Black Friday 2011: Get the Sales Deals at Walmart and Target by Planning Ahead

To get the best Black Friday deals, remember these tips

By Ray Downs, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Black Friday can provide great deals, but sometimes on of the biggest shopping days of the year can also be the most stressful – and the most disappointing.

Shoppers wait for hours in front of Walmart, Target and Best Buy thinking they will get unbelievable Black Friday deals, like $100 big-screen TVs and $99 laptops. But by the time they get in the store, sales items are gone. How can one avoid making Black Friday a "blue" Friday? Plan, plan, plan.

Here's how:

Know what you want to buy before you go

When stores like Walmart, Target and Best Buy announce their Black Friday specials, look to see what you want and make a list. This not only makes you better prepared to get what you want during the mad dash of scrambling customers, but it also helps you avoid making impulse buys. If you know what you want, you are less willing to buy things you do not need.

Also, when shoppers are getting such great deals on certain items, they tend to splurge on other items. That $3,000 big screen TV might not seem so pricey after you got a $100 laptop, but when you check your bank account the next day, you might change your mind.

Even though Black Friday deals seem incredible, prices can add up fast, so do not get caught up in the shopping craze and get stuck paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars over budget.

Make a map

If you do not know the Walmart or Target by your home like the back of your hand, go ahead and visit the store you plan on going to a few days before Black Friday. There will be a lot of people shopping on Black Friday, so you want to know exactly where you are going so you don't get lost and, by the time you get to where you need, find that what you wanted is gone.

Also, do not be ashamed to write down the aisle number of where your item might be. It could mean the difference between getting that $50 Black Friday TV and missing out on a great deal.

Leave the kids at home

Considering that you will most likely be out either late at night or early in the morning, this might be common sense. Also, the crowds will be maddening and maybe even dangerous for a small child. However, some people simply forget to find a babysitter. So, find one. Maybe you can even make a deal with him or her that you will endure the Black Friday insanity as repayment for watching your kids.