I admit it. I may be a savvy shopper, but I’m a Black Friday Scrooge. I can’t stand shopping on Black Friday. Waking up early after a long day of turkey-eating to fight crowds for mostly mediocre deals is not my idea of a good time. However, Cyber Monday is a whole different ball game!
Not familiar with Cyber Monday? It all started a few years ago when online retailers noticed that on the Monday after Thanksgiving (when everyone is back in front of a computer at work or at home), sales were spiking. To take advantage of that, they birthed Cyber Monday, a day full of hot online deals and lightning steals—and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your pajamas to get in on the action!
I absolutely love Cyber Monday...shopping online is so much more fun and easy, and the deals can be even better when you add in discount codes and cash back sites. Here are some of my tips for how to score some great deals this year on Cyber Monday!
- In the days and weeks leading up to Cyber Monday, check the circulars in your Sunday paper, look at your favorite retailers’ sites and check deal hunters’ websites like www.GottaDeal.com or www.SlickDeals.net. It’s a good idea to “Like” your favorite retailers’ Facebook pages to have access to special deals and discount codes, too. Keep in mind that many Cyber Monday deals are just like those on Black Friday: There is a limited supply of items that will go on sale at a specific time, and when they are gone, they are gone. Do some research ahead of time so that you can plan to be online when the deals go live so you won’t miss out!
- If you aren't already using cash back sites, NOW is the time to start. Cash back sites couldn’t be easier to use, and if you are shopping online already, it’s just free money in your pocket. First, sign up for a free account at one or more of the cash back sites (my personal favorites are www.ShopAtHome.com and www.Ebates.com). Then every time you shop online, just visit a cash back site first and click through to your favorite retailer. When you do that, you will get a certain percentage of your purchase back in the form of a check. On Cyber Monday, these sites usually run bonus deals where you will get double or even triple cash back for select stores.
- One of my top sites for Cyber Monday is www.Amazon.com. Check the site a week or two before Thanksgiving and you will likely see pages of HOT deals already being advertised. Amazon does “Lightning Deals” all day long where they will deeply discount an item and only sell a limited supply starting at a specific time. Make sure you are ready to click “buy” when those big items are up for grabs or you will miss out!
- Most retailers offer some kind of free shipping on Cyber Monday. Many will have these codes or deals on their home pages or Facebook pages, but if you don't see a deal, do a quick search for free shipping codes before you buy.
- Last, take your time when making an online purchase. Yes, some deals will expire if you don't jump on them. But no matter what, you should take a few minutes (or seconds) to think about your purchase before you click "buy." If it is an item that you need or really want, then go ahead and buy it. But if you find a hot deal on something you weren't planning on buying, take a minute to do some research...read reviews online, make sure that the price you are getting is good and think about whether it fits into your budget. A big drawback of shopping online is that it's SO easy to just keep adding things to your cart without realizing how much you are really spending. Clicking "buy" online doesn't seem to have as much of an impact on shoppers as actually having to look at everything in a shopping cart when checking out at a physical store. So taking a minute to be SURE about your purchases can really help. Because the bottom line is…it’s not a good deal unless you need it and can afford it.
Sara Keenan will be Christmas shopping from home in her pajamas once again this year!