Shopping on Black Friday is unlike any other day of the year. If you want to catch the best deals, there are some things you should know before jumping into the holiday shopping madness. This page provides helpful tips and information on how to strategically shop on Black Friday, stay safe and get the best deals.

If you've never been shopping on a Black Friday, you may underestimate the competitiveness of fellow bargain-hunters. Black Friday ads and commercials stir up a frenzy and if you are not prepared, you may come home without the great items you set out for. To minimize frustration, read on for some helpful Black Friday shopping tips.

Don't just hop in the car and decide to stroll into your favorite store on Black Friday at your leisure. If you do, you won't find any parking (and if you do, be prepared for a good long walk), the stores will be jam-packed and all the 'good stuff' you saw in the commercial will be gone. Black Friday is an event, and like an athlete, you have to prepare in advance.

• Tips:

1. Make a budget in advance
2. Get a good nights sleep the night before
3. Wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes
4. Make sure you use a pocketbook that securely closes; preferably one that you can wear in front of you
5. Eat breakfast before heading out
6. Don't forget your coupons
7. Don't bring children

Leading up to Black Friday, there are a ton of print advertisements and commercials. Set some time aside to prioritize what you want and from where. Compare the Black Friday sales and find the best offers. Use the Internet as a resource for finding the best Black Friday deals, just make sure what you are looking at is an in-store offer rather than an online-only exclusive.

When you know exactly what you want, strategically plot your route beginning with the first store you plan on going to, followed by the other stores in order of travel time or best deals. You can even program your GPS to help you find alternate routes between stores in case traffic is really terrible.http://www.walletpop.com/specials/black-friday-shopping-tips

Black Friday is not the day to sleep in! In order to find what you want, you really have to be one of the first ones in line when the store opens. Make sure you get a full nights sleep.

Black Friday parking can be a nightmare around major shopping centers and malls. Decide which store you are going to hit first. If you are mall-shopping, park near your number one choice for a door-buster deal. Alternatively, if you don't plan on buying heavy items and lugging them around, park at the opposite side of the mall so you won't have to walk all the way back with your bags (think a straight walk through, hitting all the stores and coming out on the other end.)

If you must put bags/items into your car, make sure you don't leave them out in plain view. Put any bags in the trunk and lock it.http://letstalkhomesecurity.com/?p=2053 If you have a car alarm, set it. If you have a shopping buddy willing to stand guard (by sipping coffee in the parked car) you can always run in and hit another store knowing the items in your car are safe.

Let's face it, you can't be in two places at once. So how do you get that awesome flat-screen at store A's doorbuster sale and the great deal on the hot toy of 2009 at store B's sale? Try the tag-team Black Friday approach. Find a shopping buddy to tackle one store, armed with your 'wanted' list. In return, you take their list to the other store. You both win.