How to Find the Best Cyber Monday Deals

The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday due to high profits for retailers. It is also traditionally thought of as the first day of the Christmas shopping season. However, if you don't want to fight those holiday crowds then you can spend a leisurely day shopping for deals on what is considered by the online retailers as Cyber Monday. Here are the steps to put you on your way to the best online shopping deals come Cyber Monday.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Open a PayPal account. If you don't have a credit card then PayPal, which is owned by eBay is a great way to shop safely online. It is also a good alternative to those who don't have credit cards. Just open up a free account which can be tied to your checking account. Many online retailers such as eBay, Amazon and Drugstore.com all accept PayPal. In fact, you will find a lot of retailers advertising some of their best deals on PayPal.
   
   Ing Direct is also a good option. You can open a free checking account and request a free debit card. A good tip is to add an Ing Direct savings account and start saving money in advance for holiday spending. Then when Cyber Monday is here you can easily transfer funds to your checking account and pay with your debit card. Ing Direct offers very competitive interest rates as well. Check the resource section below for information on joining both paypal and Ing Direct.

2. Join email lists. Many online retailers will put you on their email list and alert you to special offers such as free shipping, discounts and more. Check out your favorite online retailers and either sign up for their email list or open up a free account for future orders to get on.

3. Look for coupon codes. You can often get an even better bargain by using online coupon codes. Go to Google and type in the "name of store coupon codes" without the quotes (replace name of store with the actual online retailer) and you can turn a great deal into something even better!

Tips & Warnings

• Beware of phishing scams. Phishing scams are used to trick consumers into giving personal information so that they can gain access to your accounts. For example, you may get an official looking email from someone claiming to be PayPal that will require that you need to update your password. Don't fall for it! Chances are you will click on a link and it will look like the real thing but keep this in mind; PayPal, online banks such as Ing Direct, and credit card companies will never ask you for your password.

Resources

• Ing Direct Online Banking
• PayPal

[wigglydog]

on 11/28/2009 Great article on shopping for Cyber Monday deals! 5* and recommendation