It's time to shop! It's that time of year again when the brave individuals who really want to take advantage of some Black Friday deals will wake up at 4am and venture out to their favorite store.

It can be difficult to get your hands on all of the best deals, so you're going to have to form a plan of attack!  Below is a list of 10 shopping tips which might be the difference between saving a lot, or just wasting a lot of time.

Check the end for a bonus tip or two which might really save you money too!

Look at Online Buying Guides first
For those of you who already have the your desired items in mind (TV, Laptop, Camera, Printer, GPS, Vacuum Machine, etc), there are existing Black Friday buying guides for each popular category, so that you only need to do minimal research.

Start your Black Friday on Thursday
A lot of the big stores will have most of their Black Friday sales online from Thursday, until the following Monday. Avoid the crowd by shopping Black Friday Deals Online.

Plan Ahead, Know Your Stores
Go to the stores on Wednesday (many are closed on Thursday) and make sure you know where the sections you’ll need are located. This will ensure you to grab the best deals within minimal time.

Different stores have different opening times. Make sure you have a clear plan on which one to go first, second, and third, etc…

Do Price Comparison Online Before You Go
Sometimes you will be spending the whole Black Friday morning buying things you thought are cheap, only to find that they are actually cheaper online. Do the price research online first before you go.

Bring the Black Friday Ads
Be sure to have the Black Friday ads on hand. It’s not only for your own reference; many stores have price match policy, so you can show them the exact product in other stores which could be being advertised for less.

Free After Rebate Items
There are a lot of Free After Rebate Items during Black Friday Sale. However, do remember to submit the rebates on time, and also keep a copy of the rebate form in case your rebate mail gets lost.

Go to the Less Crowded Store
It may take you longer to drive to a store which is further away and located in a less populated city, but that extra drive might worth it — you will find less people in the store and have better chance to get that hot item you want.

Bring Someone Along with You
Remember that long checkout line? It would be nice if someone comes along with you and start in that line while you are in the store fetching things….

Go For the Less Popular Items First
This one might surprise a lot of you, but sometimes you should go for the less popular items first! If you get into the store very late and don’t feel you have a good chance of getting the really hot items, change your strategy and go for the less popular items first.

Use the Credit Card with Best Protection
You never know what will happen to your Black Friday purchase. Always use the credit card with the best Warranty Coverage, return protection, and sale price protection — Some of the credit card companies will offer this protection and refund you the difference if a product you buy is marked down further than the price you paid within a certain time frame (usually 60 days).

Bonus tips:

If you can, just do all of your shopping online and stay home! With careful research you can find similar deals online at sites such as Amazon.com and Newegg.com. Many times these sites offer free shipping too, which really adds up!  If you still decide to go out to shop, be sure not to forget your body armor!

Use those Gift Cards! If you have gift cards you have been holding onto for a while, make an effort to stop by those stores so you can use up that gift card.  You might just find an excellent gift and not have to spend anything to get it.

Have any saving tips to share?  I'd love to hear your ideas on how to best Black Friday, so please post them below.

As always, Keep Budgeting!

Chris