Thanksgiving is coming soon and that always gets me thinking about the Black Friday deals. There are some good deals to be found on Black Friday if you are looking to save money. Black Friday is one crazy day, though. It starts early and many wait in a line outside in the cold to get the deals they want. Here are a few tips to help you survive and get the most for your money.

Plan Early

Black Friday ads usually come out on Thanksgiving. This year several places had sneak peeks of the ads earlier and many places are having deals starting on Thursday evening. Take some time and sit down to make a plan of what items you will be going after. This will make your morning go a lot smoother.

Set a Budget Before Making Your List

Before making a list of the items you are going after, make a budget of what you plan to spend. This will help you stay within your means and not get tempted to buy other items just because they are on sale.

Compare Prices

Not all sales are created equal. Make sure you compare prices at other stores to make sure your deal really is the best deal you can find. For example, one department store is advertizing the Kindle Fire on the front of its Black Friday ad for $199. Why go and wait in line for an item you can buy online for the same price? That really is not much of a deal, unless you just want it right then.

Shop Only for Deals

When going out to find Black Friday deals, only shop for the deals. Don’t try to get all of your Christmas presents at once. You will get tired real fast and it will all become overwhelming. I have found that lots of stores will continue to have mark downs until Christmas and sometimes it is better to wait for an item, especially if you do not have the money on the day of Black Friday.

Take a Friend

Getting the best deals can be really hard if you go shopping alone. Take a friend and make a plan to help each other get what you both want. One Black Friday my husband stayed in electronics for some deals we wanted, while I stayed in the toy area. We were able to get all the items we wanted by shopping together.

Leave the Kids at Home

Black Friday can be a really wild time. You have to be fast to get the deals on the items you want. It is so hard to take the kids with you and get what you want. Black Friday also starts really early and most kids are too tired to be very happy. You will be dealing with a really cranky crew.

Limit Yourself to a Few Stores

Don’t try to hit everywhere. You will probably not get all the deals you want anyway. Plan to shop at only a few stores that day. Go to the store that has the deal you want most first. You might find yourself running all around and not getting any deals you really want if you do not limit yourself.

Shop Online

If you want to sleep in or stay at home in your pajamas, you can still get some deals online. There are some online deals on the actual Black Friday, but most wait until the first Monday after Thanksgiving to post deals. This day is known as Cyber Monday.