Black Friday came and went with much controversy and fanfare. A great number of shoppers braved the crowds to find a steal of a deal. As everyone returns to work on Monday, one of the biggest online holiday sales of the year just might have you peeping at the computer throughout the day. Maximize your online shopping time by utilizing these quick and easy tips to save you money and help you stay on budget this holiday season.
Have a Specific List. Online shopping can be a Black Hole that can suck the hours out of your day and the life out of you. Sit down and write out your list before you begin clicking around from bargain to bargain. Set a budget. These free printable Christmas Budget Forms can help guide your spending. Your list will help you stay on target and not get whipped into a frenzy over a hot deal.
Use An Online “Cash Back” Program. There are plenty of rebates floating around for great deals online. But before you even surf the net or purchase a product online, it’s a good idea to head to a site like Ebates or Shop at Home. Basically, these sites gather all of the coupons you would ever need to shop online AND then have a relationship with the retailers that allows you to gain a percentage back when you shop online. Just for signing up for Ebates, you score a $10 gift card, too. Go right now and sign up. Then on Monday, start your searches on these sites before heading out to your online shopping destination.
Be Intentional With How You Sort. Doing a blind search on a retail site often yields products ordered by “Relevance” or “New & Popular” or even priced “High to Low.” As soon as you do any searching, filter out the shipping methods (this is especially important on Amazon where you might be viewing third party sellers who also charge an additional S&H fee), product type, sizes, and organize the prices from “Low to High.” This will both all you to be effective in viewing only products you need but also keep your eyes from wandering to price points outside of your budget. If you don’t see it, you’re less likely to fall in love with it and overspend.
Use a Comparison Tool and Search for Coupons. A site like Pricegrabber might help you compare the prices of a number of sites at once. NEVER check out online until you have done a thorough search for coupons. I’ve even been surprised to find coupon codes online with a simple search for sites that I’ve never seen advertise coupons before. It’s always worth trying.
Be Sure You Are on a Reputable Site. Don’t ever give out your private information on a website you aren’t sure is secure. Look for the “s” in the https at the beginning of the web address and/or the little lock symbol. Sites with misspellings or an abundance of ads are probably spam. Trust your gut. If it seems too good to be true, it is.
If you don’t have time to shop tomorrow, it’s ok. There will be plenty of deals to be had online through the first part of December. Typically online deals begin to cool soon after December 18th – FREE Shipping Day.
Are you shopping on Cyber Monday? What tips would you suggest?
Don’t forget to keep this year’s Debt Free Christmas promise!
Gain inspiration to pay off debt! Check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!
