When they first began, Friends and Family events were largely available only to actual friends and family members of store employees.
Today it’s pretty rare to find a Friends and Family Sale that’s closed off like that.
In fact, to get access to these sales, all you really need to do is sign up for an email newsletter or download an app.
What are the best Friends and Family sales? Here are our Top 10:
1. Get savings of up to 60% during Gap’s Friends & Family Sale.
Three times a year — in March, August and November — Gap offers a Friends & Family Sale. In March and August you can expect to see 40% off everything, plus an additional 10% off.
But if you don’t shop Gap at any other time of the year, you must shop November’s Friends and Family Sale, because you can get 50% off, plus an additional 10% off.
You might need a promo code, but it’s typically posted online during the sale.
See Gap’s latest deals
2. Enjoy 50% off everything — even clearance — during Old Navy’s Friends and Family Sale.
Similar to Gap’s Friends and Family Sale, promo codes are posted on Old Navy’s site, and the sale is really easy and clean — 50% off absolutely everything twice a year in March and November.
See Old Navy’s latest deals
3. Score Pottery Barn’s biggest discount (20% off) during the Friends & Family Sale.
Join Pottery Barn’s email list in order to be sure you’ll have access to the Friends & Family Sale.
Four times a year (February, April, June and October) Pottery Barn offers 20% off your purchase. Cardholders can typically get an additional 10% or 15% back in rewards points, too.
I know 20% off doesn’t seem like a lot in general, but it’s one of the biggest discounts you can get at Pottery Barn. If you’re planning a purchase, it’s worth it to wait a few months to get these savings.
4. Ravage Macy’s clearance racks during the Friends & Family Sale for the best savings.
Macy’s Friends & Family sales show up twice a year in April and December.
Total savings can reach about 55% because Macy’s offers 30% off everything with an additional 10% or 25% off select departments.
This is a decent discount! But to get the most bang for your buck, first hunt through the clearance items if you’re in store.
Online, use a promo code like “FRIEND” to get additional savings. Be sure to learn how to shop Macy’s like a pro before the next sale.
See Macy’s latest deals
5. Get an extra dollar off when you spend $10 during Dollar Tree’s Friends & Family Event.
Yep, Dollar Tree runs an annual Friends & Family Sale, too! It happens on the third Sunday in July every year.
Be sure to sign up for Dollar Tree emails, because the coupon for 10% off your purchase of $10.00 or more will for sure show up via email. In the past, they offered the coupon in store, but last year this was hit or miss.
You cannot use manufacturer coupons with the Friends & Family coupon, and it’s only valid in store.
See Dollar Tree’s latest deals
RELATED: 22 Things Every Shopper Should Know About Dollar Tree
6. Shop Kohl’s Friends and Family Sale in the fall for up to 70% off your entire purchase.
Kohl’s runs their best Friends and Family Event from October through December. Instead of 20% off like we see during Friends and Family sales in March, May, July and August, you can get 25% off sitewide, PLUS $10 in Kohl’s Cash when you spend $50.
But the real magic happens when you also have a dollar-off promo code, a departmental discount code (like 10% off Back-to-School) and some Kohl’s Cash to spend — because you can stack all four of these codes online!
Stacking codes will bring your savings from a Friends and Family Event from 25% off to more like up to 70% off — plus you’ll earn Kohl’s Cash!
See Kohl’s latest deals
7. Get sale prices plus store rewards at the Bloomingdale’s Friends & Family Sale.
Look for Bloomingdale’s Friends & Family sales in April, September and December every year.
You can get up to 25% off certain items, plus loyalty program members (“Loyallists” — yep, spelled just like that) can get a $25 reward card for every $100 spent, which is essentially like an additional 25% savings.
8. Stock up on beer and wine during World Market’s Friends & Family Event.
World Market’s Friends & Family events happen in May and October every year.
Plan to get 30% off everything except food and beverages. You can get 10% off those, including beer and wine.
Typically the promo code is “FRIENDS,” but it’ll be available on the website during the sale.
If you like imported wine and beer, this is a great time to stock up since even 10% off is a great discount on alcohol.
Learn more about how to save at World Market.
9. Get an additional 25% off during JCPenney’s Friends and Family Sale.
Look for a promo code for an extra 25% off during Black Friday and into December. Cardholders get 30% off.
This is the one time of year you can plan on a JCP Friends and Family Sale — because although we’ve seen the sale during other months like October, June and August, JCPenney’s Friends and Family Sale dates are not an exact science.
Get on JCPenney’s email list to find out when the next Friends and Family Event is happening, but make sure you know how to shop JCPenney first.
See JCPenney’s latest deals
10. Download the Nike app to get access to Friends & Family events.
Nike Friends & Family events typically run for five days during February and July.
When you download the Nike app, a coupon for 30% off your entire purchase will show up the morning the sale begins.
The coupons are only good at Nike Factory stores.
Find out how to shop Nike Factory stores and pay less than everyone else.
See Nike’s latest deals
UP NEXT: Here’s How to Save Big by Buying Toys from Target
Tell us what you think