Cyber Monday Online Shopping Tips

Cyber Monday falls on the Monday after Thanksgiving, and is the online equivalent of Black Friday. Online retailers offer significant discounts in an effort to increase sales and draw in customers who are shopping for the holidays.

If you want to get in on these awesome deals, but don’t want to blow your budget, I have a few helpful tips:

1. Stick to a List

Make a list of everyone you’re shopping for this year, and if possible, add a general idea of what you want to buy that person.  Then when you come across a great deal on an item, you can scan your list to see if you have someone to buy it for.  If you don’t have anyone to buy them for, pass up the deal and wait for a deal on something you are shopping for.

2. Stick to a Budget

It’s so easy to get carried away during the holidays and overspend. Whether you have a per-person budget or an over-all budget, set one and stick to it. Even if the item is an amazing buy, if it breaks your budget, it’s still too expensive.

3. Keep Track

Make a list of everything you purchase, so you don’t accidentally buy for the same person twice, or buy two of the same item. With all the holiday busyness, you’re much more prone to forget things.  Write it down or create a word doc to help you remember.

4. Use Coupon Codes

Always, always, always check for a coupon code before shopping. Even if it’s a store that you think wouldn’t have one! You can use sites like Savings.com to check for coupon codes before you make your purchase.

5. Get Free Shipping

Shipping costs can sometimes kill the deal when shopping online. Thankfully retailers are beginning to realize this and free shipping offers are prevalent. Do a quick search for free shipping codes before you buy and you could save a bundle! Some sites also offer free shipping if you join their mailing list or create an account on their site.

6. Earn Cash Back

It may sound too good to be true, but it’s not! Sites like Ebates will give you a percentage of your purchase back in cash just for shopping through their links.  It’s completely free to join, there are no fees to pay, and you will even get a $5 sign-up bonus after you make your first purchase.

7. Relax and Have Fun

What makes Cyber Monday so much more appealing than Black Friday is that you can shop in your pajamas, snuggled up on the couch with your laptop.  You get the thrill of the hunt without the crazy crowds.  You also have sites like mine – Couponing101.com – to help you dig for the really awesome deals. So, instead of heading out in the cold to search for deals, just sit back, grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, and let the deals come to you! 😉

Want to keep up with all the crazy deals?

:: Follow Couponing 101 on Facebook – We’ll be posting everything to Facebook so you can see the newest deals instantly. If you haven’t been seeing our posts in your news feed, follow these instructions to start seeing updates from us. You won’t want to miss anything!

:: Subscribe to our On-Demand Email Newsletter – Perhaps most important of all, be sure to subscribe to our emails. You’ll receive an email within 30 minutes of us posting a deal to give you the best chance of scoring that deal before it sells out.

This post was originally published on November 22, 2010.