Make, not only yourself, but your wallet happy this Black Friday. 
Thanksgiving break means many things for college students. Relaxing with friends and family, enjoying a Thanksgiving meal and of course, shopping on Black Friday. As much fun as Thanksgiving is, it cannot even be compared to the excitement and adrenaline that comes the day after on the day known as Black Friday. This unofficial holiday is a time to find crazy deals or the holiday season – but that doesn’t mean you should go crazy spending some of the ridiculous retail prices. To help students prepare for the upcoming shopping excursion, the following is a list compiled of some of the top ways to save money on Black Friday.

1) Bring your game plan
There is an old saying that goes, “those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” This saying works perfectly when it comes to Black Friday shopping. In order to create the best shopping experience possible, come with a list of things you are interested in buying. Also be sure to look at all of the ads ahead of time to see which stores have the best deals. This is important so you aren’t wasting time and money driving around to different stores that may not have anything you are interested in. All stores have their ads available online that show what specials they will be offering for the holiday season and some online sites are even offering free shipping.

2) Get the deals without the craziness
If standing in long lines with hundreds of other people at obscene times in the morning isn’t your thing, then don’t fret – there is still a way to get in on all the sales without the obnoxious people. Most of the big name retail brands are offering the same deals available in stores on the Internet. This means while all your friends are outside freezing waiting in line for a good deal on a flat screen TV, you can sit in the comfort and warmth of your home and getting that exact same deal by ordering it online at the time the sale starts.

3) Patience is key
One of the biggest traps of Black Friday shopping is that everything advertised is a good deal and is something that you have to have. While Black Friday does offer a lot of good sales, you don’t have to be pressured into buying something you don’t want or need because it is on sale. If anything, save yourself a lot of time and money by walking away from stuff that you will probably never use. When the opportunity comes and tempts you into buying something that you know you probably shouldn’t, just ask yourself, “if I had to pay retail for it would I still want it?” If the answer is no, you shouldn’t buy it.