnecessary stress.

 

Black Friday

Finny the Finance Bot says…

Question: “What is Black Friday, who invented it and when did it begin?”


What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving in the United States and is widely recognized as the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. On this day, retailers offer deep discounts, doorbuster deals, and special promotions to attract shoppers, creating one of the busiest shopping days of the year. While the term originally referred to a chaotic day in retail, it has since become synonymous with savings and a shopper’s paradise.

Who Invented Black Friday?

No single person “invented” Black Friday; rather, its origins are rooted in historical and cultural developments. The term “Black Friday” was first associated with the U.S. stock market crash in 1869, caused by financial speculators Jay Gould and James Fisk. However, its modern connection to shopping dates back to the mid-20th century.

Retailers began using the term in the 1960s to describe the shopping day after Thanksgiving, when stores went from operating “in the red” (losing money) to “in the black” (turning a profit), thanks to a surge in holiday sales.

When Did Black Friday Begin?

The modern concept of Black Friday began in Philadelphia in the 1950s and 1960s, where police used the term to describe the chaos of shoppers and traffic that followed Thanksgiving. It wasn’t until the 1980s that retailers embraced the term and reframed it to reflect a profitable day for businesses.

By the early 2000s, Black Friday had grown into a nationwide event, with major retailers expanding store hours and offering unprecedented discounts. In recent years, it has become a global phenomenon, with countries outside the U.S. adopting the tradition.

The author generated Finny the Finance Bot’s text in part with GPT-3, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model. Upon generating draft language, the author reviewed, edited, and revised the language to their own liking and takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this publication.

About the Author

Picture of Rick Munster

Rick Munster

Rick Munster is a personal finance expert and author with over 21 years of experience in the credit counseling industry. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Financial Counseling Association of America and has written over 200 articles on personal finance. Rick's expertise has been recognized by several prominent online organizations, which have quoted him on issues related to credit counseling, debt management, and financial education. With more than 20 years of experience at Money Fit, a non-profit credit counseling organization, Rick has established himself as a trusted authority in the field of personal finance.
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NOTE: This sheet is to inform new or returning clients about our services, records, fees, and limitations that may affect you as a consumer of our services. This form also discloses how we might release your information to other agencies and/or regulators. If you do not understand a statement, please ask a Debt Reduction Services (DRS) counselor for assistance.

Debt Reduction Services, Inc. (DRS) has put into place policies and procedures to protect the security and confidentiality of your nonpublic personal information. This notice explains our online information practices and how we use and maintain your information to conduct our financial education and credit counseling sessions and to fulfill information and question requests. This privacy policy complies with federal laws and regulations.

To provide our financial education and credit counseling services, we collect nonpublic personal information about you as follows: 1) Information we receive from you, 2) Information about your transactions with us or others, and 3) Information we receive from your creditors or a consumer reporting agency. We do not share this information with outside parties.

We use non-identifying and aggregate information to better design our website and services, but we do not disclose anything that could be used to identify you as an individual.

You hereby authorize DRS, when necessary, to share your nonpublic personal, financial, credit, and any information that you provided (including any computations and assessments produced) with the following entities in order to help DRS provide you with appropriate counseling or guide you to appropriate services: third parties such as government agencies, your lender(s), your creditor(s), and nonprofit housing-related and other financial agencies as permitted by law, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online. We limit access to your nonpublic personal information to our employees, contractors and agents who need such access to provide products or services to you or for other legitimate business purposes.

Debt Reduction Services, Inc. complies with the privacy requirements set forth in the HUD housing counseling agency handbook 7610.1 (05/2010), including the sections 2-2 Mc, 3-1 H(2), 3-3, 5-3 F, and Attachment A.5. At all times, we will comply with all additional laws and regulations to which we are subject regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of individually identifiable information.

  1. Services: DRS provides the following housing-related services: counseling that includes Homeless Assistance, Rental Topics, Pre-purchase/Homebuying, and Home Maintenance and Financial Management for Homeowners (Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase); Education courses that include Financial literacy (including home affordability, budgeting, and understanding use of credit), Predatory lending, loan scam or other fraud prevention, Fair housing, Rental topics, Pre-purchase homebuyer education, Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop (including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners), and other workshops not listed above.

Please refer to DebtReductionServices.org for details of our services.

  1. Limits: Our services are limited to our normal weekday business hours. We do not provide individual counseling or education services after hours or on weekends, although our education courses are available 24/7.
  2. Fees: We do not charge fees for our financial management counseling and education. However, if you use them, you may have to pay for our Debt Management Program, Student Loan Counseling, Bankruptcy Certificate Services or certain financial education courses (homebuyer education, rental topics, fair housing, predatory lending, and post-purchase-non-delinquency including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners).
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  4. Confidentiality: We respect your privacy and offer our services in confidence with the understanding that we may share such information with auditors and government regulators. Certain laws or situations may also lead to disclosing confidential issues, such as those involving potential child abuse or neglect, threats to harm self or others, or court subpoenas.
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You acknowledge that this authorization will remain in effect for the duration of time that DRS serves as your housing counselor or financial education provider. You also acknowledge that should you wish to terminate this authorization, you will notify DRS in writing.

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NOTE: If you have an impairment, disability, language barrier, or otherwise require an alternative means of completing this form or accessing information about our counseling services, please communicate with your DRS representative about arranging alternative accommodations.

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Disclosure to Client for HUD Housing Counseling Services

Debt Reduction Services, Inc. and its financial education arm, Money Fit by DRS, offer the following housing counseling and educational services related to housing, personal finance, and bankruptcy certificates to consumers:
  • Housing Education Courses: DRS offers many online self-guided education programs classified as Financial, Budgeting, and Credit Workshops (FBC), Fair Housing Pre-Purchase Education Workshops (FHW), Homelessness Prevention Workshops (HMW), Non-Delinquency Post Purchase Workshops (NDW), Predatory Lending Education Workshops (PLW), Pre-purchase Homebuyer Education Workshops (PPW), and Rental Housing Workshops (RHW). These courses help participants increase their knowledge of and skills in personal finance, including home affordability, budgeting, and understanding the use of credit, as well as predatory lending, loan scams, and other fraud prevention topics, fair housing, rental topics, pre-purchase homebuyer education, non-delinquency post-purchase topics including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners, homeless prevention workshop, and other workshops not listed above relating to personal finance and housing. Course details are found below under “Housing Workshops.”
  • Home Equity Conversation Mortgage (HECM) Counseling (RMC): Via telephone and virtual platforms, we offer the required HECM counseling nationwide in addition to in-person counseling in Boise, Idaho. We also offer in-home counseling options in thirty counties across southern Idaho for an additional fee to cover our travel and additional staff time costs.
  • Home Maintenance and Financial Management for Homeowners (Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase) (FBC): Clients receive counseling and materials on the proper maintenance of their home and mortgage refinancing. Clients can find help and resources by phone, in our Boise office, or virtually on all topics related to stabilizing their long-term homeownership.
  • Services for Homeless Counseling (HMC): Clients receive phone, virtual, or in-person (Boise) counseling to evaluate their current housing needs, identify barriers to and goals for housing stability, establish a path to self-sufficiency, and connect with emergency shelters, income-appropriate housing, and/or other community resources (e.g. mental healthcare, job training, transportation, etc.).
  • Pre-Purchase Counseling (PPC): Clients receive counseling through the entire homebuying process. Assistance may involve creating a sustainable household budget, understanding mortgage options, building their credit rating, and putting together a realistic action plan to set and achieve homeownership goals.  Additionally, clients will receive materials and resources about home inspections and other homeownership topics relevant to successfully maintaining a home.
  • Rental Housing Counseling (RHC): Via phone, in-person appointments (Boise, ID), or virtual platforms, clients receive housing counseling relevant to renting, including rent subsidies from HUD or other government and assistance programs. Topics can also address issues and concerns having to do with fair housing, landlord and tenant laws, lease terms, rent delinquency, household budgeting, and finding alternate housing.
DRS also offers the following services:
  • A Debt Management Program (DMP) for consumers struggling to pay their credit cards, collections, medical debts, personal loans, old utility bills, and past-due cell phone accounts;
  • The Budget Briefing and Debtor Education Certificates that are required during the Bankruptcy filing process;
  • A Student Loan Repayment Plan Counseling and application service.

Relationships with Industry Partners

Through such services, DRS has established financial relationships with hundreds of banks, credit unions, and creditors such as American Express, Bank of America, Barclays, Capital One, Chase, Citibank, Credit One, Discover, Synchrony, US Bank, USAA, Wells Fargo, and others.

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The client is not obligated to receive, purchase or utilize any other services offered by DRS or its exclusive partners to receive financial education or housing counseling services. Alternatives: As a condition of our counseling services, in alignment with meeting our client services goals, and in compliance with HUD’s Housing Counseling Program requirements, we may provide information on alternative services, programs, and products available to you, if applicable and known by our staff. Alternative DMP services include negotiating better repayment terms directly with your individual creditors, paying your debts as agreed, or, in extreme cases, filing for personal bankruptcy. Alternative credit and education services can be found through MyMoney.gov or the Jump$tart Clearinghouse of online financial education resources. Housing counseling alternatives can be found through HUD at www.hud.gov/findacounselor.
Finally, you understand that you may revoke consent to these disclosures by notifying DRS in writing.
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Housing Counseling and Education Fee Schedule

 

Online Education Program Fees*

Homebuyer Education Course: $59 per participant

  • Self-paced course available here, our online housing counseling and education center. Certificates will be automatically generated upon completion of the course (approximately 6-8 hours)

Rental, Fair Housing, Predatory Lending / HOEPA, Post-Purchase (Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop, including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners) Online Workshops: $49 per participant

  • Approximately 1 hour each

Other Self-Guided Financial Literacy Webinars (e.g. credit, budgeting, homeless prevention, debt prevention): $0

One-on-one Counseling Fees*

Pre-purchase Homebuying Counseling, Rental Counseling, Post-purchase Ownership Maintenance and Financial Management: $75

  • Session by the hour

Reverse Mortgage/HECM Counseling with Required Certificate:

  • $200†

Credit Report Fee: Paid Directly by Client

*Fees for all but our online education courses and workshops can be paid online by debit card, credit card, or PayPal or in person by cash, check or money order to: “Debt Reduction Services, Inc.” Registration fees are non-refundable 24 hours or less before the start of an in-person course or workshop. Certificates are non-transferable

*Fees may be waived for households with income of 150% or less of that identified on the US Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines Page

†Home visit counseling is available in 30 southern Idaho counties for potential HECM borrowers at additional costs to cover our travel (IRS reimbursement rates apply) and staff time ($50 per hour or fraction there).

Close

Housing Counseling and Education Fee Schedule

 

Online Education Program Fees*

Homebuyer Education Course: $59 per participant

  • Self-paced course available here, our online housing counseling and education center. Certificates will be automatically generated upon completion of the course (approximately 6-8 hours)

Rental, Fair Housing, Predatory Lending / HOEPA, Post-Purchase (Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop, including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners) Online Workshops: $49 per participant

  • Approximately 1 hour each

Other Self-Guided Financial Literacy Webinars (e.g. credit, budgeting, homeless prevention, debt prevention): $0

One-on-one Counseling Fees*

Pre-purchase Homebuying Counseling, Rental Counseling, Post-purchase Ownership Maintenance and Financial Management: $75

  • Session by the hour

Reverse Mortgage/HECM Counseling with Required Certificate:

  • $200†

Credit Report Fee: Paid Directly by Client

*Fees for all but our online education courses and workshops can be paid online by debit card, credit card, or PayPal or in person by cash, check or money order to: “Debt Reduction Services, Inc.” Registration fees are non-refundable 24 hours or less before the start of an in-person course or workshop. Certificates are non-transferable

*Fees may be waived for households with income of 150% or less of that identified on the US Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines Page

†Home visit counseling is available in 30 southern Idaho counties for potential HECM borrowers at additional costs to cover our travel (IRS reimbursement rates apply) and staff time ($50 per hour or fraction there).