You've made your Christmas list and checked it twice, and now you are prepared to venture out on the most hectic shopping day of the year – Black Friday. But, wait; just one word of caution before you go: don't get caught up in the hype, the sales, the crowds and the frenzied buying; in other words, don't go 'money mad' on this crazy day!

Who doesn't love a sale? The fact is that we all do. But, shopping on Black Friday, although you can often find great savings, can also just as surely put you into debt if you're not careful. So, if you're going to venture out into the melee, here are some tips to help you stick to your Christmas list and your budget:

• Check the prices of the items you're interested in before you go – either online or in your local newspaper.
• Clip coupons that offer substantial discounts.
• Make and stick to a Holiday budget, and don't go over the price amount you've set for each gift.
• Arrive early in the morning; in fact, the earlier the better. The earlier you start the earlier you'll be able to finish because selections will still be favorable.
• Bring just enough cash to cover the cost of the gifts you intend to buy.
• Use a debit card; however, if you really must use a credit card, stick to the amount that you've planned to spend and go no further.
• Bring a friend to not only help you find the items, but also to deter you from buying anything that's not on your list.
• Check out the stores before Black Friday and locate the items you intend to buy. You may also want to inquire about the possibility of them holding an item for you until Friday.
• When you arrive at the store, go directly to the department where your items can be found. Don't waste time browsing. Remember, it's a jungle out there today!
• After you've finished all of your shopping, leave the area immediately! Don't stop to window shop or look for something to buy for yourself. Yes, the sale items will be tempting, but remember that the bills will arrive in the mail the following month and you'll have to deal with the consequences if you go over your limits.

Here's another thought that might be worth pondering ahead of time: "Are these sale items marked up specifically for Black Friday?" Consider how much you would normally pay for that sale item if you bought it in August. Merchants are smart. They're in the business of making money, and in order to do so they certainly aren't going to sell an item at a loss to themselves. Furthermore, when demand exceeds supply (as is often the case on Black Friday), prices are typically marked up accordingly. If you won't buy it, someone else will.

Finally, the most valuable tip of all: if you really want to save money, time and stress, start your Christmas shopping in the early spring or summer. You can shop on any sale day when the stores are less crowded and you can do so at your leisure. There are millions of people that intentionally boycott Black Friday altogether. They're really the smart ones!