Black Friday is still regarded as one of the best shopping days of the year — if not the best — with its 24 hours of must-have deals. But is Black Friday really the best day to do all your holiday shopping?

SEE ALSO: Are You Ready for Black Friday 2019? Here's Everything You Need to Know!

Depending on what you're looking for, the answer might be no. Read on to learn what to buy on Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday this year.

Thanksgiving Beats Black Friday and Cyber Monday

The Black Friday "creep" is real, and it seems to stretch more every year. That means the entire month of November can boast worthy deals. However, if you don't want to spend those 30 days tangled up in shopping, Thanksgiving may offer the best chance to save.

Consider our deal numbers from last year: we listed more deals on Thanksgiving than on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Note that Turkey Day and the following Monday had a similar amount of Staff Pick deals, the offers that earn our "best of the best" designation.

Even though Thanksgiving might win by sheer volume of deals, that doesn't mean they'll be the best ones for your needs. Your ideal day to shop will depend on the items you're shopping for.

Thanksgiving vs. Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday

To help you craft a smart shopping plan, we've taken a deep dive into our data from Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday 2018. Check out the infographic below for the best days to shop specific categories. (You can click to enlarge the image, if needed.)

Remember: These trends are based on the 2018 Black Friday season and are not fixed rules. Trends change from year to year, so it's best to keep an eye on all the deals throughout the Black Friday season.

Readers, what are you going to shop for on Black Friday? Do you prefer to shop the day itself, or do you take advantage of Thanksgiving or Cyber Monday sales? Let us know in the comments below!