Black Friday Starts Super Early This Year, So Get Ready For An All-Nighter

The holidays are just around the corner, and that means it is time to start writing out your holiday gift lists (and a wish list of your own). Every year, Black Friday takes place the day after Thanksgiving and is regarded as the kickoff event of the holiday shopping season. Stores often open up on Thanksgiving or in the early morning hours of Black Friday to offer deep discounts on clothes, electronics, and other popular items. Planning to hit the sales? You're probably wondering, "What time does Black Friday 2018 start?" Set your alarm and cue the coffee, because it's time to get ready for an all-nighter.

Remember in college when you would stay up all night studying for an exam the next day? Black Friday is similar. You will need to do a little bit of pre-planning if you want to be sure to snag all of the deals on your list. Not all of the stores open at the same time, so open up Evernote or get out a pen and paper to map out your shopping trip. For starters, Target, one of my favorite places to shop, is opening up on Thanksgiving. The bullseye retailer will open its doors on 5 p.m. local time on Thursday, Nov. 22. and close at 1 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 23. A few short hours later, Target will open up for Black Friday on Nov. 23 at 7 a.m.

Walmart will also be getting a head start on Black Friday. The big box retailer is catering to shoppers on Thanksgiving and will open up at 6 p.m. local time on Thursday, Nov. 22. So, while you are sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner, people will be lining up and ready to shop. Walmart's Black Friday sales look amazing. You can get a Google Home Mini for $25 (a savings of $24) or an Instant Pot for $59 (a savings of $40). Walmart's Black Friday discounts start even earlier online. Per Walmart's Black Friday ad, the deals will be live starting on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. ET.

Best Buy will be having huge sales on products like TVs, tablets, DVDs, and more. The electronics superstore will open up at 5 p.m. local time on Thanksgiving Day and will remain open until 1 a.m. Seven hours later, Best Buy will open back up for Black Friday at 8 a.m. Stores will be open for shopping until 10 p.m. local time.

More and more stores are taking a stance against opening on Thanksgiving Day to allow employees more time to enjoy the food-centered holiday. According to USA Today, retailers like Nordstrom, Ikea, and HomeGoods will remain closed on Thanksgiving. Don't worry, these stores will still open up in the morning hours of Black Friday with sales for you to shop.

If you want to get first dibs on items from any of these retailers, it would be a good idea to get in line well before each store opens. Black Friday shoppers are notorious for lining up outside of a store in order to be the first ones inside. You may need to take your plate of Thanksgiving goodies with you if you plan to do this. Or, you can shop lots of Black Friday sales from the comfort of your couch. Happy shopping!