Black Friday Countdown Begins Now!

I'll be honest: I'm not the super-organized shopper who has a Black Friday action plan mapped out before Halloween. But those people do exist, and they're already busy making the rest of us bargain hunters look lazy!

As discount-lovers know, the Friday after Thanksgiving, aka "Black Friday", is when you scoop up the best gifts at the best prices -- for loved ones and for yourself. You can get deep discounts at the sales, but you have to get there early, to snag the best deals before everyone else.

Even if you're not naturally a shopping shark, there are several online tools that can help you get a head start on your action items for the big day, particularly ones that help you track down the ads that list Black Friday sale prices. No more messy newsprint on your hands, it's all online!

Some of the most popular sites are Black Friday Ads, Black Friday 2009, and The Black Friday. In addition to seeing the actual ads, you can also set alerts for when your favorite stores release their Black Friday prices, do some research with buyer guides, and most importantly, refine your shopping list.

And remember to check for Black Friday deals on Twitter (use the hashtag #BlackFriday). In this age of instant data, it's easy to become the Queen (or King) of Black Friday!