Show Me The Money: Make List, Check Twice

INDIANAPOLIS -- With the holiday shopping season already in full swing, prior planning can go a long way to conserve cash while spreading holiday cheer.

Heather Sokol, of inexpensively.com, advocates making a list of planned purchases and scanning ads to see where deals can be had.

Black Friday, which is the day stores typically slash prices dramatically in hopes of attracting after-Thanksgiving shoppers, is the perfect day to come equipped with a checklist of bargains.

"The first part of making your list comes from deciding who you're going to shop for and what you would like to buy them," Sokol said. "Then, you can compare it to the ads and find out where it's on sale."

There's usually no problem finding ads. They are in the Thanksgiving Day paper or delivered directly to mailboxes.

Cross-referencing planned purchases to available deals takes some effort, but can pay off to the tune of hundreds of dollars.

"On your list, you'll include the item you want to buy, where it's on sale, how much you'll pay and who the gift is for," Sokol said.

Frugal shoppers should also make note of what time stores open, so they can be efficient about time spent in each store.

Black Friday shoppers should also come armed with a survival kit, with simple items such as bottled water and snacks, so they can endure big crowds and long lines.

"If you don't come prepared, you'll find yourself caught up in the excitement, buying $5 toys here, spending $10 there," Sokol said. "Before you know it, you've spent hundreds more than you intended to."