3 tips for smart Black Friday holiday shopping

1. Set and Stick To a Budget

Before the holiday season gets underway, check out GOBankingRates’ advice for setting up a budget. If you’re short on cash, supplement your holiday budget with a side gig or other creative way to make money. Consider putting your holiday shopping funds on a prepaid credit card and hiding all your other cards to stick to your budget. Make a list of whom you’re shopping for and don’t leave home without it.

2. Compare Prices

Do a little research before you go out hunting for Thanksgiving and Black Friday deals. It’s easy to get excited in the heat of the moment and buy something that doesn’t turn out to be a bargain after all. Shop around in advance to get a general idea of what your wish list items cost — you might find early deals that are better than the holiday ones. Don’t forget to check GOBankingRates for updates to stores open on Thanksgiving and to learn about Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.

3. Money-Saving Apps

To get the best deals, download money-saving coupon apps and head out with a fully charged phone. You might get additional savings on top of in-store advertised prices using apps like Coupons.com or the Target app.

Is it worth shopping at stores open on Thanksgiving?

Shopping on Thanksgiving day is a good alternative to beat Black Friday crowds. Not all stores will be open and store hours might be limited, but it could be worth paying a visit to your favorite local store on Thanksgiving for savings. Regardless of what day you shop for the best deals this holiday season, stick to a budget, do some comparison shopping in advance and download money-saving apps from your favorite retailers.

Sean Dennison contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: These Are the 98 Stores Open on Thanksgiving and Black Friday