In a few short days, Black Friday will be upon us. While many people will shy away from stores, others will dive in headfirst in search of the best deals.

If you plan on braving the large crowds, here are three tips that will improve your chance of finding the right items at the right price:

1. Plot out your plan. Are you going to drive around from one store to the next, not knowing where you are going or what you are searching for? Or will you take the time to plot out your plan, complete with a list of stores you want to hit and items you want to buy?

The better your plan the more success you will have.

2. Get started early. The last thing you want is to find that all the best deals have come and gone because you stayed in bed too long. The earlier you start the better chance you have of beating the rush.

Regardless of where you are shopping, there will always be others by your side. Your goal is to know what items you want, where to find them, and what time the stores open. This information will come in handy when creating your plan.

Note: some stores begin to offer deals on Thanksgiving day, starting around 6 p.m. or so. If you wait until the following morning to start your shopping, it may be too late.

3. Be patient. If you aren’t prepared to sit in traffic, park far away from you destination, and wait in long lines to checkout, you are better off staying at home on Black Friday. Just remember, things always seem to work out in the end for those who are patient.

These three Black Friday shopping tips will help you better enjoy yourself, while improving your chance of finding exactly what you are looking for.