Black Friday marks the unofficial kickoff to the holiday spending season, but you don't need to wait until the actual day to score all those great deals.

The marketing engines are in high gear already&nbsp;and&nbsp;they won't let up until Cyber Monday. So if you are doing your holiday shopping or looking&nbsp;to replace some household necessities, now is the time.&nbsp;

Click the link below to hear the Deal Diva chat with the Afternoon Edition's Peter Mills about how you can score great deals leading up to Black Friday —&nbsp;and avoid being sucked into the marketing frenzy.

 for more Deal Diva segments for more great tips on saving money.

You can find more money saving tips at cbc.ca/dealdiva 

Deal Diva Segment

Want to try new food products, skincare, pet treats or appliances?

Do you ever see reviews on websites that say “I got this for free in exchange for an honest review?” Well, you could be the one leaving the review and trying things for free.

A display of groceries sits on a wooden shelf.

CBC News went to Sobeys, Dominion and Walmart to see how the cost of seven essentials changes depending on the retailer.

Groceries Walmart, Dominion, Sobeys

Many brands work with marketing agencies to offer consumers the chance to try things for free in exchange for an online or social media review.

Black Friday deals can be tempting, but they can also manipulate the brain into falling for a marketing technique that creates what psychologists call "artificial scarcity".

How to find great deals and avoid needless spending on Black Friday

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