Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, it’s now less than a week away! Between cooking and preparing your home for Thanksgiving festivities, it can be overwhelming to think about the upcoming Christmas season. And it can be a lot more stressful if we add financial goals to the picture. If you’re looking to save money on Cyber Monday, it might be a good idea to start planning Christmas shopping now. Doing so will also allow you enough time to gather the presents that you need. Cyber Monday shopping is also much less stressful than waiting until the last minute to shop!

Black Friday is an extremely popular day to shop online, which is why many people choose to wait the weekend out and shop on Cyber Monday instead.

Here are a few tips and tricks that’ll help you with your Cyber Monday shopping – and save your dollars in the long run.

Happy holiday shopping!

1. Make a plan

Don’t shop without a plan! Make a list of every person you need to buy a gift for and what you would like to get them as a present. Next, make sure that you know where you’re going to buy the gift so you’re not struggling to find it in stock last minute. Making a plan for your shopping steers you away from making impulsive purchases that you’ll regret later. Emotional buying is a very real thing!

2. Make a realistic budget

Christmas shopping can be expensive, so it’s crucial that you make a spending limit for yourself so you don’t overspend. With numerous sales and deals on Cyber Monday, it can be tempting to buy items that you don’t really need.

Make a separate budget for gifts for friends and family and another budget if you’re planning on buying gifts for yourself. Don’t forget to treat yourself this holiday season!

3. Compare prices between multiple websites

Make sure you’re getting the best deal this Cyber Monday! If you have your heart set on a certain gift, make sure you do your research and compare prices offered by different websites. You may end up saving a significant amount of money! Research any available promotional codes or coupons to see if you can save more money with your purchase.

4. Have a back-up plan, especially if your goal is to save money on Cyber Monday deals.

Plan ahead in case an item sells out on Cyber Monday! Make a back-up plan for each gift so you know what to do if your purchase sells out. Since so many people shop online on Cyber Monday, inventory selling out is a definite possibility.

Look at your gift list and add a back-up item for each person in case their gift is no longer available. When choosing a back-up item, be sure to compare prices as you did with your original gift ideas.

5. Start shopping before Cyber Monday!

On Cyber Monday, make a plan to shop early enough so there’s less chance that your desired items will sell out. Many Cyber Monday deals have a limited time window, so do your research on particular websites before you get started. Prepare for the day and make sure that your WiFi connection is solid. You don’t want your computer crashing just before trying to make a purchase!

6. Be aware of hidden fees before checking out

Be aware of secret fees! Often, most fees such as tax and shipping won’t appear until you’re ready to check out. Shipping fees can be hefty depending on the website that you’re using, so try and factor hidden tax and shipping fees into your budget when you’re planning your Cyber Monday shopping.

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