PHOENIX (AZFamille)— Buyers, prepare yourselves! Black Friday occurs at the start of the year and many retailers launch early sales this weekend.

“The period between Black Friday and Christmas is shorter this year, so they need to extend the holiday shopping season by offering sales earlier,” said thrifty mom and budgeting expert Andrea Woroch.

Even if the initial deals look good, they could result in expenses that could blow the budget.

“There will be free delivery minimums. You’re going to have to spend more to save more, and that can lead you to overspend, so be really careful when approaching these deals and sales,” Woroch warned.

To help you budget, be like Santa Claus. Make a list and check it twice.

Apps like Christmas Gift Tracker or Santa’s Bag can help you. Enter everything you buy and you’ll know when you’ve reached your spending limit.

Use an app called Flipp, which brings together flyers and weekly deals in one place so you can easily see what’s on sale. You can also set price tracking alerts with a tool like Karma.

“It will alert you when something goes on sale, and you can actually use it after you buy it, because if it goes on sale more, then you know to get that price adjustment,” suggested Woroch.

Sign up for retailer newsletters and mobile alerts for additional discounts.

“This will save you up to an additional 25 percent,” Woroch said. “You can unsubscribe as soon as you use this promo code, so there’s really no commitment. It’s a great way to get a discount without feeling like you’re being bombarded.

Cashback tools like Coupon Cabin can also help you increase your purchasing power.

“Let that cash back build up in your account, then send it to PayPal and use it to pay for those last-minute gifts you buy in December,” Woroch said.

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