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If shopping were a sport, Black Friday would be the Olympics.

To get the best deals, you have to be at the door well before the store opens, which is most often at around 2 a.m. in the cold. Then shop with a mob of people, all of whom are grumpy and coming out of a Thanksgiving feast coma. So you really have to want to compete.

You also have to be knowledgeable and prepared; being fast and aggressive doesn't hurt either.

If you have never shopped Black Friday, you need to know that it is an entirely different animal than everyday shopping. Expect mobs of people, long lines and for many of the extremely low-priced items, they will go very fast (sometimes within minutes of the store opening in the wee hours of the morning). Be prepared for disappointment, you may not get that deeply discounted item.

So is Black Friday shopping worth it? Our answer: sometimes, depending on what you are purchasing.

For example, is it worth getting out of bed at 3 a.m., standing in the cold and then waiting in line at the register for an hour to save $15 on a toaster? We don't think so. However, it is worth it to save $200 on a laptop.

You just have to weigh that for yourself.

We suggest prioritizing your purchases based on the amount of money you save versus the percentage of discount that is being offered. Where you go on Black Friday should be determined first on what you need and secondly based on how much money you will save.

In this economy, really great bargains are not hard to find. However, you want to find the lowest price and Black Friday may be your best bet because stores offer limited time items at significantly reduced prices to get you in the door. It's just a matter of being one of the first through the door and to that item.

Preparing for Black Friday is key. You can view "leaked sales circulars" online at a plethora of sites. This can help you begin to formulate a strategy, but do not rely on those sales until you see the actual print ad in the Thanksgiving newspaper.

You can also verify sales on the store's Web site. When checking sale prices, realize that a retailer's online store does not always match the deal you will find in the store, that's why getting your local newspaper is so critical.

As you do research, remember that just because an item is listed in a sale circular, does not mean that it is necessarily a good deal. Comparing prices is important so you know a good price when you see one. Don't judge the discount based on the retail price but know what that item is actually selling for in the market.

To see our top picks for the best Black Friday deals, visit our blog at www.cheapblondes.blountblogs.com.

For us, the best way to shop Black Friday is to find a really great early bird or door buster deal, get it and get out. Don't peruse through the store. While you are looking at sale items that are just somewhat discounted, you are costing yourself more time in the check out line.

The best strategy is to move very fast, get what you want and check out quickly before the line gets too long. You might get to another store, but we prefer to go back to bed or spend time with family! Shopping for hours and hours on one of the busiest shopping days of the year is not our idea of a holiday weekend.

If you see must-have items at more than one store, recruit friends or family members to hit different stores and offer to get something for them at the location you plan to shop.

If most of the items you want are not discounted for a limited time in the morning, then just wait until late in the afternoon to shop.

For smaller ticket items, you might be better off waiting because this will not be the last sale of the season. Or even better, shop online.

If you don't want to compete with hundreds of other irritable shoppers on Black Friday, stay in your pajamas and shop online.

In fact, start shopping now because there are already some incredible deals out there.

The concept of Cyber Monday is really a myth created by retailers. Free shipping, discounts, rewards and free gifts with purchase are available now and will be offered on Thanksgiving and all throughout this coming weekend.

For example, Amazon.com is running Black Friday specials every day in their Gold Box section this week. Some stores like Wal-Mart started running their online Black Friday deals on Sunday.

Also when you shop at stores like Amazon that don't have a physical location in the state of Tennessee, you avoid paying sales tax. Not paying tax or shipping and getting it at a discount means that you can often fare better than you would in a store, even on Black Friday.

We have a listing of Web sites on our blog that offer a database of coupon codes for free shipping and additional discounts at tons of online stores.

Understand that when you find a great deal online, your order may not be filled because retail web sites don't always have live inventory. So if it doesn't ship within 48 hours, you might need to move on and research another deal.

The internet is not only a useful shopping tool, but it is one of the best ways to research bargains. You can comparison shop and make a shopping plan.

Do not fall into the trap of thinking that if you have not purchased your big ticket items by Black Friday, you are out of luck. Retailers have been offering incredible deals since November 1 and will continue to do so until at least the Saturday before Christmas.

However, there are some great deals to be had on Friday, so be sure to look for the items on your shopping list.

Remember, Black Friday is more than shopping, it is competing. It is certainly not for the faint at heart.

If you choose to join the race, realize that this is a recession, so more incredible deals will come. We don't know what those will be because retailers are not willing to show all their cards but we know that this year they are playing with a deck stacked with deep discounts.

In fact, many people say that this entire month has been Black November and the trend is expected to continue. It won't be long before December is the new black.

So pace yourself and think of shopping this holiday season as a marathon rather than a sprint.

Sarah Herron and Amy Habart are excessively cheap and relatively blonde moms who live in Maryville. Their column runs every week in Wednesday's Life Times section. They are available for teaching and speaking engagements. Contact them at cheapblondes@gmail.com and find them on Twitter and Facebook!