Catch me tomorrow morning on Sunday’s WTHR Weekend Sunrise at 7:45 AM. Here’s a sneak peek of the money saving tips that I’ll be sharing!
What’s that you say? You weren’t up to braving the crowds on Black Friday? You think you missed all of the great deals online? It’s just not so.
Here are some of the Queen of Free’s favorite tips for keeping Cyber Monday {and the days that follow} under control while maximizing your Christmas Gift Budget.
Don’t EVER Pay for Shipping. Seriously, every company out there is going to offer FREE shipping on Cyber Monday. At a bare minimum you’ll receive free shipping once you hit a certain price point. Before you check out online, Google “Free Shipping Code” and the title of the store you’re shopping. You should find codes to help cut costs. Sites like Ebates or Retail Me Not also offer great discount and shipping codes. We’ll see FREE Shipping offers again on or around December 17th {the last ditch effort to get you to shop online before December 25th arrives}.
Check the Sales and Clearance. The items on the front page might not always be the best for your budget. Be sure you dig through the sale, clearance or outlet section of your favorite sites. And if at all possible, sort your browsing so that you’re viewing items that are 50% off or more. I also gravitate toward the “Movers and Shakers” list on Amazon {located on the Best Sellers page of individual departments} because if an item is selling quickly, it will shoot up the list and might indicate a greater savings.
Sort from Low to High. I immediately sort sites from Low to High price so I don’t even see something out of my budget. If I have a spending limit in mind, I won’t even look beyond my set figure. Some sites allow you to search items only X price and lower which is helpful. Just be sure on sites like Amazon that you’re looking at items that qualify for the FREE Super Saver Shipping.
Use a Rebate Site. Use a site like Ebates to not only find coupon and shipping codes but to actually earn money back on your purchases. Right now, you can even snag a $10 gift card to your choice of retailer if you’re a new sign up. There are other sites with similar programs but this one is my personal favorite.
Read the Reviews. How many stars did your item receive? Did someone totally hate it? Of course you have to take each review with a grain of salt but if a host of people piped up and said negative things you might want to avoid your purchase. And on the flip side if people took the time to give it a good review, you can know you’re making a solid purchase. Since you can’t physically handle the item, this might be your only way to know if you’re purchasing a diamond or a dud.
Avoid the Internet If It’s a Weakness. Everyone is SO different. Some of us shop more recklessly online. Others of us should never darken the doors of the local mall. If you know you overspend when shopping online, power down. It’s not worth spending the entire month of January with guilt gut.
And of course be sure to follow the Queen of Free {my Facebook and Twitter feeds will be flooded with Cyber Monday deals tomorrow!}. I’ll try to bring you the best deals and weed through the offers that are flashy but not necessarily worthwhile.
www.queenoffree.net
