How to score the best Black Friday deals

HOUSTON - Black Friday has become more of a brand than a day as a number of retailers open their doors to holiday shoppers as early as Thanksgiving or even offer sale-prices and deals throughout the month.

They will do almost anything to get you through their doors or on their website to shop, so if you're serious about scoring a deal, here are some great tips.

Start with a budget and stick to it.

It sounds simple, but Black Friday sales and specials are often available in limited quantities designed in part to simply get you into a store and grab some additional items you weren’t intending to buy. Don't fall for it. 

Go in with a mindset that you'll buy what you came for, and nothing else.

Before you shop, do your homework.

What exactly are retailers offering, and do you want it?

Start looking at the ads in print and online now, and compare the prices for things that might be on your list. There are a number of Black Friday websites that put a lot of that information in one easy-to-find place.

Connect to retailers to unlock deals others might never see.

In these days of growing mobile shopping, many stores have their own apps to appeal more directly with you, even allowing you to scan items for price comparisons.

Using their loyalty programs and social media sites, you can dig up some good deals. Retailers will often reward customers who like or follow them with special alerts to Black Friday discounts and incentives.