How to Avoid Overspending on Black Friday or Cyber Monday

Black Friday is practically as much of an American institution as Thanksgiving itself, and each year, I head out to get my share of deals from local stores and from websites like Amazon or even eBay. Unfortunately, I've had a few years where I spent too much or ended up with items that I didn't really need or even want. One egregious example was when I'd bought a bunch of video games for a total of $150. This wasn't a great buy--I didn't even have the system that they were made for.

The trouble is that shopaholics often find it difficult to know when to quite. Shopping releases dopamine into the brain, giving you that pleasurable feeling of achievement that you're only supposed to get from stuff that's, you know, an achievement.

The good news is that you can correct your shopaholic tendencies. Here are some tips for only getting the deals that you need on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

Make a list. I know, obvious, right? Many shoppers make the mistake of buying "off the cuff," and that's not a good idea. When I started using lists, I shrunk my Cyber Monday expenditures to about 50% of what I'd paid the previous year, mainly because I was keeping track.

Think about what you need and look for deals in the days leading up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Take the time to evaluate each purchase. Above all else, you want to avoid impulse buys.

Build some wiggle room into your budget. With that being said, know your limitations. Part of the fun of Black Friday shopping is the idea that you might find something great and cheap that you aren't looking for, at least for me; I try to build some wiggle room into my budget to prepare for that one item that I wasn't planning on finding.

Set aside about $50-100, depending on your budget, and use this as "splurge" money while you're out shopping. Don't exceed the wiggle room portion of your budget, though, or you might as well not make a budget at all.

Only use cash. There's almost never a good reason to use a credit card for a purchase, as it'll quickly eat into those savings that you'd found by looking for deals and coupons. Plus, you're usually buying gifts and convenience items on Black Friday and Cyber Monday--they're hardly essential purchases, and you shouldn't be going into debt for them.

Use cash or a debit card and you'll end up spending less. Plus, you won't spend more than you have, which is a big danger for many shoppers. Bring your cash with you and you'll have a good chance of surviving Black Friday this year.

Do you have any other tips for Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping? Share them below.