Black Friday Battalion: Tips For A Successful Shopping Weekend

Black Friday is on November 25th and Cyber Monday is on November 28th this year and I've been practicing at my local mall to dodge shoppers, throw products into my cart from across a packed isle and get the best deals possible! I love me a deal, and I wanted to share with you all of my tips and tricks on getting the best item for the best price. It's a retail battle weekend and you need to be suited up.

If you know what you are doing shopping wise, you can save some serious cash. You can finish your Holiday shopping AND get yourself a reward in one day! Think how sweet it will be to lounge on the sofa as the rest of society fights for ugly sweaters and trendy toys at the mall, while you sip champagne, and glow in the thought that all of your shopping was done last month -- for a huge discount! Let's do this soldier!

Here are my techniques, declassified:

1. Shopping List: You have to make a list of all the things you want to buy for everyone in your family and of course the prize that you'll get yourself for buying ALL the Holiday gifts for a discount. Make a list of everything you plan on getting and stick to it. It will keep you focused in that shark tornado of shoppers you are about to come across at the malls. Plus it'll keep you in budget.

2. Budget: No matter if you're shopping for yourself or for Christmas, be sure to decide what, who, where, when and how you are going to spend. Make a plan, write in in your phone notes app, and keep to it. It's easy to fly off the budget-wagon, especially online when everything seems so cheap. Try to save a ton and then re-invest those savings into something that you would like. It's your reward for being a shopping warrior.

3. Develop A Plan of Attack: Look through online ads, sign up for email alerts and read the flyers and ads from your favourite store. Decide what you want to buy and where before hand. Many retail web sites have teased people on the night of the sales and you can check out who has what on your list.

4. Reconnaissance Mission: Take a trip to your favourite stores and see what kind of inventory they have for each item. If it looks like they are piling up, they will probably go on sale. Befriend one of the sales people and see what might be the door buster when it comes out. If you have new ideas for people -- add it to your list in your notes app. Knowledge is power when it comes to shopping.

5. Social Spying: Be sure to follow all of your favourite retailers and fashion bloggers Twitter and Facebook feeds. You'll see what deals they are promoting in advance. Plus you'll be able to zero in on hot items that are the must have for this holiday season. Find out what the hot toys are this year and get them for a song.

6. Buy Your Ultimate: Just because something is crazy cheap, doesn't mean it's your ultimate item. Make sure you buy an item that your family or you will enjoy for the long haul. It'll be better than having cheap stuff that doesn't suit your needs. ALL of the deals that you made would be lost if some of the gifts sit in a closet with their tags still on. Quality over quantity.

Get your head band and war paint on yell some "boo-ya's," do your warm-up pushups, run through the obstacle course and get on that camouflage leisure suit! To the victor, goes the big screen!