Here's your shopping guide to October sales and deals this month
We've highlighted the best fall offers at Amazon, Wayfair, Target and Walmart. Plus, get expert shopping tips to save even more this season!
- Experts recommend starting holiday shopping as early as September or October to spread out spending and avoid stress.
- Major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target are hosting large sales events in early October.
- Creating a detailed gift list and setting a firm budget are key strategies to prevent overspending.
- The biggest traditional holiday sales events are Black Friday on November 28, 2025, and Cyber Monday on December 1, 2025.
It might feel early in the season, but October is actually the perfect time to kick off your holiday gift shopping spree. The Paste BN Shopping team is here to help you make the most of it. While early birds used to shop ahead just to beat the crowds and avoid stock issues, today’s savvy shoppers know that starting now means scoring serious savings.
Major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Wayfair are already offering up holiday-level deals and many are aiming to rival Black Friday prices. That means you don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to snag the best discounts on must-have gifts.
Shopping early also helps you skip the stressful December rush and spread out your spending over time. Whether you're hunting for trending tech, cozy home finds or personalized presents, our shopping guide below will walk you through the best early holiday sales and expert tips to help you shop smarter this season.
Holiday shopping guide 2025
- Can't miss October shopping events
- When is the best time to start my holiday shopping?
- When are the biggest holiday sales?
- What are some holiday shopping tips?
- How can I avoid overspending during the holidays?
Can't-miss October sales and deals
Wayfair's October Way Day sale
Get ready for four days of daily discounts on best-sellers and seasonal must-haves during Wayfair's October 2025 Way Day sale. The fall event will start on Sunday, October 26 at 12:00am ET and run through Wednesday, October 29. During this Wayfair sale, you can score deals from cozy fall finds to early holiday gifts. Check out a few early discounts below.
Amazon's early holiday deals
The Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale in October 2025 wrapped up on Wednesday, October 8 but you can still find thousands of early holiday offers this fall. Our readers are shopping discounts on everything from Apple devices and new gift-worthy gadgets to outdoor tools.
Walmart's October deals
The Walmart Deals sales event ended on Sunday, October 12. During this shopping event, we found deep discounts of up to 50% off across various categories, including electronics, home decor, outdoor finds, viral toys for the holiday gifting season, fashion and so much more. Luckily, you can still shop thousands of Walmart rollbacks on your entire shopping list!
Target's October sales and deals
The October 2025 Target Circle Week sale wrapped up on Saturday, October 11 but Target Circle members can still score sweet seasonal savings this month! Members can access significant deals and discounts on a wide range of products, including electronics, home goods, clothing, groceries and more. Plus, Target regularly drops exclusive new collections and collabs for all shoppers to take advantage of!
When is the best time to start my holiday shopping?
With the holiday season on the horizon, the best time to start your holiday gift shopping is as early as possible—even as early as early October. An early start allows you to spread out your spending, avoid last-minute stress and take advantage of major sales and promotions.
In addition, the week leading up to Christmas and the week after Christmas also have major discounts as retailers clear out inventory with deep clearance markdowns.
When is Black Friday 2025?
With the biggest sales of the year on the horizon, now is the perfect time to get ready. Bookmark this page and follow the team at Paste BN Shopping to make sure you're getting the best deals this holiday season. In the meantime, here are some of the biggest sales to mark on your calendars:
- Black Friday: Friday, November 28, 2025 (the day after Thanksgiving).
- Cyber Monday: Monday, December 1, 2025.
What are some holiday shopping tips?
To help you make your shopping experience smoother and stay on budget this holiday season, here are some of my favorite tips and tricks:
Plan and budget early
- Start by making a detailed list of everyone you'll be buying a gift for. Next to each name, jot down a few gift ideas or some of their likes and interests. This simple step helps you avoid last-minute panic and ensures you won't forget anyone.
- Determine your total holiday spending limit, then allocate a specific amount for each person on your list. Sticking to this budget is the best way to avoid overspending, so you can start the new year on the right financial foot.
- Begin your shopping as early as possible, even in the fall. This allows you to take advantage of early sales, spread out your spending, and avoid the last-minute stress of chaotic crowds and limited stock.
Shop smarter, not harder:
- Before you buy anything, always check for the best deals. Many retailers also offer a price-matching guarantee, so it's always worth checking for a lower price elsewhere before you buy.
- The holidays are the perfect time to redeem any credit card rewards, loyalty points or gift cards you may have stashed away. It's a great way to "spend" on gifts without using new money from your bank account.
- Don't be fooled by "deal traps" that trick you into spending more than you intended—like buying an extra item just to get free shipping. Always ask yourself if the purchase is truly on your list and within your budget. If it's not, it's not a real deal.
Consider alternative gifts:
- For the person who has everything, consider gifting an experience instead of a physical item. This could be tickets to a concert or sporting event, a museum membership, a cooking class or a gift certificate for a special outing.
- A heartfelt, handmade gift can be more meaningful than anything you can buy in a store. Whether you're baking their favorite cookies, creating a custom photo album or knitting a cozy scarf.
How can I avoid overspending during the holidays?
The best way to stay on budget is to set a clear spending limit and stick to it. Make a list of everyone you're shopping for, decide how much to spend on each person, and track your purchases as you go.
Staying up-to-date on the latest shopping event news and starting early will help you avoid "deal traps," where a minor discount on an item you don't need leads to an impulse buy. That's why our biggest tip is to follow the team at Paste BN Shopping for all the latest deal alerts and tips!
Paste BN Shopping will be covering all the best holiday gifts and deals, so be sure tosign up for text alerts,check us out on Flipboard,follow us on TikTok,sign up for our newsletter andfollow us on Instagram to stay updated!
Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations. If you purchase through our links, the USA Today Network may earn a commission. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.