Planning for Black Friday starts early with some research. Where are the best deals? Where are deals on the gifts you’re looking for? This will likely bring you to the internet. Type in ‘Best Black Friday Deals’ and you’ll find a cornucopia of Black Friday opportunities. You can also visit the websites of your favorite stores.

Next, you’ll want to prioritize your shopping list. Prioritizing your Black Friday shopping list should focus on two points: 1) what purchase is the most important to you and 2) what deals are likely to create the greatest competition?

Once you’ve prioritized, it’s time to determine when the stores open. You need a plan of attack. You need to know what time to be where. If you’re familiar with the stores where you’ll shop, you’re almost ready. If not, mapping your routes isn’t a bad idea.

One of the key aspects of Black Friday shopping is transportation. That goes beyond planning your routes to the store; it includes having reliable transportation to get you there. At this late date, if you’re vehicle isn’t reliable, you can keep your fingers crossed or arrange for an emergency alternative.

Emergency alternative transportation could include calling a cab or taking public transportation, such as the PACE bus. It could also include carpooling, if you know someone going to the same store or asking a good friend or family member if you can use their newer vehicle.

Hopefully, this isn’t an issue. And, if you’ve taken good care of your car – stayed up on maintenance and had it checked by a qualified auto repair technician – there’s a good chance you have nothing to worry about.

Of course, good auto maintenance isn’t just important for Black Friday; good auto maintenance is important all year round, the more so in the winters here in McHenry County. If you haven’t kept up with your car’s maintenance, after Black Friday, and before winter really sets in, you might want to do that.