5 Tips For Black Friday Shopping

Even though the deals should be plentiful, you shouldn't start Black Friday without a game plan. Here are five tips on how to make the most of the biggest shopping day of the year:

1-Create a Game Plan

If you head into the Black Friday sale melee without a strategy, two things are almost certain: You will overspend, and you won't get the deals that lured you into the stores in the first place.Start by making a list of people to buy for, including the maximum amount you plan to spend on each gift.

2-Forego Sleep

Want to snag Sears's much-hyped door-buster, a 46-inch Sharp Aquos LCD flat-panel for $999.99? You're not alone. Shoppers have been buzzing for weeks over the 60% discount off the TV's regular $2,500 price tag.

3-Use the Internet to Your Advantage

Beat other shoppers to the punch by going online. Not only do many retailers offer online-only deals that you can't get in the stores, but as early as Thanksgiving Day, they also start offering Black Friday discounts on the web, says Dan de Grandpre, founder of bargain-hunting site Dealnews.com.

4-Compare Prices While Shopping

Not all Black Friday deals make it into the promotional ads, so it's likely you'll come across surprise discounts while you're wandering the aisles. So, if you want to know if the $89 Kodak M853 digital camera you just found at Target is better than the price offered at Radio Shack or Staples, just whip out your cellphone.

5-Keep Your Identity Safe

Identity theft and fraud run rampant during the holiday shopping season. The number of reports about lost and stolen wallets peak in November and December, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center.