Saving
Prime Day and Black Friday: how to prepare and really save
In short
Prepare the list before the sale, note the usual price of each item and set a spending cap. During the deals, buy only what was already on the list and check that the price beats the one you noted. A reduction saves nothing if the product was not planned. Prime Day is exclusive to Prime customers; Black Friday is open to everyone.
Full guide: How to shop and save
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two weeks before | Make the list and note each product's price |
| One week before | Set the budget and order by priority |
| During the sale | Buy only what is on the list if the price is better |
| On receipt | Check and test within the return period |
| Afterwards | Add up what you spent and compare with the budget |
What these sales are
Prime Day is an Amazon deal event reserved for Prime customers, held in summer. Black Friday is the Friday after the fourth Thursday in November and opens the Christmas shopping season; nearly every shop takes part and no subscription is required. Both concentrate the year's biggest discounts into a few days.
Why people overbuy
These sales are designed to make you decide quickly. There are deals that last hours, counters ticking down and warnings that few units are left. All of that is real, and it is also a mechanism to make you buy before you think. Whoever arrives without a list buys what is reduced; whoever arrives with a list buys what they needed, if it is reduced. The difference between saving and spending lies in that order.
Two weeks before
- Make a wish list with only what you were already planning to buy.
- Note beside each product the price it has today. It will be your reference for knowing whether the deal is real.
- Set a total budget and write it down.
- Order the list by priority, in case the budget does not stretch.
The reference price
It is the most important tool and the least used. A product advertised at 40% off may cost the same as a month ago, if the starting price was different. There is only one way to know: having noted the price beforehand. Do it two or three weeks before the sale, with the date.
If during the deal the price does not fall below the one you wrote down, there is no deal.
The budget
Decide how much you are going to spend in total before seeing any deal, and write it down. A budget thought out in cold blood is the only brake that works once the sale begins. If the list exceeds the budget, cut from the bottom by priority. Do not raise it on the day: if something does not fit, wait for the next sale.
During the sale: the countdown
Many deals last a few hours and carry a countdown. The countdown is designed to make you decide fast. Since your list is already made, you only have to check two things: whether the product is on it and whether the price is better than the one you noted. If it is not on the list, it is not a deal for you.
Look at who sells and when it arrives
A very low price with delivery in a month or with a short return period may not be worth it. In the middle of a sale, deliveries take longer. Check on the page who sells, who ships, the delivery date for your address and until when you can return it. They are the same four facts as always, worth looking at even when you are in a hurry.
Prime Day is for Prime customers
If you are not a customer and meet the conditions, the 30-day free trial gives access to the deals. It makes sense to start it a few days before, make your planned purchases and decide afterwards whether to continue. Note the trial's end date, because in the middle of a sale it is easy to forget. The plan is in how to make the most of the 30-day trial.
What is worth buying in a sale
- Large purchases you had been putting off for months.
- Christmas presents, if the list is already made.
- Non-perishable consumables you use all year.
- Products whose price you know well because you have tracked them.
What is not
- Categories you do not know, where you cannot judge whether the price is good.
- Products you had never thought of buying.
- Second units "because it is cheap".
- Presents with no recipient.
Older models
A good share of the big discounts apply to models that are about to be replaced. That is not a bad thing: a previous model at a good price can be the best buy. But it is worth knowing. Before paying, look at what has changed in the new model and whether that change matters to you. If not, the reduced older one is a good choice.
Packs and price per unit
For consumables, deals usually come in large formats. Work out the price per unit, per litre or per kilo and compare it with your usual purchase. And ask yourself whether you are going to use it all before it expires or before you tire of it. A pack of twelve at a good price saves nothing if six stay in the storage room.
Christmas presents
Black Friday is a good moment to get ahead with Christmas shopping, provided the gift list already exists. Check the return period, which is usually extended at this time of year, and ask for a gift receipt. What is not worth doing is buying "in case it suits someone": presents with no recipient end up in a cupboard.
The basket, ready
For deals that do not last long, have the products on your list and your address and payment method up to date before the sale begins. That way, when a deal you were waiting for arrives, buying it takes a minute. What you should not do is leave the basket full from days before: it is the surest way of paying for more things than planned.
One person buys
In a household with several people, agree on who does the shopping for the sale. Two people buying separately, each from their own account, duplicate presents and overshoot the budget without noticing. A shared list and a single buyer avoid both.
Paying in instalments
At this time of year, offers of deferred payment multiply. Deferring makes sense for a necessary, planned purchase. It makes none for a whim: in January you will have forgotten the object and will still be paying for it. If you need to finance it to be able to buy it, this is probably not the moment.
Deals that sell out
If a deal on your list sells out before you get there, do not chase it with a similar substitute. It is the commonest trap: because what you wanted was not there, you buy something else you had not researched, just because it is also reduced. Leave the product on the list. In long sales, deals are restocked, and if not, the next sale comes in a few months.
Compare elsewhere
During these dates nearly every shop adjusts its prices. Before paying for an important purchase, spend two minutes searching for the exact same model somewhere else. Make sure it is the same reference, because the names are very alike, and compare the total price with delivery and the return period. That something is reduced in one shop does not mean it is the best price of the day.
If the price drops after you buy
It happens, and there is no general right to be refunded the difference. What you do have is the return period. If the drop is significant and you are within the period, you can consider returning and buying again, bearing in mind the hassle and the return conditions. For small differences it is not worth it. The best defence is having bought at a price you already thought was good.
When the orders arrive
Open the parcels and test what you bought within the return period, which is shown on each order. Do not leave it until after the holidays. If something is not what you expected, return it without a second thought: a bad price paid for something you do not use is not a saving.
The balance
Add up what you spent and compare it with the budget you wrote down. Note too how much you saved against the reference prices. That number is the one that will tell you, next year, how much to set aside and whether waiting for the sale is really worth it. Many people discover that the real saving is smaller than they thought.
The year's calendar
| Sale | When | Who can buy |
|---|---|---|
| Winter sales | January | Everyone |
| Prime Day | Summer | Prime customers |
| Black Friday | Late November | Everyone |
| Cyber Monday | The following Monday | Everyone |
Knowing the calendar lets you wait. A large purchase that is not urgent can nearly always hold on until the nearest sale.
Typical sale mistakes
- Buying an older model because it is heavily discounted, without looking at what has changed in the new one.
- Taking the chance to buy presents without yet knowing who they are for.
- Spending what you saved on one deal on something else that was not planned.
- Not checking the order when it arrives and letting the return period pass.
- Trusting the discount percentage without knowing the previous price.
A check before paying
- Was it on my list before the sale?
- Is the price better than the one I noted?
- Does it fit the budget?
- Does it arrive when I need it?
- Until when can I return it?
In short
List, reference price and budget: all three are done beforehand, in cold blood. During the sale all that remains is to check. The basis of it all is having the list made in good time, as we explain in the 48-hour method, and the rest of the habits are in how to shop on Amazon.es and save.
Frequently asked questions about Prime Day and Black Friday
Do I need Prime to shop on Prime Day?
Yes. Prime Day is a sale exclusive to Prime customers.
How can I tell whether a deal is real?
By noting the product's price a few weeks before and comparing it with the sale price.
When is Black Friday?
The Friday after the fourth Thursday in November. It is open to all shoppers.
What is worth buying in these sales?
Large purchases you had put off, presents already decided on and non-perishable consumables you use all year.
Can I use the Prime free trial for Prime Day?
Yes, if you meet the trial conditions. It is worth noting its end date.
What is Prime Day?
An Amazon deal event reserved for Prime customers, held in summer.
Do I need a subscription to shop on Black Friday?
No. Black Friday is open to all shoppers and nearly every shop takes part.
Why do people overbuy during sales?
Because sales are designed for fast decisions: deals lasting a few hours, countdowns and low-stock warnings.
What should I prepare two weeks before Black Friday?
A list of what you already planned to buy, today's price for each product, a total budget and an order of priority.
What is the reference price?
The price you note two or three weeks before the sale. If the deal does not fall below it, there is no deal.
How do I set the budget for a sale?
By deciding the total before seeing any deal and writing it down. If the list exceeds it, cut by priority.
What should I check when a deal has a countdown?
Just two things: whether the product was on your list and whether the price beats the one you noted.
What should I look at besides the price of a deal?
Who sells, who ships, the delivery date for your address and until when you can return it.
What is not worth buying on Prime Day or Black Friday?
Categories you do not know, products you had never thought of buying, second units "because it is cheap" and presents with no recipient.
Are discounted older models a good buy?
Often, yes. First look at what has changed in the new model and whether that change matters to you.
Are large packs on offer worth it?
Only if the price per unit beats your usual purchase and you will use it all before it expires.
Is Black Friday a good time to buy Christmas presents?
Yes, if the gift list already exists. Check the return period and ask for a gift receipt.
What should I do if a deal sells out?
Do not buy an unresearched substitute. Leave the product on the list: deals are restocked or another sale comes.
What happens if the price drops after I buy?
There is no general right to recover the difference. Within the return period you can consider returning and buying again.
Which are the year's sales events?
Winter sales in January, Prime Day in summer, Black Friday in late November and Cyber Monday the following Monday.
Sources and date checked
- Amazon: Prime at half price for young adults and students, announcement of June 2025 (in Spanish)
- Terms published by Amazon.es for delivery, returns and subscriptions, checked in October 2026
The practical advice, examples and calculators are the work of Global Store Afiliados. Facts last checked: 10 October 2026. How we check the facts: editorial methodology.
Articles about how to save on Amazon.es
- Saving
How to cancel a free trial on time: a four-step method
A method to try Prime, Audible, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited without an unexpected charge: dates, reminders and exactly where to cancel each one.
- Saving
The 48-hour method: using the wish list to spend less
How to use the Amazon.es wish list to curb impulse buying with the 48-hour rule: save the item, wait two days, decide calmly and end up buying better.
- Saving
How to read an Amazon.es product page before you buy
What to look at on an Amazon.es product page before buying: who sells, who ships, the delivery date, the returns window, price per unit and reviews.