The month of November brings two things to mind, Thanksgiving and Black Friday. In recent years Black Friday has turned into a game of survival. We’ve heard the nightmare stories and seen the tapes of people running and pushing to get the deals they’ve been waiting for.

This Black Friday doesn’t need to be a nightmare, though. International sales expert, CEO and creator of the Authentic Selling process, Kendrick Shope, has offered eight tips to help you save time, money and your sanity!

Kendrick has been nationally recognized as a top sales expert by NBC, Forbes and even sat down with Steve Harvey, appearing on his show last year to discuss his book Sell like a Woman. Now, she’s offering tips to survive Black Friday:

Be cautious of those “doorbuster” items: If the price of that doorbuster item seems too good to be true it probably is. Typically these items just aren’t selling well in the store or are riddled with problems and won’t live up to the advertising. Save yourself a headache. Do some research before you buy.

Read the fine print: Big savings on electronics is a major reason for coming out on Black Friday, but it is important to make sure you understand the deals before you go out. Sometimes a deal for $500 off that TV you wanted is limited to the first 20 customers or limited to a certain time of day, so it is important to realize the limits to these deals.

Get a barcode scanner on your Smartphone and use price comparison websites: Apps like RedLaser, ShopSavvy and Flipp are excellent ways to find out if you’re getting the best deal on the products your searching for. Using apps like these help to give you peace of mind that you are getting the best deals, and there are thousands of apps like these that you can download.

Know the return policy: Return policies can change during the holiday season, and they most likely will on Black Friday. Many big sales items may be labeled as “all sales final” or have a limited window for returns. Even if this is the case, however, always get the gift receipt when buying a gift for someone else and make sure you know what you’re getting before you buy it.

Get social and connected on email: Following your favorite retailers on social media and making sure you are signed up to receive emails from them is a great way to have an inside scoop on their upcoming sales. Many retailers often reward their fan bases by having secret sales or sending out bonus coupons as the holidays near. Make sure to check out websites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

It’s much more than just Black Friday: While Black Friday does offer lucrative deal,s it is no longer the only day to find them. Cyber Monday is an excellent alternative if you don’t want to risk fighting someone over the last blender in the store. It is important to do your own research, as many retailers will have sales the weeks leading up to or following Black Friday, as well.

Shop safe: Make sure to use caution when shopping online. Cybercriminals are waiting with anticipation for this shopping season as much as you are. It is important to be mindful and double check the websites are authentic, as many cybercriminals are now able to create websites that can look identical to the real thing. Often, there will only be one letter off in the web address.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew: It can be very easy to spend more than you thought you would when there are all kinds of deals happening that you feel you need to jump on, but make sure you don’t go overboard. Making a budget of how much money you want to spend for each person before you leave is a great way to keep track of your spending. No deal is worth putting yourself in debt.

Follow these tips for an easier and more enjoyable Black Friday experience!

To learn more about Kendrick Shope’s tips and Authentic Selling process, visi kendrickshope.com.