Be Careful With Your Debit Card on Black Friday.

We stress using your debit card rather than your credit cards to help keep from getting into debt over the holiday season. This is the time of year retailers get back in the black and consumers get put into the red. But experts say it's best to leave your debit card at home on Black Friday.

Here is what they say about keeping your debit card safe.

Read up in refunds

Unlike transactions made by a cash or credit card, debit card purchases that are returned or disputed might not be refunded immediately. That's because debit card purchases fall under Federal Reserve Board Regulation E, which makes them instantaneous transactions with third parties. "So you won't receive any money back from a mistaken transaction until after the dispute is resolved," says Carrie Coghill Kuntz, spokeswoman for CreditFYI.com, in an interview with WalletPop.

Stay away from surfing

Paying via debit card is the equivalent of wiring a retailer cash. And if while shopping online you accidentally put too many item in your virtual basket, or hit your browser's "back" button and reload the transaction, you might be out of luck when trying to get a refund.

Act Fast

If you learn your debit card has been used fraudulently, report it to your bank (or the card issuer) immediately. Waiting longer than two business days can inflate your liability to as much as $500.

Don't bank on your bank

Unlike a credit card issuer, your bank isn't monitoring your spending habits. Which means if your card is used suspiciously or appears to be stolen, your bank won't shut down your debit card. That means the responsibility to monitor spending and suspicious behavior falls squarely on your shoulders.

Check your credit score

Scan your score and full credit report report before shopping. That will ensure you're starting out the shopping season with a factual report and with the highest score possible. And give you a good starting point to detect any fraudulent activity that may occur during the holiday season.

If you can use your debit card more than your credit card, but be sure to follow these techniques to keep your stress level down down during the holidays.