Now that we have our turkeys in the fridge thawing and desserts going in the oven for the Thanksgiving Day meal, we can turn our attention to the next task at hand: Black Friday shopping.

I know not everyone partakes in the Black Friday festivities, but for those of you who do, you know it takes a serious game plan to be able to get everything you are hoping for.

I am an avid Black Friday shopper. I’ve been doing it for more than 20 years now.

I was probably 10 years old the first time my momma took me Black Friday shopping, and I’ve loved it ever since. My daughter was born the Monday after Black Friday if that tells you how dedicated I am.

Black Friday shopping has evolved over the years.

Back in the day, you would get the newspaper on Thanksgiving morning and you could spread all the ads out after dinner and make a plan. You would assess what was on sale, which stores had what you wanted and make a plan as to which store you would be standing in line in the early Friday morning hours.

Sometimes you had to implement the divide and conquer method going to different stores or even different parts of a store to ensure you got the items you desired.

But gone are the ‘good ole days’ I just described.

Now, stores are opening on Thanksgiving afternoon and Black Friday deals have been ‘live’ online for days before Thanksgiving.

You have to start making your Black Friday game plan weeks in advance when the ads are put on Black Friday websites and you may have all your Black Friday shopping done before Black Friday even happens.

Because I enjoyed the Black Friday of old, where you stood in line and fought for the last Tickle Me Elmo doll, I am kind of sad about the Black Friday shift. I enjoy (probably a little too much) the thrill of getting the last of something on sale and standing with hordes of other like-minded shoppers sharing deals and ideas.

But deals are deals and it is important to make sure you are getting the most for buck. Whichever way you choose to shop this Friday, here are a few tips from Consumer Reports about how best to attack Black Friday.

And, if you see me in line at WalMart on Thursday evening, say “Hi!” and ask me about the time someone stole my buggy on Black Friday.

Do your homework.

You have to have a game plan. Check out some of these websites to get the most up-to-date deals: www.bfads.net, www.bestblackfriday.com or www.theblackfriday.com, and check what is out there before heading out (or online) to shop.

Try to do price comparisons in advance so you know if you are really getting a good deal. This is one benefit to all the ads coming out online earlier than Thanksgiving day. You have time to price check and research before deciding on a purchase.

Create a budget — and stick to it.

This sounds much easier than it is. Black Friday sales and doorbuster sales are designed to get you in the store and entice you to buy items that weren’t on your list.

Decide ahead of time how much you want to spend and try to resist impulse buying.

Make sure you keep all your receipts so when you get home and the Black Friday dust settles, you have the receipt for items you bought because you got caught up in the deal excitement. (But be sure to check the store’s policies on returns so you know how much time you have to take those items back).

Beware electronics purchases.

A lot of Black Friday deals on electronics, especially TVs made specifically for Black Friday sales. They are called derivatives in the TV industry because they’re similar to regular models but with different model numbers and fewer features.

Not all of these deals are bad, it is just difficult to quality and price compare because they’re not the same as the other models.

Be sure to check out Consumer Reports’ website where they do try to do comparison tests as the models.

Shonda Johnston is the Clark County Extension agent for family and consumer sciences. She can be reached at 859-744-4682 or by email at shonda.johnston@uky.edu.