4 ways to avoid Black Friday meltdowns

If you are thinking of venturing out this year to join the stampede on Black Friday, we want to help you get organized.

Lifestyle expert Lainika Johnson-Colbert says she remembers her first time like it was yesterday.

"I thought it would be fun and just jumped in with both feet, no plan to call my own," said Johnson-Colbert. "What ended up happening was that I bought tons of stuff, but very few gifts that I could give away. I was so caught up in the reaching and dodging that I forgot my main purpose; getting deals on Christmas gifts for other people."

Follow Johnson-Colbert's tips for staying stress-free on Black Friday.

1. List your must-have items and find out where to get them. Some items are only available in the store.

2. Know what time each store opens. Some stores have already posted their Black Friday hours online. Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond stores open at 5 a.m., and some Disney stores open at midnight. Call the location you plan on going to because different locations may have different hours.

3. Make it a Team Effort. Call two or three friends to stake out different stores so that no one misses out on the deals they really want. Compare lists to see if you have common items that you all need to get.

4. You could simply stay home. There are plenty of deals online. Why break a nail or risk being run over by a shopping cart. Go to www.fatwallet.com to see what deals are being posted. They update it every day. Check out Cyber Monday deals too. Last year, I saved hundreds of dollars by shopping online. Most stores will announce online deals the week of Thanksgiving.

You can visit www.lainika.com to see a gift guide for every member of your family.