My Black Friday and Cyber Monday Short List

I’m keeping my Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping focused this year. I try to stay on the minimalist side of things. If it doesn’t improve my work, my travel, or my daily life, I skip it. There is too much noise and far too many mediocre “deals” out there. Quality over quantity.

Here is what I’m actually buying.

Compass Tax Educators
Every tax professional needs quality education from quality people. Compass has a great deal. $50 off any on-demand class. This starts Friday, 11/28 - Monday, 12/1. Coupon code: CYBER2025.

My favorite Compass classes are:

Tax Research Process with Tom Gorczynski, EA, USTCP
This should be required for every tax professional. You need to know how to conduct research properly. This is hands down my favorite class.

Ethics (2025) with Sherrill Trovato, MBA, MST, EA, USTCP & Frank Degen, EA, USTCP
You need Ethics, and these two do a great job and make it entertaining.

4-Part Real Estate Series with Tom Gorczynski, EA, USTCP, Natalie Kolodij, EA, CRETS, and Ryan Reichert, EA, CFP
This is one of the bundles available. It covers Intro, Advanced, Common RE Problems and Solutions, and §1031.

You can’t go wrong with any of the Compass offerings, and be sure to look at the bundles.

ProtonMail
70% off. I have used ProtonMail for years. It remains my preferred secure email and VPN service. A few months ago, I discussed VPNs.

Tumi
15% off. If you travel frequently, investing in luggage that lasts makes life easier. Tumi continues to outperform almost everything else I have tried. I am partial to the Alpha Bravo series as I really like the ballistic nylon. I’m purchasing a travel wallet this year.

Peloton
I love the bike when I actually do it. I am strongly considering purchasing the Cross Training Tread. They have great Black Friday deals, as well as refurbished options.

Masterclass
This 50% offer actually ends today. I am a huge fan of Masterclass. I have subscribed for a couple of years. Some of the brightest minds have classes on their areas of expertise. A few notable people: Secretary Hillary Clinton, President George W. Bush, Ramit Sethi, Chris Voss, Martha Stewart, and the list goes on.

Maestri House Milk Frother
I’ve been needing one of these, and recently Tim Ferriss recommended it, so I thought I would give it a try. I like it. It’s not expensive and is 15% off. For all of my fellow coffee aficionados, I am working on a library/coffee room in my house and look forward to doing a post about coffee. I also enjoy tea, so I may include that since I know some of my readers do not drink coffee.

That is my short list. I try to buy fewer things, but better things. Tools that support the way I work. Gear that makes travel easier. Small upgrades that improve my daily routines. Everything else can wait.

I’m curious what you are picking up this weekend. If you found a deal that genuinely improves your workflow or simplifies your life, I would love to hear about it.

And if you are a paid subscriber and have questions about tech, gear, or tools for your practice, feel free to reach out. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

A quick note: If you noticed something a little different around here, you’re right. I recently updated the look and feel of this Substack to better match my voice and how I work. Cleaner, simpler, and more aligned with what I want to build. I hope you like the direction, and I appreciate you being here as it continues to evolve.