Tips for Shopping on Black Friday

Black Friday is a busy and hectic day that many people avoid at all costs. Long lines, crowds, hot deals that don't last and limited supply are all the makings of a bombarded toy or electronic aisle. For these reasons, many people decide to skip the day after Thanksgiving sales and do their Christmas shopping online or at a later time.

For those that are brave, or as some would say, "crazy" enough to shop on Black Friday, there are ways to make the most our of your experience.

1. How not to carry large amounts of cash.

Some people worry about carrying large amounts of cash with them in such large and energetic crowds. To ease your mind about carrying cash, simply don't do it! Or carry very little. You obviously need money to spend, but there are ways around carrying cash.

Look at the Black Friday ads and determine what stores you will be shopping at. Go to those stores before the big day and purchase gift cards for yourself. The amounts will depend on your budget, needs and other factors. Now you can feel safer by carrying a prepaid cash card! (and not having to run up a credit card).

2. Plan ahead for hot ticket items.

As for getting a hot ticket item that is in limited supply, you have to plan ahead. Most electronics like televisions and laptops are sold really cheap but stores will have only 20-40 available. To increase your chances of getting one, you have to be in line early. Depending on the product and how "hot" the deal is, you may have to wait in line at the store over night.

3. Organize a route for shopping.

One problem Black Friday shoppers face is so many stores, so little quantity. There are often a handful of stores you want to visit to grab a hot deal, but you can't be in several places at once, unless you deploy family and friends. If you are shopping alone, determine which store has the most necessary item on your list and go from there.

Make a plan of which stores you will be going to and in what order. Get in and out of those stores as quickly as possible and you have a good chance of scoring all of your "wants" at each store. Some people have "hired" friends to go to stores for them and grab their items. This method works, but is extreme.

These are just some tips to help you with shopping on Black Friday. With a bit of patience and advance planning there isn’t any reason why you can’t score some deals. Just be sure that you are making purchases that make sense, and don’t get carried away because of the sale prices.