Black Friday deals not always as good as they seem – do your homework before bagging a 'bargain'

Bargain hunters are expected to descend on high-streets across the country today, while others will be eagerly monitoring online discounts, as the year's biggest shopping bonanza gets underway.

However, while some consumers may be lured by the attractive discounts from the UK’s high street and online retailers, in reality, a host of better offers on big-name brands can be found.

Some Black Friday favourites are offering discounts on electricals, clothing, white goods and more, but many could be found much cheaper elsewhere:

Black Friday 'dud' deals

Check out our Cheap Online Shopping guide for full info on how to bag a bargain.

'Make sure you do your homework before parting with your cash'

MoneySavingExpert.com deals editor Gary Caffell says: "Stores will do whatever they can to get consumers to spend their hard-earned cash, so if there’s something you need and can afford, make sure you do your homework so you don’t part with more money than you need to.

"The key is to make sure you only buy items you were looking for anyway, and not because you fall for the marketing hype. There are some great deals out there but make sure you do your own price comparisons, as prices can fluctuate wildly from store to store – don’t just take a retailer’s word for it that something is a bargain."