RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Christmas Countdown has begun. Black Friday is tomorrow. For the next month you will be charmed, pitched and enticed. Your emotions will be tugged upon. Eyelashes may be batted. And that's just from retailers. There's no telling what your loved ones may try.

As an early holiday present, here are some tips that could make the next few weeks easier on your budgets.

Sears has brought it back. Kmart has never forgotten it. And smaller retailers think it's a fine thing, too.

There's a lot to like about it -- like no interest charges. A side benefit is you don't have to worry about snoopers finding their gifts early.

Most stores that offer layaway require a small down payment that's usually a percentage of the total and a fee upfront, usually around $5. Some have a cancellation fee. Some stores won't let you put some things on layaway after a certain date: for example, pricey electronics or obvious Christmas items. Sears has a list of things you can't put on layaway and requires all items be picked up by Dec. 23. It won't accept any new layaways after Dec. 22.

Others offering the service include chains such as Marshalls and Burlington Coat Factory.

If you're not sure a store offers layaway, just ask.

If you do choose layaway, check for fees on returns or cancellations, make sure the item is set aside, and find out how refunds are handled as well as price adjustments -- can you get the better price if it goes on sale?

Always read the terms carefully and make your payments on time.

If your gift doesn't fit, is the wrong the size or doesn't work, the recipient will be ever so grateful if you've taken return policies into consideration.

Most stores have 30-day return policies, but find out if they're extending those terms for the holidays. Most policies are posted on the store receipt but if you've already bought it that's too late. If the return policy is not posted, go to customer service and ask.

Also request gift receipts, and remember to include them with the gift. If the item you're buying has a warranty, make sure it doesn't expire before the gift is unwrapped.

Retailers want sales this year, so if you have a lower price in mind, see if they'll accept your offer. Ask for the manager as most clerks don't have the power to negotiate. Be polite and don't make an offer that's insulting. If your offer is refused, ask if you can be contacted if the item goes on sale.

You've heard it before: make sure there are no hidden fees and check expiration dates. This year, there's the added concern that the retailer may not be around long enough after the holidays for the cards to be redeemed.

In years past, stores have offered instant credit with zero percent interest rates or 90-day-same-as-cash financing.

But this year, banks are clamping down. That means that if you have a blemish on your credit record, you may not qualify for such "instant" deals.

One store that says it hasn't tightened lending standards is Best Buy. It's offering 18 months of zero-interest credit for purchases of more than $499. The credit is offered through HSBC Holdings. But there are strings attached. If you don't make the minimum monthly payment of $10, the interest rates start to add up.

That doesn't mean buy online -- though it can. Use the Web to research products and prices before you buy.

Turn to it to find sites that keep you informed of deals, coupons and promotions:

• Dealnews.com publishes a round-up of price-checked deals and online specials.

• Dealtaker.com offers advance notice of Black Friday sales.

• lets you shop for thousands of products, from electronics to clothes, and allows you to set price alerts so you know when it's offered at the price you want to pay.

• PriceSpider.com searches hundreds of stores for electronic items like DVD players and flat-screen TVs and shows you a chart of its price history, along with reviews and links to retailers.

• FatWallet.com and SlickDeals.net offer forums, coupons and links to deals that may not be widely advertised.

• Shipgooder.com compares shipping rates from major carriers like the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS.

• CyberMonday.com aggregates online holiday sales from 600 companies.

• Propertyroom.com lets you bid on stolen property. The items were recovered by law enforcement agencies in 47 states.

If you're signed up with retailers to get e-mails, open them. Many are pushing coupons and specials and online-only deals.

There also are good deals on sites such as overstock.com.

If you do buy online, watch out for shipping and handling costs. Those charges can easily wipe out any savings. Look for free shipping and free gift wrap, too.

Some retailers are as worried about money this year as you are. They've pushed discounts earlier and have been careful with inventory. That could affect the availability of what you want to buy.

For instance, if you absolutely must buy clothes, then size matters. And there are no guarantees that the size you need will be there if you wait for prices to go down. Better to buy now and be sure.

But check to see if the retailer has a "lower-price guarantee" so if an item goes on sale within a specified time (usually two weeks) after you buy it and you still have the receipt, the store will make up the difference.

Electronics, however, will be worth the wait. If plasma TVs and other big-ticket items are slow to sell, they'll come down in price.

Is your holiday gathering after the holidays? If you're not seeing your siblings, your in-laws, your parents or your Aunt Martha until January, wait to buy their presents.

True, it means braving the after-Christmas sales, but it will be well worth it. That's especially true if it's a slow holiday season for retailers -- they'll be looking to unload more right around Christmas by cutting prices.