I love this time of year. Thanksgiving is a couple weeks away followed by Black Friday. Pretty soon, every ad will be about "Black Friday" or "Cyber Monday." 

Personally, I prefer to do all my shopping from my computer and avoid all the crazies at the malls. If you’re going to shop online this holiday season, there’s a million tips you can find online. Here’s 5 that you won’t find anywhere else:

1. Most people shop online for two reasons: they want the convenience of shopping at home and they want to get the best deal. If you’re shopping online, make sure that you’re really getting the best price. True, most retail outlets have e-commerce sites. But, most merchandise can be purchased from online-only stores at much cheaper prices. A couple of places I swear by: eBay for great prices and hard to find items. For electronics (if you know EXACTLY what you want) try out www.pricewatch.com. For TV’s, stereos, and the like, no one beats Crutchfield.com. Computer parts, go to newegg.com.
2. Get money back for stuff you’d buy anyway. Here’s the question: If you’re going to buy something online anyway, why not get some cash back? I’ve heard of many cards that give cash or airline points, but you can also shop through websites that give cash. If you like getting cash back, you should definitely check out eBates. You get and average of 2%, which doesn’t really seem like much…but that’s IN ADDITION TO any coupons or deals that you already get. I’ve been a member for about 9 years and received over $600 cash back. While it’s not a lot per year, it’s a lot more than $0 for things I’d buy anyway. Plus they usually have some great coupons and deals if you are looking. (Side note for guys: The best deal on eBates are coupons for Flowers – 10% cash back and 33% off FTD.com. The best investment EVER.)
3. Don’t give out your email address unless you have to. Take another look at my ebates account. Notice my email address. Why did I do this? If any spam comes to that address, I know exactly who gave that address out, and I know that I can just kill that address and stop any spam coming to that address without losing the email address I use for business. I do that for every site that wants my email that I don’t trust. (After 9+ years I do trust eBates, but when I signed up, I didn’t know them). If you don’t know how to setup an email alias, give us a call and we’ll walk you through it.
4. Use a fake credit card. Well, not exactly a fake CC…most banks have what’s called a virtual credit card number. What you do is sign onto your account, and you can get a virtual CC with a specified limit. For example, if you normal card has a $10K limit, you can get a CC number that has online $500. Why? When you go to a site that may be questionable but has a GREAT deal you just can’t pass up, you can use the virtual CC to purchase That $495 LCD Screen. If anyone steals that CC, the most they can get is $5.
5. Check your statement – Something you should be doing anyway. When it comes to the holidays, make sure to double check your statements. The law limit your liability on stolen CC charges to $50, but if someone runs up charges on your card, it may take days or weeks to get that money back.

Hope you find these tips helpful.  If not, please let me know.  Have any other tips you want to share?  Post them below.

Also, let me know if you want to see any buying guides or a specific article in the future...and I'll get right on it.

PS. While your out shopping, please feel to pickup a Samsung Galaxy for me. ;)

Thanks,
Amit