During this Black Friday, let's plan for Cyber Monday.

Getty Images / Justin Sullivan
Getty Images / Justin Sullivan
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I hope you had a great Thanksgiving

Today, lots of you are out to shop till you plop.  If you are, check out my post from last Sunday with shopping tips for Black Friday.

Right now the focus is on next Monday, Cyber Monday.

It's pretty obvious that on-line shopping is a different is a different animal than making purchases at the brick and mortar stores.

I've gathered up some suggestions if you plan to do holiday shopping on-line.

I've mentioned this before.  It's pretty cool to shop in the comfort of your home without the crowds, jammed highways, and hunting for a parking space.

First, wake up early on Monday morning or stay up very late Sunday night.  I know this may not be too practical when you have to get up for work.

Download the Amazon Price Check app.  You can use this tool to compare on-line prices and in-store prices too.

The thing is, internet inventories are not endless.  Even on-line sites may run out of the best deals on Monday morning.

Always, and I mean always look for the "https" on your browser.  The "s" means your transaction is secure.

If you're looking for a particular product, while on-line look for the product's rating.  Buying a piece of junk for a low price is no bargain.

While you're eating your turkey sandwich this weekend register for e-mail newsletters from your favorite stores.  The retailer may respond with a selection of their discounted items and might include an on-line coupon.

If you have the time on Monday, check out the internet several times.  There may be different deals during different times of the day.

Try to shop on sites that have free shipping.  Some on-line sites do not offer free shipping.  Don't get whacked with a shipping or handling charge after you unload the on-line shopping cart.

This holds true no matter how or where you shop.  Know the return and exchange policies.  Before you order, make it your business to know the warranty.  This information is usually in small print.  Make sure you read and understand it.

Make absolutely sure you place your order with a reputable retailer.  If the deal seems to good to be true, move on to a familiar-trustworthy website.

Finally, stick to a budget.  Sometimes it's easier to spend while loading items into a cyber shopping cart than a real in-store cart.

I hope you get some real "steals."

 

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