Holiday retail sales in November and December are forecast to top $1 trillion this year, according to the National Retail Federation. That’s up 4.2% from 2025.
But that forecast doesn’t capture how some shoppers plan to earn extra money ahead of Black Friday.
To dig deeper, KashKick surveyed 93,577 members of its rewards app between Sept. 21 and Oct. 23, 2026. The results show that for many rewards app users, Black Friday preparation begins weeks before the sales do.
Forty-one percent of respondents plan to take on gig work or a side hustle in the weeks before Black Friday specifically to fund their holiday shopping. Nearly half (48%) of those respondents would be first-time holiday hustlers.
“What stood out to us is how many members treat Black Friday as something they earn toward, not just something they spend on. Nearly half of our members planning extra holiday gig work this year would be doing it for the first time. They’re planning to earn extra money before the shopping begins.”
— Katie Nelson, head of consumer research at KashKick
Here’s how KashKick members are earning, researching, flipping and budgeting their way through the biggest shopping weekend of the year.
Key Findings
- Repeat holiday hustlers are more likely than shoppers who have never done holiday gig work to combine savings tools (61% vs. 36%) and stick to a hard budget (33% vs. 19%).
- 13% of Black Friday shoppers plan to flip deals for profit this year, and 45% of those planners would be first-time flippers.
- 29% of Black Friday shoppers say they’ve carried Black Friday purchases on a credit card past the due date. That share peaks at 39% among shoppers ages 55-64, compared with 12% of those ages 18-24.
Black Friday Isn’t Just About Spending
The 41% includes 21% who have taken on holiday gig work before and plan to again, plus 20% who plan to try it for the first time this year. Another 11% have done it in past years but don’t plan to this year, while 48% have never done it.
4 in 10 Rewards App Users Plan Holiday Gig Work to Fund Black Friday
Taking on extra gig work or a side hustle in the weeks before Black Friday to fund holiday shopping. All respondents, n=93,577
Younger Respondents and Those With Kids at Home Are More Likely to Plan Holiday Gig Work
Younger respondents are more likely to plan holiday gig work. Those ages 18-24 and 25-34 (46% each) are twice as likely as respondents ages 65 and older (23%) to plan extra work.
Holiday Gig Work Plans Decline With Age
Share who plan holiday gig work to fund Black Friday shopping this year, by age. All respondents, n=93,577
Respondents with children under 18 in their households are also more likely to plan holiday gig work than those without children at home (46% vs. 36%). Plans generally decline as household income rises, from 44% of respondents earning under $50,000 to 29% of those earning $150,000 or more.
“I’m not sure I would even be able to pull off any type of holiday gifts without an extra gig.”
— KashKick member, age 45-54, parent
The Most Common Types of Holiday Gig Work
Among respondents who have done holiday gig work in prior years, the most common ways they’ve earned extra money are:
- Selling their own belongings (not resale flipping): 37%
- Rideshare or delivery: 30%
- Odd jobs or task apps: 24%
- Seasonal retail or warehouse work: 23%
- Babysitting: 20%
Respondents could select multiple answers.
Most Holiday Hustlers Enjoy the Work and Plan to Continue
Nearly two-thirds (63%) of past holiday hustlers say they really or somewhat enjoy the extra work, while 12% say they don't really enjoy it or dislike it. Fifty-nine percent plan to continue gig work after the holidays. That includes 34% who plan to maintain their current hours and 25% who plan to spend less time on the work.
Among past holiday hustlers, 66% of those planning to work again this year expect to continue after the holidays, compared with 48% of those who aren't planning to take on holiday gig work this year.
How Black Friday Shoppers Hunt for Deals and Save
Earning extra money is only one part of the Black Friday hustle. Respondents also report researching deals, combining savings tools and setting budgets to make their money go further.
Repeat Holiday Hustlers Shop More Deliberately
Among Black Friday shoppers, repeat holiday hustlers report more deliberate shopping habits than those who have never done holiday gig work. They're more likely to combine savings tools (61% vs. 36%) and more likely to set a hard budget and stick to it (33% vs. 19%).
Repeat Holiday Hustlers Are More Likely to Stack Savings Tools and Set Hard Budgets
Black Friday shoppers who have done holiday gig work before and will again vs. those who never have
Looking at Black Friday shoppers overall, 24% say they set a hard budget and stick to it. That share declines as household income rises, from 29% among respondents earning under $50,000 to 11% among those earning $150,000 or more.
“What's interesting is the overlap between earning and saving. Members returning to holiday gig work are also more likely to combine savings tools and stick to firm budgets.”
— Katie Nelson, head of consumer research at KashKick
The Black Friday Deal-Hunting Playbook
Most Black Friday shoppers (76%) report at least one deal-hunting behavior. Comparing prices across three or more retailers is the most common (42%), followed by tracking a specific item’s price for weeks before Black Friday (34%).
Comparing 3 or More Retailers Is the Most Common Deal-Hunting Move
Deal-hunting behaviors reported by Black Friday shoppers, n=73,897. Respondents could select multiple answers.
Eighty-four percent of shoppers always or sometimes compare in-store and online prices before buying. Nearly half (48%) follow at least one deal-discussion community, most often Facebook deal groups (35%) and Instagram deal accounts (21%).
How Shoppers Stack Savings Tools
Nearly half (45%) of Black Friday shoppers say they deliberately combine cash back apps, coupon stacking or price-comparison tools to maximize savings. Another 15% use one tool without combining it with others.
Savings-tool stacking is relatively consistent across stated household income brackets, ranging from 45% to 49%. Respondents with and without children under 18 in their households also report identical rates (45%).
More Research Time, Higher Reported Savings
Among shoppers who provided a savings estimate for last year’s Black Friday, the most common range was $51 to $100 (26%), and 36% estimated saving $101 or more.
Shoppers who report spending more time researching deals are also more likely to estimate saving $101 or more:
- Less than 1 hour of research: 20%
- 1-3 hours: 33%
- 4-6 hours: 51%
- 7-10 hours: 59%
- More than 10 hours: 64%
Both research time and savings are self-reported, so this relationship doesn't establish that more research produces greater savings. Shoppers who combine savings tools are also more likely to report saving $101 or more (41%) than those who use one tool or none (29% each).
The Black Friday Resale Hustle
For some bargain hunters, the goal isn't just to spend less. It's to earn money from what they buy.
Thirteen percent of Black Friday shoppers plan to resell or “flip” Black Friday deals for profit this year, and 45% of those planners would be first-timers. Eleven percent have flipped deals before. Among past flippers, 37% say they won't flip this year.
Younger respondents are the most likely to plan to flip deals. Eighteen percent of shoppers ages 18-24 plan to do so, more than twice the rate of those ages 65 and older (8%). Planned flipping also generally declines as household income rises, from 15% of shoppers earning under $50,000 to 9% of those earning $100,000 or more.
Younger Respondents Are the Most Likely to Plan to Flip Black Friday Deals
Share of Black Friday shoppers who plan to resell Black Friday deals for profit this year, by age. n=73,897
Clothes and Tech Top the Resale List
Among past Black Friday flippers, the most commonly targeted resale categories are clothes (61%), tech and electronics (53%), home goods (46%), sneakers and footwear (45%), gaming consoles and accessories (43%) and toys (43%).
Facebook Marketplace is the most commonly used resale platform (64%), followed by in-person or local sales (47%) and eBay (34%). Respondents could select multiple categories and platforms.
Flipping Isn’t a Sure Thing
Nearly half (48%) of past flippers say they've had an unsuccessful flip, meaning they couldn't sell the item. Another 12% aren't sure or haven't tracked it.
Unsuccessful flips were slightly more common among respondents who plan to flip again this year (50%) than among those who don't (45%).
How Black Friday Shoppers Manage Spending and Credit
Gifts are the main focus of Black Friday shopping for many respondents. Three-quarters (75%) say most of their Black Friday shopping is for gifts for others, while 38% shop for essentials and 29% for treats for themselves or their households. Respondents could select multiple answers.
How shoppers pay for those purchases is another part of the picture. Nearly three in 10 Black Friday shoppers (29%) say they've carried Black Friday purchases on a credit card past the due date. Another 45% say they've always paid off their Black Friday purchases by the due date, while 26% aren't sure or preferred not to answer.
The share reporting this experience generally increases with age and income, though the trend isn't consistent across every group:
- By age: The rate rises from 12% among shoppers ages 18-24 to 39% among those ages 55-64, before dipping to 36% among those ages 65 and older.
- By income: The rate increases from 23% among shoppers earning under $50,000 to 42% among those earning $100,000-$149,999, before declining to 40% among those earning $150,000 or more.
The survey didn't ask why respondents carried balances, so these figures describe their reported experiences, not the reasons behind them.
Reported Black Friday Credit Card Balances Peak Among Shoppers 55-64
Share of Black Friday shoppers who have carried Black Friday purchases on a credit card past the due date, by age. Excludes N/A, n=70,905
In Their Own Words
More than 14,500 KashKick members shared additional thoughts about Black Friday. Common themes included excitement about Black Friday, interest in finding deals and frustration with crowds. Some respondents also described preferring to shop online to avoid the in-store rush.
“My dad and I used to make it a whole day of strategic planning. It was the only thing we bonded over as a kid because we both loved to strategize the Black Friday sales.”
— KashKick member, age 25-34, parent
“It has changed so much over the years, I like how I can get the Black Friday deals online, so I can avoid crowds but still get the good deals”
— KashKick member, age 35-44
“We live paycheck to paycheck, so if we can find the best deals for Black Friday, those are the ones we go for, especially since we have two young children.”
— KashKick member, age 35-44, parent
The Takeaway
For many KashKick members, Black Friday preparation starts weeks before the sales. Forty-one percent of respondents plan to take on extra work to fund their holiday shopping, while 76% of Black Friday shoppers report at least one deal-hunting behavior, such as comparing prices or tracking discounts.
Some shoppers also see Black Friday deals as an opportunity to make money through resale. But flipping doesn't always pay off: Nearly half of past flippers say they've had an item they couldn't sell.
Together, the findings show that Black Friday is about more than finding deals. For these rewards app users, it's also about earning extra money, stretching their budgets and navigating the financial trade-offs of holiday shopping.
Methodology
KashKick surveyed 93,577 members about Black Friday shopping, gig work and reselling from Sept. 21 to Oct. 23, 2026. All respondents were existing KashKick members. Findings reflect self-reported experiences and plans within this group. They are not weighted and should not be interpreted as representative of the U.S. population.
Themes in open-ended responses were identified through keyword coding, and individual comments could reflect multiple themes. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding or questions that allowed multiple responses.
To learn more about the rewards app, see how KashKick works.
