That being said, most retailers begin rolling out "early Black Friday deals" well ahead of time (days, if not weeks in advance). Some draw things out even longer with Black Friday discounts that bleed into the following weekend. In practice, Black Friday is not restricted to a rigid 24-hour timeframe.

Right now you can score some epic Ring deals, like the Ring Battery Doorbell on sale for $59 at Amazon. This is 40% off and its lowest price ever. You can also get the Echo Dot Jack Skellington bundle for $62 at Amazon ($27 off) which is perfect for Halloween.

That's a reminder that 1) sometimes it pays to think big and 2) you never know when the next memorable sale is going to come your way. Here's a hint — it's probably hiding in plain sight in Amazon's weekly sales blitz, some of whose deals rival Black Friday prices.