It seemed like Thanksgiving and Black Friday would never come, but we’ve survived both. We shopped small from a distance on Saturday and now we have a brief moment to breathe before our 2020 Cyber Monday begins. If you’re planning to shop this year, there are a few tried and true principles to keep in mind. And there are some others that apply especially to the weirdness that is 2020. Here are the strategies I’m going to be using to guide my shopping.
Know What You’re Shopping For
Cyber Monday and online shopping in general can be a never ending rabbit hole. So shopping on Cyber Monday without an idea of what you need or how much you want to spend can be a waste of both time and money. Gather together a few facts for anyone you’re shopping for before you begin:
- Clothing Sizes of anyone you’re shopping for
- Shoe Sizes of anyone you’re shopping for
- Favorite Brands or Styles
- Particular Products
- Your Budget!
Work the Filters
Use the information you gather to use your filters. You’ll reduce the number of unnecessary products you view and reduce choice distraction. The more products you look at, the more your resolve weakens, and the more fatigued you become. At some point you become so tired that you purchase way more than you intended to. It’s the same principle that causes us to make impulse buys in line when we check out at the grocery store.
Set a Time Limit
The longer you spend shopping, the more money you spend. Again, it’s so easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole of endless clicking. You begin by looking for TVs and end up on a page filled full of power tools. For this reason, it’s wise to limit the time you spend. Whether you set a timer on your phone or squeeze in shopping between meetings.
Use a Cash Back Site
If you follow me, you know I never buy anything online without first checking Rakuten for Cash Back. I also have the Fetch Rewards App linked to my email account I use for purchasing, too. Fetch Rewards lets you earn points for scanning receipts and referring friends (My referral code is XP4EV if you want to share the love!). No matter which site you use, you’ll be missing out on big bucks if you don’t use one, too. BONUS: These sites also round up codes for additional discounts and oftentimes free shipping, too.
Sign Up for Store Rewards
You’ll also want to be sure you’re maximizing Store Rewards programs, too. Kohl’s, JcPenney, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target Circle – nearly every major online platform of a department store has one. You can easily accrue rewards on multiple platforms.
Don’t Forget Local Businesses
While the major retailers will attract plenty of eyes on Monday, don’t forget to see what you’re local favorites and small businesses are offering, too. It’s my belief that the bigger retailers have thrown out the majority of their great deals early this year. However, you may see better offerings from local artisans and shops.
Double Check Shipping
Most years, we’d want to be keeping a close eye on shipping to make sure we get the best deal either by hitting spending limits or using coupon codes. This year, we’ll also want to keep a sharp eye on the dates when items will ship. I’ve already encountered some shipping delays, myself. You’ll want to wrap up your shopping (pun intended) early this year. Make sure your items will arrive before Christmas Eve.
Buckle up, friends. There are deals to be had, but let’s not end up overspending this year. We may need that extra cash for toilet paper after all. 😉 As always, you can find my favorite deals on The Queen of Free’s Favorite Bargains on Facebook.
Our new book Your Money, Your Marriage is now available! Be sure to check out videos on managing money together on Facebook.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal, learn about a way to save, or maybe even something for free, I may end up making a small commission. All prices are subject to change.
