Buy now or wait for a sale? Calculator
Should you buy now or wait for Black Friday? Compare the expected discount with the cost of waiting, in money and weeks.
Calculator using the discount and wait cost you enter. How we research · How links work
The short answer
On a $999 item, a 20% sale saves $200. If you wait 6 weeks and value each week at $15, waiting “costs” $90, so waiting still comes out about $110 ahead. Change the numbers to match your purchase.
Your decision
Verdict
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Example thresholds on a $1,000 purchase
| Expected discount | Saving | Break-even wait cost |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $100 | Waiting is worth it only if the hassle of waiting costs less than $100 |
| 15% | $150 | Waiting is worth it only if the hassle of waiting costs less than $150 |
| 20% | $200 | Waiting is worth it only if the hassle of waiting costs less than $200 |
| 30% | $300 | Waiting is worth it only if the hassle of waiting costs less than $300 |
Next step
If you wait, track the real price for a few weeks. A “was” price only counts if it was the normal selling price recently.
Common questions
Should I wait for Black Friday?
Only if the likely discount is bigger than what waiting costs you. A 20% cut on a $1,000 item saves $200. If waiting six weeks costs you more than that in hassle or lost use, buy now.
How big are Black Friday discounts usually?
It varies a lot by category. Many consumer electronics discounts land around 10% to 30% off recent prices, but some “sales” are not below the normal price of the past month. Our price tracker is built to check that.
What is “value of waiting”?
Your estimate of what each week without the product is worth: renting one, using a worse one, or simply not enjoying it yet. Set it to zero if waiting is free for you.
