Five Black Friday Truths Stores Don’t Want You to Know

Doesn't it feel like each store is trying to outdo the next by screaming in our faces that they've got a mega, mega BIG sale?  Here's the truth...most of the sales really aren't all that fantastic. It's totally human nature for you and me to want to buy something because it's got a giant sale sticker on it, but that doesn't mean the price is the best that you'll find. Whatever you do this Black Friday, don't impulse buy- do a little homework first.

If you want to get your hands on the best of the best Black Friday sales, you're probably going to have offer up some of your personal information and what's more, a lot of times you'll only get the Black Friday discount if you give away your information. If the deal is just too good to pass up but you don't want to get slammed with spam emails, try this trick: give your name and then give an email address that you've set up (in advance) only for Black Friday shopping.

If you've ever been Black Friday shopping, then you know a lot of stores will hand out flyers with discount coupons or rebates and like me, you've probably found yourself excited at the thought of additional savings...until you take the time to read the fine print. A lot of the coupons handed out on Black Friday aren't even redeemable that day. Most are only usable 4-6 weeks later.

We've all seen the fliers telling us that supplies are limited but are they or is the store secretly hoarding a bunch of stuff in the back? No, they're not hoarding. Yes, it's true that supplies are limited. Remember the movie, "Jingle All The Way?" Enough said.

There's something exhilarating about hunting for a bargain, scooping it up, and saving cash on Black Friday shopping. But, here's something for you to really think about: a lot of the discounts offered on Black Friday actually are everyday prices somewhere else. Again, do your homework before buying something just because it's got a shiny sale sticker on it.