Do You Have Your Black Friday–or Thursday–Shopping List?

Walk into the , , and in Mountain View and you'll feel the quiet—before the storm.

According to the National Federation of Retailers this weekend, which starts with the Black Friday sales at midnight Thursday, 152 million people will shop for anything from apparel to electronics to toys. That's up to 33 percent of people nationwide, 6 percent more than in 2010.

To accomodate shoppers many of the major retailers will for the first time ever open the night before, even as early at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving. And while sought to reverse this trend, it seems like the retailers have succeeded.

With Black Friday just a few days away now, here are a few things you might want to consider.

Make a list and cross check it twice

Remember to set a budget, stick to it and make a list beforehand of what you plan to get so that you don't make an impulse buy. If you can, preview your planned purchases online so that on Black Friday you can quickly compare and contrast prices before you buy.

Preview Online

Almost all the stores already have prices online and when you preview, you get the opportunity to compare prices and chart your shopping strategy.

• Walmart opens at 10 p.m. Thursday, but sales on electronics don't start until midnight.
• Kohl's has online specials for Thursday shoppers, though the stores won't open until midnight. So in between Thanksgiving portions, people can check items off their list.
• Costco also has online only sales.
• Though Best Buy has some daily sales, their Black Friday circular is available for all to see online.
• Target also has daily sales but the Black Friday sales are online.

Shop Online

All the retailers want to encourage buyers to shop online. Also, don't forget Cyber Monday where consumers can take advantage of more sales on Nov. 28. The National Federation of Retailers reccomends shopping at http://www.cybermonday.com/, a site lists cyber monday promotions.

Other things to consider when shopping are stores return policies and delivery options.

But most importantly, have fun, be safe and stay warm! Happy shopping!