Cyber Monday, Monday

Today is Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year. It's like Black Friday, only on the Interwebz. If you are planning on doing a little on the job shopping, here are some tips for navigating through the muck and mire of online economic stimulation.

1. Shop Early - The earlier you shop, often times, the better the deal. Some websites even started their Cyber Monday sales yesterday.

2. Compare Prices - Don't buy anything until you have comparison shopped at least two other places. ( Amazon is a great place to do that.) Which brings me to my next point:

3. If The Deal Looks Too Good To Be True, It Probably Is - BE CAREFUL! If you end up on some janky website and their prices are significantly lower than anywhere else, Google the name of the website or company to make sure it isn't a bogus retailer.

4. Do Your Research - Online shopping is SO handy because you don't have to fight the mall crowds and waste time looking for a parking spot, but it's also wonderful because you can do product research at the same time. The reviews on most websites can be sorted by "most favorable", "most critical" and "most helpful". WalletPop suggests you read the top three reviews in each category.

5. Careful With That Credit Card - While you're doing damage snapping up the hot deals, remember to NEVER use your credit card while shopping online using a public WiFi hookup. It's very easy for someone to jack your credit card number and do some damage of their own.

Happy surfing!