There are bargains out there, and not just for Black Friday.  You just need to know where to look. These are some of my favorite sites:

Black Friday Ads:

• bfads.net – Black Friday 2009: the original Black Friday site with leaked ads for the day after Thanksgiving
• black-friday.net – Black Friday 2009: another site
• blackfriday.info – Black Friday 2009: yet another site

Online Coupons:

• RetailMeNot.com: One of the largest coupon collections on the web, usually the most up-to-date coupons available.
• CouponCabin.com: variety of online coupons

Printable/downloadable local coupons:

• MommySavesBig: collection of printable national coupons for in-store use
• ValPak.com: miss a coupon from the newspaper? Chances are it was through ValPak and you can print it direct here.
• RedPlum.com: another source for printable coupons
• Upromise.com: a different type of coupon service where you can save money and save for college.

Computers & Electronics:

• Techbargains.com: one of the original sources for those infamous Dell coupons.
• DealHack.com: very broad selection of bargains, especially those crazy Amazon Friday deals.

Product Reviews:

• Amazon: Even if you are not buying from Amazon, research your gifts by reading the reviews.  These reviews are typically your “average user” and should be considered as such.
• Consumer Reports:  not the widest selection of reviews, but they usually have updated reviews in the Fall before the Holiday rush.
• C|NET:  not the widest selection of reviews, but they usually review the hottest items.  Plus, members can also chime in with User Reviews.    Look for an Editor’s Choice list.

Camera Reviews & News:

• Canon Rumors:  best source for inside Canon info on upcoming cameras, lenses and more.
• Nikon Rumors: for the Nikonmaniacs
• Digital Photography Review (DP): news and reviews for all top brands.
• William Castleman:  if you are considering an expensive Canon L lens, this is the place to start.
• Photozone: camera reviews and lens with specific testing on full-frame and cropped sensor dSLRs.
• Digital Camera Resource:  pulls independent reviews from multiple sites
• Camera Labs:  these reviews include specs, sample shots and comparisons across various comparable models.
• Northern Lights: reviews of camera equipment, software and printers
• Steve’s Digicams:  used to be one of the largest independent source of camera reviews.  New owners, new site.

Bargain shopping/comparison sites (be sure to check the vendor’s website ratings below!):

• Google Shopping: one of the best deal finders on the web
• Yahoo Shopping: more than just Yahoo storefronts, this service now pulls info from major websites too.
• Bing Shopping: not to be left out, the former MSN shopping service is growing.
• CheapUncle.com: affiliated with couponcabin.com, one of the newer shopping sites
• Shopping.com: one of the original shopping services
• PriceGrabber.com: the other original shopping service
• ebay.com: look for PowerSellers with a very high feedback rating! Many companies now sell refurbished equipment direct to the consumer through ebay.

Website Ratings:

• ResellerRatings.com: is that online price too good to be true, check the ratings of that seller here.
• Bizrate.com: one of the first rating services for online storefronts
• NexTag.com: another rating service for online storefronts
• Google Shopping: Google now collects customer reviews and displays them for various sources

Planning your Shopping Route:

• HopStop.com: need to combine a trip with trains, subways & buses? HopStop with do it. Also has great maps and city guides.

Beware of Camera Prices too Good to be True.  The web is the great equalizer. Anyone can put up a website and compete for customers. If you are purchasing from a NEW vendor, be sure to Google “review [vendor’s website]” before you commit to a purchase. This is especially true with electronic/camera vendors. Be careful and do your research BEFORE you enter your credit card.