This week culminates in Black Friday--the day when Americans wake up at the crack of dawn and work themselves into a frothy retail frenzy because of great deals. A quick word of advice: it's not a deal if you don't need the product or can't afford it. Buying a "deal" on a credit card isn't worth it if you don't pay off the balance before interest accrues.

But if you legitimately need an item and want to save some money, Black Friday can pay off with cheap stuff everywhere you look. Here are a few Black Friday resources:

• blackfriday.info: this site aggregates Black Friday deal lists and coupons from major retailers nationwide.
• cnet.com: check out a list of Black Friday apps to keep you in the deal-know everywhere you go.
• amazon.com: my favorite website is chock full of Black Friday deals. I also took advantage of amazon.com's magazine subscription center and saved cash on my favorite  reading materials.
• elder-geek.com: here's a huge list of Black Friday video game deals.

Before heading out the door--or logging on to your computer--this Friday, read this article from money.cnn.com to avoid getting misled by Black Friday ads. Also, make a budgeting decision before spending your money. If we learn nothing else from our current economic downturn, it's that now is the time to actually start living within--or even below--our means. Black Friday is only a good deal if you're not breaking your budget.

--Jens