It is that time of the year: Prepare for Black Friday’s mayhem

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During Black Friday (November 25), shops are crazy busy. It is a mad rush of shoppers trying to get the best deals.

Black Friday originated in America. It is the day after Thanksgiving that is regarded as the beg inning of the Christmas shopping season.

Retailers open earlier and offer amazing promotional offers.

According to Wikipedia, an alternative explanation is that retailers traditionally operated at a financial loss (“in the red”) from January through November, and “Black Friday” indicates the point at which retailers begin to turn a profit, or “in the black”.

So get ready for Black Friday once again as it is is a going to be a crazy day of shopping!

The Advertiser sniffed around on the Internet and found some tips on how to approach Black Friday as a shopper:

* Do Recon Ahead of Time

It seems one needs to be prepared ahead of time before jumping into Black Friday.  This means coming up with a specific game plan and even doing a little advanced research.

Once you know what’s going to be on sale, you can shop accordingly to a plan and purpose.  Once you have your list ready of what you need and where, decide which stores you will need to visit first.

* Work as a team

If your friends and family are also into Black Friday, consider a divide-and-conquer strategy.

This means coordinating with friends. One can even have a designated driver to make sure the entire “operation” goes smoothly.

* Keep yourself fueled

Shopping can take a lot out of you physically, and marathon shopping of the Black Friday caliber can easily make you tired and testy.

So make sure you are fueled up on beverages and snacks throughout the day to endure the shopping marathon.

* Make It Fun

Dealing with long lines, harried crowds and stressed-out cashiers can be a nightmare if you don’t go into with the right mindset. So, do what you can to make the day enjoyable.

Shop with a friend you haven’t seen in awhile, and use the long waits as a chance to catch up. Treat yourself to your snacks or comfort food.

For this who want to think out of the box, tun Black Friday into a date!

* Avoid the stores and shop online

More and more Black Friday deals are now going online. So browse around before jumping in your car to find the best deals.

* Prioritize your shopping list.

When making your list of items you need to buy, list them first by store and then by order of importance. This will put the “must find” items at the top so you can first focus on finding them as you visit each store.

When you get there, first walk to that department to find the item you want.

* Have a backup plan.

With the number of people shopping, there will be instances where you will not find the item you want. That means you need to have backup plan in place.

Add a second item to your list, just in case you can’t find the one thing you really want.

* Leave the kids at home.

It is advisable to leave your children at home. Patience is required on Black Friday.

There is a lot of time standing in line. No one likes to hear “I’m bored” or “Can’t we go home?”. Leave them with your spouse or a friend and just enjoy your shopping day.

* Get out early.

It means less sleep, but the sooner you can get to the store, the more likely you will find the items you want. Plan on waking up early (or staying up really late) to get the items on your list.

*  Shop late.

Retailers want to keep the shoppers in the store all day long. They sometimes offer late shopper deals in addition to the early bird offers.

So instead of getting up early, rather go in much later to avoid the mad rush. You might be able to sleep in, avoid the crowds and still score an amazing deal.

*  Follow your budget (and use cash).

Before you even make a list, you need to know your budget. Once that is set, get cash. Leave the credit cards at home. You’ll think more about every purchase and reduce impulse shopping if you have cash. There is no way you can overspend – as you don’t have the money to do it.

*  Remember not everything is really a deal.

Not everything on Black Friday is always a deal. Often times, retailers do not have to offer their lowest prices until closer to December 25. That may mean the item on sale on Black Friday might even be lower during the middle of December. So avoid over compulsive shopping.

* Talk to people in line.

This is actually a fun one!  Every time you are in line, chat with people around you. If you see something they have in their hand or cart and you want one, ask where they found it.

This will help you track down unique gift ideas just by standing in line.