The holiday shopping season is almost officially about to begin. Yes, I’m talking about Black Friday. While the mall may be frightening to many of us on a good day, Black Friday can be downright terrifying! And this year it’s not just the crowds and crazy mom’s looking for the last Tickle Me Elmo doll, it’s the fact that the jobless rate is high and our economy is still suffering.

This winter, many of us don’t have extra money to spend on extravagant holiday shopping. That’s why we have compiled a list of sites to help you figure out where you can cut corners. Knowing where the sales are can also help you plan your Black Friday shopping outing—know where the best prices are before you leave the house, and know where to head first when you hit the stores.

So, with a little legwork and a little luck, you should be able to navigate the treacherous waters of your local mall and save some loot in the process!

TGI Black Friday

http://tgiblackfriday.com/

This site the top Black Friday deals. Macy’s, Dell, Staples, Radio Shack, Bath & Body Works, Walgreen’s and many, many more. Go here before you go there.

Deal Catcher

http://www.dealcatcher.com/

This site has the newest coupons, rebates, printable coupons, and even let’s you compare prices. With free online coupon codes for Dell, Amazon, Best Buy and Overstock.

Black Friday Ads

http://bfads.net/

Dedicated to, well, black Friday ads, this site posts all the ads in one place. Check back regularly for Black Friday 2008 daily updates.

Deal Taker

http://www.dealtaker.com/blackfriday.html

If you haven’t found the coupons you’re looking for yet, try this one. They bill themselves as “your official black Friday portal” and judging from their list of stores, ads, and deals, they might not be far off.

Free Shipping

http://www.freeshipping.org/

If you’re planning on doing all of your Black Friday shopping online, Free Shipping can help you save on shipping costs. This site offers hundreds of free shipping codes organized by store. When you go to checkout online, simply enter your code and start saving!

Cara Newman