Black Friday shopping: Local shoppers offer up strategy for full-contact sport post-Thanksgiving 
 
 Lombard for News Rosemary Rizzo getting ready for Black Friday shopping in Bryant Park, Manhattan. 
 
 Bargain hunting becomes a full-contact sport the day after Thanksgiving, when stores slash prices just in time for the holiday rush. 
 
 Maneuvering the mob of 138 million Americans expected to hit the malls and outlets this season takes plenty of practice, but hard-core customers have got beating the crowds down to a science. 
 
 "I leave the house at 9:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving," says Rosemary Rizzo, 40, from Ronkonkoma, L.I. "Everything used to open at 6 a.m., but every year it gets even earlier." 
 
 The Tanger Outlets in Riverhead will open at midnight, so Rizzo needs to be in line by 9:45 Thursday to power through on her shopping spree until 1:30 p.m. the next day. 
 
 "You gotta pack light, get your coffee and go," she says. "The adrenaline keeps you moving." 
 
 Traveling light also means going it alone. 
 
 "I shop by myself," she says. "You've got to be the fastest, to be able to go from store to store and not have anyone lingering, or you're not going to be able to get what you need." 
 
 She subscribes to sites like BlackFriday.info that clue her in to sales in advance, and pores over her stack of circulars while she's still digesting her Thanksgiving turkey to map her route. 
 
 
 
 Black Friday shopper Matt Kane of Allentown, N.J. outside the Princeton, N.J. Wal-Mart. (Denver for News) 
 
 Organization is also key. "As I go in to each store, I have that specific flyer, my list of who I'm buying for and my wallet. Make sure your money and credit cards are organized, and you know your balance, so that you're not fumbling through your bag at the checkout." 
 
 Past prizes include walking away with two almost-impossible-to-find Wii Fits in 2008 and scoring a $4,500 Coach bag for $99. 
 
 "It's probably a $1,000 day, but I save up for it," says Rizzo, who's been doing this for over a decade. "Black Friday is my holiday. I look forward to it all year!" 
 
 Her husband thinks she's bananas, but her friends, relatives and co-workers use her as a shopping service for picking up their own gifts. 
 
 "I'm thinking of going into business as a personal shopper," she laughs. "You feel a real sense of accomplishment. There's nothing like the rush you get from finding a great bargain!" 
 
 Black Friday isn't just a day of shopping for the frugal. For some, it's more like a game of "Survivor." 
 
 "Outwit, outlast, outplay," says Matt Kane, 33, from Allentown, N.J. "It's all about competition for me — and victory!" 
 
 To prep for one of the biggest shopping days of the year, the Black Friday veteran does days of research and cases each store to see where each product will be placed. ||||| After the turkey comes the shopping. From deals to perks to hours, The Daily Beast surveys the experts to develop the definitive list of where to go on America’s discount holiday. 
 
 Serious shoppers across the country are readying their lists and cementing their strategy for the high holiday of shopping—Black Friday. Loaded with wish lists that include HDTVs, videogame consoles, appliances, and toys, Black Friday is a boon for the frugal and shopping fanatics. The National Retail Foundation estimates 138 million shoppers will descend on store aisles this weekend. 
 
 Black Friday shoppers come in two types, says Michael Brim of Bfads.net, one of a handful of online sites that track Black Friday advertisements. “There are the shoppers that shop for the necessity, to save money, and the shoppers who do it for the thrill of it,” he says. And waiting in line for hours to be one of the first to rush through a store’s doors at 5 a.m.? That’s just part of the rush. “I equate it to tailgating. People show up five to six hours before the game starts to meet people who share the same interests,” says Brim. "It’s a day where you can meet people like yourself and spend time with friends.” 
 
 In the last five years, stores have started to open progressively earlier, matched by shoppers willing to wait in line longer. For the first time in its history, Sears will even be open on Thanksgiving itself from 7 a.m. until noon. “Who ever heard of that?!” exclaims Dev Shapiro, spokesman for Gottadeal.com, another Black Friday site. “The stores are opening earlier and earlier—one-upping each other. If this trends continues, I’m sure retailers like Best Buy will open earlier. That would just intrude on peoples’ holidays.” 
 
 “Some people even skip Thanksgiving dinner,” says Brim. “I actually met one guy last year who had been waiting in line since 2 p.m. on Wednesday…that’s crazy.” 
 
 • Anneli Rufus: America’s Biggest SpendersIn order to comb through the confusion, The Daily Beast asked the experts at six sites dedicated to Black Friday to rank the largest national retailers holding Black Friday promotions to find which stores offer the best bang for your shopping buck. Our panel includes: BFads.net, BlackFriday.info, GottaDeal.com, TGIBlackFriday.com, Blackfriday.fm, and TheBlackFriday.com. 
 
 Gallery: Ranking the 15 Best Stores on Black Friday 
 
 Each store was ranked based on an average cumulative score out of 30 based on three criteria on a scale from 1 to 10: 
 
 • Prices—How extensive are the sales in terms of products offered and the degree of discount on Black Friday promotions. 
 
 • Hours—The start time and length of sales. 
 
 • Perks—How does the retailer improve the shopping experience, i.e. with free coffee, chance giveaways, warm space to wait in line, etc. 
 
 And the weekend’s winners are… 
 
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– For some, Black Friday will actually begin tonight. "I leave the house at 9:30pm on Thanksgiving," one serious shopper tells the New York Daily News. "Everything used to open at 6am, but every year it gets even earlier." With 138 million Americans expected to be out shopping for deals, how can you snag what you want? Some tips: "You gotta pack light, get your coffee and go," says the aforementioned shopper, who recommends—along with many of her seasoned peers—shopping alone, and organizing flyers and credit cards beforehand. Or bring a shopping pal ... and a strategy. "We tag-team," says one shopper. "My friend or I will stay in line while the other person runs to get their stuff." "Outwit, outlast, outplay," says another Black Friday veteran who befriends managers for "insider information" and cases each store beforehand so he'll know where to find products. He also recommends talking to other shoppers in line to make sure you're not missing any great deals—but, of course, don't give away any of your own secrets. "It's all mind games before the doors open, and then it's WrestleMania!" Sites like BlackFriday.info can help, but there's nothing like the time-honored just-grab-it technique: Says one shopper, "I usually spot what I want and get it before anyone else sees me or the product." Click here for five more tips from a pro.