Don’t Cash Out: Tips for Black Friday Shopping

How to stretch your dollar the day after Thanksgiving.

Is a Health Care Plan on Your Shopping List? - The Department of Health and Human Services has teamed up with Westfield Shopping Centers, the National Community Pharmacists Association and the XO Group, parent company of websites like The Knot, The Nest and The Bump, to promote Obamacare to shoppers looking for great deals on Black Friday, Small Business Sunday and Cyber Monday. Open enrollment for 2015 began on Nov. 15 and ends on Feb. 15.   (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

1 / 9

Black Friday Tips - Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, is rapidly approaching. The average shopper spent $423 or more during Thanksgiving weekend in 2012. It’s important to be a smart shopper and purchase what you need at the lowest prices. Check out BET.com’s tips that help you manage your time and money this year.   —Dominique Zonyéé(Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

/content/dam/betcom/images/2012/03/National-03-16-03-31/032912-national-polls-of-the-week-economy.jpg

2 / 9

Don’t Spend Beyond Your Means - The unemployment rate among African-Americans is twice as high as it is for whites. Debt is a major concern for Blacks across the nation, as 94 percent of Blacks have some type of debt compared to 82 percent for the general population. While a major amount of debt comes from education and personal loans, credit-card debt is highest among Blacks.(Photo:    REUTERS /ERIC THAYER /LANDOV)

Make a Budget and Stick to It - Blind shopping — or planning a mega shopping trip such as Black Friday without making a budget — could be financial suicide. Go online and price your favorite items before you hit the stores. Also do an assessment of your finances to determine how much you can spend per item. You can stick to a budget with the Christmas List app here.(Photo: Jamie Grill/Getty Images)

3 / 9

Make a Budget and Stick to It - Blind shopping — or planning a mega shopping trip such as Black Friday without making a budget — could be financial suicide. Go online and price your favorite items before you hit the stores. Also do an assessment of your finances to determine how much you can spend per item. You can stick to a budget with the Christmas List app here.(Photo: Jamie Grill/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Jamie Grill/Getty Images

Technology Is Your Friend - Before you embark on the shopping experience of a lifetime, make sure your smart phone is charged and loaded with apps that will enhance your shopping experience. Apps such as Shop Savvy, Red Laser and Price Grabber will let you scan bar codes, compare prices and more. Also check the Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts for your favorite stores to get their latest deals.(Photo: Tetra Images/Getty Images)

4 / 9

Technology Is Your Friend - Before you embark on the shopping experience of a lifetime, make sure your smart phone is charged and loaded with apps that will enhance your shopping experience. Apps such as Shop Savvy, Red Laser and Price Grabber will let you scan bar codes, compare prices and more. Also check the Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts for your favorite stores to get their latest deals.(Photo: Tetra Images/Getty Images)

Collect Recommendations and Testimonials - Not just the old school kind, though. Did someone just big you up on Twitter? Reply and retweet, then screenshot it and post it on your website.  (Photo: Stockbyte/Getty Images)

5 / 9

Map Out Your Shopping Route - Shopping aimlessly can result in spending more money. Once you’ve figured out what you need, make a store-to-store plan so that you don’t wander into stores that are not on your shopping list. For store hours at some of your favorite shops, visit here. (Photo: Stockbyte/Getty Images)

ADVERTISEMENT
Too Much Shopping Therapy - “When you do it excessively, shopping therapy can do more harm than good. One of the things that you might want to do is rather than going to the mall, let your fingers do the shopping by comparison shopping online,” Owens said. “Some stores offer web-only deals. And if you'd rather make your purchases in person, see which store has the best deal first by checking online. This is a great way to avoid impulse shopping and to become a more conscious spender.”   (Photo: GettyImages)

6 / 9

Shop in Packs - The more, the merrier. When you shop in a pack, you can target more stores or various departments within the same stores. Plus, lines will be super long: Use your friends to stand in line while you make quick purchases.(Photo: Altrendo Images/Getty Images)

Let’s Make a Deal - Who doesn’t love to save with a great deal? Check out these stores for their holiday deals: Gap, Target, Sears, Barnes & Noble, Express, Best Buy, Walmart. If you don’t find what you are looking for there, visit Gotta Deal here. Also, take a look at apps such as Living Social, Google Shopper and Amazon Price Checker for savings now.(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

7 / 9

Let’s Make a Deal - Who doesn’t love to save with a great deal? Check out these stores for their holiday deals: Gap, Target, Sears, Barnes & Noble, Express, Best Buy, Walmart. If you don’t find what you are looking for there, visit Gotta Deal here. Also, take a look at apps such as Living Social, Google Shopper and Amazon Price Checker for savings now.(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Customer Pulls Out Gun at Sears in Texas - Things became violent quickly at a Sears in San Antonio, Texas, when a man reportedly argued with customers and punched one in the face to get to the front of a checkout line. Tensions rose when another man pulled out a gun. There was no shooting and the man who skipped the line fled the scene. (Photo: Carlo Allegri/Getty Images)

8 / 9

Safety First - Black Friday shopping can be hectic. Millions of people will be trying to snag the same deals. So be careful: At a Valley Stream, New York, Walmart in 2008, three people were killed after a mob of shoppers trampled them to death entering the store.(Photo: Carlo Allegri/Getty Images)

Shop 'Til You Drop - Now that you've read our tips, we wish you a Happy Black Friday! Go and get your shop on!(Photo: KidStock/Getty Images)

9 / 9

Shop 'Til You Drop - Now that you've read our tips, we wish you a Happy Black Friday! Go and get your shop on!(Photo: KidStock/Getty Images)