What to Buy (and Skip) in November 2026

November is a great month for bargains. Black Friday happens this month after all, and the supposed single-day sale holiday gets stronger and goes longer every year. Plus, online retailers like to keep you guessing and may drop a worthy deal on any given day.

Your strategy to save money this month? Review your budget, make a list of what you want and remember to ABC: always be checkin’ (or just set deal alerts) for discounts. Consult this Nerdy list of the best things to buy and skip in November, too.

Buy: Electronics

Black Friday, which falls on Nov. 27 this year, is synonymous with great deals on gadgets. Look for markdowns on TVs, tablets, laptops, cameras, smartwatches and smartphones at all the usual places — Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target and Costco - on actual Black Friday.

Keep a bead on the tech you want in the days leading up to the sale holiday. Retailers realize consumers are extra judicious these days and are known to roll deals out early. Walmart’s first Black Friday deals event is Nov. 12-15, for example.

Skip: Bedding and linens

Need a thicker comforter for the cold months? January is just around the corner, and it’s your best bet for bedding and linens deals. Historically, department stores have promoted bedding discounts, called white sales, at the beginning of each year as a way to bring shoppers into their home sections. The tradition continues, both in-store and online.

In past years, bedding basics were slashed by 50% or more at stores like JCPenney, Macy’s and Pottery Barn. We expect similar savings again in 2027.

Buy: Vacuums

Aside from spring cleaning season, November might be the best time to add a new vacuum cleaner to your closet. We usually see vacuum models from Dyson, Shark, Bissell, Hoover and more on sale during Black Friday events.

Expect sweeping sales on high-tech sweepers to land at the end of the month.

Skip: Strollers

Strollers and other baby gear aren’t an absolute skip in November, but you’ll probably do better in May, June or July, according to Consumer Reports. Spring is the start of strolling weather after all. Plus, major retailers, including Target and Walmart, usually plan competing sales in the summer to coincide with Amazon’s Prime Day in June or July.

Buy: Air fryers and coffee makers

Air fryers burst onto the scene around 2017, and these magical machines are still cookin’ with gas (or air, rather). Black Friday is a good time to look, but you could score a deal on any given day in November.

I (your Nerdy writer) found an Instant Vortex Plus air fryer for half off list price on a random early November day one year. The particular model caught my eye while at a friend’s house for dinner. I checked Amazon when I got home and couldn’t pass up the $69.95 price, which was at least 50% off.

Coffee makers also heat up in November. Look for great deals on Nespresso, Ninja, Keurig and other popular coffee maker brands in November, especially on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

You might want to roll the dice and wait for Cyber Monday — which falls on Nov. 30 this year — for other kitchen gadgets. We’ve seen items like the KitchenAid Classic Series stand mixer reach a lower price on Cyber Monday than on Black Friday at Amazon and Target.

Skip: Specialty food items

You know that meat and cheese board or tin filled with peppermint bark you send to family when you run out of time and ideas? According to Jane Boyd Thomas, a professor of marketing at Winthrop University, you can keep specialty treats as your Christmas gift backup plan.

Retailers may not be motivated to move items quickly because seasonal treats tend to have a long shelf life and people often send them as last-minute gifts, she says.

November freebies: Sandwiches and service

We think a good sandwich is worth celebrating, and you can do just that on Nov. 3. That's National Sandwich Day, which is sure to influence discounts and freebies at sandwich shops all over the country. Check chains like Jersey Mike’s, Jimmy John’s, Potbelly and Subway for ways to keep your lunch cost down that day.

Veterans Day is Nov. 11, and it can bring bonus ways for service members to save money.

If you serve or have served, ask about military discounts at stores, restaurants and even barbershops. For example, Rack Room Shoes offers a 20% discount (normally 10%) to current and former U.S. military members and their dependents. Sport Clips does free haircuts for veterans at participating locations on Veterans Day.