Over the years we've found the key to Black Friday shopping success comes down to three words: Do your homework.
Many stores are already advertising their deals. Still more are going to be announced on Thanksgiving Day
And if you don't search carefully, you could be looking for the product you want on the wrong day, and at the wrong time. So here are some helpful tips:
--To avoid running around the store in circles, sites like blackfriday.gottadeal.com and BFads.net will give you a list of sale items at stores by categories.
--Get on retailers' email lists and check their websites and social media pages where you can find hidden deals and coupons. You can also see whether what you want is in stock and if you can order online for pickup.
--Not all advertised Black Friday finds are the best deals. And some items won't go on sale until Cyber Monday or even December. Use pricing sites like Google Shopping or PriceGrabber.com to see if you can get the best deal.
--Preview Products! A bad item is a bad deal, no matter what the price. Consumer Reports is a great resource for reviews. Also websites for the big box stores and Amazon have customer reviews.
--Add on free browsers like Honey or Ebates before you buy. They wil automatically add coupon codes, send discount alerts even offer cash back.
--If you plan on buying a number of similar big ticket items like electronics or appliances, call the manager ahead of time and see if they'll give you an even better deal. Some will offer additional discounts if you buy everything with them.
--I usually don't recommend this unless you pay your balance in full every month, but many store credit cards will give you an instant discount if you open an account with them. And there are some other great credit cards out there that offer warranties, so you don't have to get one from the store.
And some offer price matching guarantees and purchase protection. You can figure out which one works for you on sites like CreditCards.com.
Going in with a plan will help you score on savings, which might make your experience... bearable.