If you're hitting any stores in-person on Black Friday, our top piece of advice is to wear a helmet, and maybe football pads.
A lot of Black Friday shopping happens online now though. So some "spending expert" posted a bunch of tips to help you prep if you're planning to shop from your couch. Here are her four best pieces of advice . . .
1. Research prices ahead of time. If you've got your eye on a TV or something, look for the best price you can find now, and write it down. Then you'll know if you're really getting a good deal on Friday. Sometimes they claim it's a huge discount when it's not.
2. Fill up your "cart" the day before. If there's something you really want, put it in your online cart now, or Thursday at the latest. You'll be able to snag it faster that way, as soon as the price drops. And some websites even let you "reserve" items that way.
3. Clear your cookies and your browser history. It can affect the price you see with some websites. So if you clear your history, you know you're seeing the true sale price.
4. Have a budget, and stick to it. It's really easy to go overboard when you're shopping online, especially on Black Friday. So don't settle for a deal unless you're really happy with it. And remember, Cyber Monday is right around the corner.
(SWNS)