October sales from Amazon , Target , and Walmart are kicking off this week, luring consumers to start holiday shopping early. But is now the time to spend, or is it smarter to wait for Black Friday?

Amanda Fama, senior editor of deals and trends at Good Housekeeping , says October is a great time to start your shopping, especially if you want to get ahead financially.

"You can get all of your holiday shopping done very early and because of that, you can bypass those possible shipping delays," said Fama.

Shopping early is the safer bet for anything you're worried about selling out — like those hot holiday toys. For big-ticket items, Fama says patience can pay off.

"If you are looking for those bigger discounts on large electronics, TVs, it might be best to wait until Black Fr

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