For Black Friday and beyond, these apps can help you save cash as you work through your holiday shopping list.
With stores opening up earlier for Black Friday this year -- many on Thanksgiving day -- you can expect long lines and a rush for the good deals. Major retailers like Wal-Mart (WMT) and Target (TGT) are offering up interactive maps inside their iPhone and Android apps to help shoppers navigate the swarm.
Wal-Mart's smartphone app, upgraded on Monday, now lets users view the layout of their local stores, find a specific item, and pull up pricing details. Interactive store maps are also available on the company's website as well as local Wal-Mart Facebook pages.
Target's app is similar, displaying a map of your local store's various departments. It's also got a short-cut feature for busy shoppers: For the retailer's top 20 toys, shoppers can scan the item's QR code and purchase it directly from their mobile phone. The goodies will be shipped free anywhere in the U.S.