Black Friday marks the beginning of holiday shopping season and is one, if not the, biggest and busiest shopping day of the year. Black Friday is an annual occurrence happening every Friday following Thanksgiving in the United States. On the big day retail stores open up their doors super early to hordes of eager shoppers looking to get the best deal.

If you’re thinking about joining the crowds after Thanksgiving for Black Friday then you need to be prepared. Black Friday can get very chaotic, from masses of shoppers, to messy shelves, increased number of workers in stores to long checkout lines, there are many obstacles to overcome just to find a good deal. Before you head out this year, check out these tips and suggestions to make your Black Friday experience as smooth and painless as possible.

Make A List! It’s a good idea to know what you want before you head out to the stores on Black Friday. Make a list of items you want to get for friends and family, a list of things you’re looking to get for yourself or the house, or if you’ve done some pre-Black Friday deal surfing, make a list of what you need at each specific retailer and the price you saw it for.

Bring  Water & Snacks! It can get warm shopping around at various stores surrounded by so many people and you never know when you might feel dehydrated or a hunger pang might hit. Place a couple of snacks in your bag before you leave on Black Friday and be sure to have a water bottle with you also.

Think Of Alternatives! Let’s face it sometimes things get sold out and too often that happens very quickly on Black Friday, when demand is high and there are so many people vying for the same items. Make sure you have some alternative gift ideas in your mind (or your list) just in case what you’re looking for gets sold out.

Bring Entertainment! Those lines can get really long on Black Friday this year instead of just standing there impatiently bring a book or E-Reader, a hand held video game, or your Ipod! Put in a pair of headphones and drown out all of the chaos with some of your favorite tunes to make waiting there a more enjoyable experience.

Bring Your Own Bags! All of the stores will have plenty of bags tonight but it’s a good idea to bring your own stronger bags, especially if you’re going to be carrying your purchases around before storing them in the car. Plus it’s better for the environment!

If It Becomes Too Much Leave! Black Friday can be very frustrating, the hustle and bustle of people, the long lines, the disheveled displays, if you begin to feel like you’re going to lash out at your fellow shoppers or retail workers that’s your sign to get out of there and go home. Don’t let the craziness of the day get the best of you, remember, there’s always Cyber Monday!

Photo by Hans Thoursie via Free Images