You’ve seen the ads, heard the hype, and have found some Black Friday deals too good to pass up. If you’ve decided to take the early Friday morning plunge after your scrumptious Thanksgiving meal, you’ll need to do a little prep work. After all, Black Friday shopping isn’t like your average trip to the mall. It’s more like a competition… you versus every other deal seeker in the area.

The experienced Black Friday shopper knows the routine: forget about sleep the night before, find a warm coat, grab some coffee, pick up the baseball bat, realize you’re going shopping and put down the baseball bat, get in the car, and get in line. It seems simple enough, but the Black Friday experience can be overwhelming to the long line newcomer.