vouchernaut
Every November the same thing happens. My inbox fills up with red banners, countdown clocks and "LAST CHANCE" in capitals, and I somehow end up with three tabs open for an air fryer I didn't want on Tuesday. So this year I'm doing the boring bit early.
Black Friday is 27 November 2026, and Cyber Monday is 30 November. The actual work starts well before that: pick the thing you want, write down what it normally sells for, and decide the most you'd pay. A countdown clock is a lot less scary when you already know what a good price looks like.
To be clear, this is September, so there are no live Black Friday deals in here. What you'll get is a plan for phones, gaming hardware and Christmas presents, so that when the real offers turn up you can compare them in about ten minutes.
When are Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
The dates come from the American Thanksgiving calendar. Time and Date lists Black Friday as 27 November, and Cyber Monday is the Monday after. UK shops will probably start early and drag it out for weeks. That doesn't mean every "Black Friday" banner in November is the same sale with the same rules, so read the small print on each one.
If you're buying Christmas presents, the sale date and the delivery date are two separate questions. Something can be discounted, on back order and useless as a present all at the same time. Check the delivery estimate for your postcode and the exact version you're buying before you get excited.
Is Black Friday actually the cheapest time to buy?
Sometimes. The name itself tells you almost nothing. Which? published an investigation in November 2025 that tracked 175 home, tech and health products across eight retailers around the 2024 sales. Plenty of the offers were matched or beaten at other times of the year.
That study covered one sample of products in one year, so it can't tell you what your 2026 phone or console will cost. The lesson still stands, though: look at what something actually sells for over time, not how much has been knocked off the "recommended" price. A big "was £X" discount can still leave you paying exactly what everyone else was charging in October.
Here's my rule. Before the emails start, write down the price you'd be happy to pay. If a deal beats that number and the thing still suits you, buy it. If it doesn't, the word "sale" hasn't changed anything.
How to keep a price record without it taking over your life
One row per exact product. That means the storage size, model number, size or colour if they change the price. Note the date, the retailer, the total with delivery and any conditions. Save the link so you can check later that you're comparing the same thing.
| Item | What to record | Easy comparison mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | Model, storage, unlocked/contract, full term cost | Comparing a trade-in maximum with an outright price |
| Gaming hardware | Storage, included accessories, queue and delivery status | Counting a game you already own as a saving |
| Hobby kit | Kit contents, tools, consumables and delivery | Buying a cheap box that needs a second expensive basket |
| Gift voucher | Eligible activities, expiry and booking conditions | Assuming the recipient can use it on any date |
A made-up example: something's labelled £120, down from £180. Sounds great. But if two other UK shops sell the same version for £115 delivered, £120 isn't the best price, however big the red "SAVE £60" sticker is. And if one of those £115 prices doesn't include delivery, add it on before you decide. I'm not talking about any real shop here. It's just how the sums work.
Phones: know what you want before the deals land
Start with our Android alternatives to iPhone. It splits things into design, repairability and long software support, because those are three quite different reasons to buy a phone.
Pick your exact version before you compare anything. The cheaper, smaller-storage model might be cheaper for a reason you'll hate in six months. A network bundle might include stuff you need, or stuff you're already paying for somewhere else. I count "free" extras as worth nothing unless I'd have bought them anyway.
And if your current phone works, Black Friday doesn't have to be your upgrade deadline. After all that research, the best result might be a new battery, or just keeping the phone another year. That's still a win. It's just not a very exciting one.
What about Steam hardware?
Before you shop, work out which Steam device fits your life and have a look at our 
Steam store guideSteamValve's PC game storefront and library, including direct game purchases, demos and Steam hardware pages.Buying guide · View store →. A handheld, a headset and a box under the telly do very different jobs, even with the same logo on them.
If you're after the Frame, read our UK price and waitlist guide first. Joining a stock queue doesn't save you any money, and a place in the queue doesn't tell you when it'll arrive. We haven't seen any confirmed Black Friday discount or any Christmas delivery promise for it.
Price up the whole basket: a charger if you need one, the storage you'll actually use and any games you're buying with it. And don't count bundled games you already own as money saved. You already paid for them once.
When should you just buy the present now?
Buy early when you know the person wants that exact thing, the price is fine and getting it matters more than maybe saving a tenner later. Small makers, workshops and anything tied to a date don't play by the same rules as mass-market electronics. They sell out, or the date passes.
That doesn't mean panic-buy everything in September. If it's for someone whose hobby you only half understand, ask what they've already got. Giving someone a duplicate, or a gadget that doesn't work with their setup, is worse than choosing something together. It's also quite awkward on Christmas morning.
Our Christmas guide for nerdy adults starts from what people are into and what they could make first. It's also got ideas for giving an experience without tying someone to a date they can't make.
How not to get suckered by a big bundle
Work out what the useful bits are worth on their own. Say a £90 kit includes £30 of tools you already own. You're not saving £30 by buying those tools again. Look at the smaller kit, or just the one bit you actually need, before you get excited about the "total value" on the box.
Same with subscriptions. Check what renews, when you start paying and how you cancel. If you take a free trial, put the cancel date in your own calendar. You won't remember it in January.
Should you wait for Cyber Monday?
Wait if the deal in front of you doesn't hit your target price, or you don't need the thing yet. Buy if it hits your target and you really want that exact item. Nobody can honestly tell you a Monday sale that hasn't been announced will beat Friday's price, however confident the YouTube thumbnail looks.
You're not trying to beat every price that might ever turn up. You're trying to buy something you're happy with. Set your number, compare the total with delivery, and once you've decided, close the tabs and stop shopping.
