Is Black Friday Shopping Worth It?

To many people Black Friday shopping is the ultimate time of the year to shop for Christmas presents and gifts for loved ones and friends, but is it worth the crowds and standing in line?  Are store prices really that great? Black Friday shopping can be worth the aggravation depending on what you're looking for and needing to purchase for the holidays. Without even looking at store circulars or blogs on sales, you should first plan out what items you would want to give as gifts, plan a budget, and any items that you might need for your household. After you make a plan, start reading reviews online on particular items and looking at price comparisons online. It's important to know what  reasonable price points are for the items you want to buy. Your next step is to look at Black Friday circulars (can be found online via blogs and other website) and see if any of those items are listed at a phenomenal price that fits within your budget. Sometimes, you will find that nothing you intend to buy is even on sale on Black Friday. You might also want to consider, if you can get that item cheaper online using ebates and/or promo codes. Some stores will even match other online retailers and allow you to use promo codes and/or ebates on top or your order. If you make a plan ahead of time, this will prevent you from wasting your time on shopping resources that might not be relevant to you and your needs.