What you need to know before you hit stores for Black Friday

Americans are expected to spend about $90.14 billion dollars this year on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, according to finder.com.

Thousands of retailers claim they have the best sales on Black Friday. but how can you be sure?

Action News Jax reporter Courtney Cole learned the key to keeping money in your pocket is to have a strategy.

Part of that strategy is knowing how to find the stores with the best prices!

If you're making more than one stop, there are some apps that can help with that.

“Lucky Brand 50% off, Ann Taylor 40% off, we’re seeing all of these deals, all these big discounts already,” said Lindsey Jones. She’s the director of marketing and business development for the St. Johns Town Center.

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How can you make sure you're really getting the most for your money?

Keith Jenkins told Cole he stops in a few stores before making a decision.

"We went to a couple of different places before, just to see what type of specials they had for Black Friday,” said Jenkins.

STORY: Black Friday 2018: 7 tips to help you get the best deals

If you don't have time for that, there are two apps that can take out the legwork.

The first one is called ShopSavvy. This is for the serious shoppers.

This app allows you to get the latest info on several popular stores. It also has a barcode scanner so you can compare prices on the spot.

Shopular is the next one. This app gives you access to coupons and deals and allows you to communicate with others who have the app so you can exchange tips.

If you're a shopper who wants the deals but doesn't want to deal with the crowds, consumer expert Clark Howard said you have just a little over two weeks to get everything on your list for a cheaper price.

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"They are going to be rolling continuous sales until about Dec. 10,” said Howard.

If going inside a brick-and-mortar store is just not your thing, experts suggest waiting for Cyber Monday.
That's when you can score the best deals on clothes, electronics and travel.

Remember, before you download any app, make sure you read the reviews and look for the company that created it.

Fake shopping apps can be dangerous, especially when you're providing your personal and financial information.

Cox Media Group