With Black Friday slowly nearing, the excitement surrounding it is also on the rise. This post-Thanksgiving event brings alluring deals and amazing opportunities for savvy shoppers, ensuring they get bang for their buck on every item. So, for the biggest shopping event of the year, it is best to gear up way ahead of time and start strategizing how to approach it. Thus, here are nine hacks and tips that every shopper must use to make the best of their Black Friday.

Wake up for the early bird discounts
On Black Friday, marketplaces and stores also gear up for the excitement of the day, and they often release special early bird discounts on a lot of products. These discounts usually start in the early morning hours that day. During this time, shoppers can get several limited-time offers and big deals on some of the most popular products. For people looking for the best offers, it is advisable to go to bed earlier the previous night, so they can wake up early to check the websites or visit their nearest department store or supermarket to get the festivities started.

Shop online instead of visiting stores
Even though both in-person stores and online markets participate in the Black Friday sale, it is better to shop online. There are several reasons for it, the primary one being crowds. Almost every store that day will be packed with shoppers, and every aisle and check-out counter will have queues. In such a situation, there are high chances of losing out on several deals because the product went out of stock. Hence, the best way to shop on the Black Friday sale is to give preference to online shopping to save time and energy and visit the shops only if required.

Stay in touch with marketplace updates
Stores and marketplaces are just as eager to participate in the sale as the shoppers are. As a result, they put out several offers and loyalty programs ahead of the sale day. So, it is a good idea to stay in touch with the top marketplaces like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart via their social media pages. People can also opt to sign in to their newsletters to receive early notifications regarding the limited-time offers.

Make a list
Even though it may sound like a basic thing, making a list is truly one of the most important things to do before stepping into the Black Friday sale. During the sale frenzy, it is easy to lose track and impulsively shop for specific items just because they have flashy offers. Sure, the offers might be limited-time ones, but buying things without a plan can cause one to make a massive dent in their budget. They can, as a result, miss out on buying the essentials. Hence, it is crucial to make a list of products sorted as per priority and stick to it.

Set a budget
Once a list has been made, it is easy to set a budget. Making a list gives an idea of what products one needs more than some others. This way, they can allot their budget accordingly and make purchases efficiently.

Use price comparison apps
Black Friday will push every retailer to put out competitive pricing for every product. To ensure that they get the best deal out of all, it is advisable for people to use price comparison apps. Some of the most commonly used apps include BuyVia, ShopSavvy, and Price.com, among others.

Stay in touch with the updated store policies
During sales events, retail stores tend to alter their policies, such as return, refund, etc. It is best to know the store policies in advance to ensure that one does not get stuck with a bad product with no option for a refund or return.

Use cashback apps
Shoppers can also make use of cashback apps like Checkout 51, Rakuten, Dosh, etc., to maximize their savings. These apps allow the user to win cash rewards on purchases from several stores and websites, enabling them to have a bigger budget for the shopping season.

Team up with family
Another way to shop efficiently on Black Friday is to not do it alone. If one has a list of items ready and all the things are not available in one store or on one website, they can allot a few of them to their family members. Then each one of the members will be able to check various deals on different products more efficiently.