I'm all for a deal. As a personal finance editor -- and a naturally frugal person -- scoring something I want for a bargain is one of my favorite dopamine hits. In the past, I've made a point of shopping Black Friday sales to check off my holiday gift list and occasionally get a little something for myself.

If Thanksgiving and Black Friday mark the official start of the holiday season, the logic follows that they may be the best time to buy holiday gifts if you haven’t already. After all, waiting much longer to check everyone off your gifting list after this point will be cutting it pretty close — and who wouldn’t want to score some serious savings on gifts that are both fun and practical?

Black Friday is still a few weeks away, but that's not stopping big-name brands and retailers from launching their sales events early. Our staff of professional shoppers is already seeing discounts on some of our favorite products across a range of categories,