6 Genius Ways to Save on Cyber Monday

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Cyber Monday (November 30th this year) is the day when online shopping deals take center stage. Last year, Cyber Monday garnered over $2 billion in sales — and this year it's projected to do even more. While there will be a plethora of deals available, you can easily maximize your savings by following these tips.

1. Know the Best Products to Buy

Historically, some items provide the most bang for your buck on Cyber Monday, even more than Black Friday in many cases. Here are the best products to watch.

Apparel and Shoes

Aside from Free Shipping Day on December 18th, Cyber Monday is the single best day to shop online for new clothing and shoes. Retailers like Gap, Old Navy, Ann Taylor, American Eagle, and Lands' End always offer online coupon codes in the 25%–40% off range, with free shipping. Always be aware of return policies so you don't get stuck paying to return clothing that doesn't fit.

Brand Name TVs

If you fail to score a Black Friday deal on a new TV, don't fret — Cyber Monday is actually a better day to save on a quality brand. Black Friday is all about deals on third tier manufacturers, many of which you've never heard of. But Cyber Monday regularly sees discounts from online consumer electronics sites in the 30%–40% range on brands like Samsung, Panasonic, LG, Sony, and Vizio.

Gaming System Bundles

If you're in the market for an Xbox One or PlayStation 4, you stand a good chance of saving money on Cyber Monday. Your best bet for savings is a bundle which typically includes the actual system along with a game and an additional controller. Online retailers like Gamestop, Target, Costco, and Walmart offered discounts in the 20%–30% range last year on Cyber Monday.

Beauty Products

If you need to stock up on beauty products, Cyber Monday would be a wise day to do it. Last year we saw online deals like 25% off at Macys, 30% off at Avon, 25% off at Smashbox, 20% off at Lancome, and 40% off at Ulta. Look for more of the same this year.

Quality Laptops

If you need a budget laptop, shop on Black Friday. But if you need a laptop with specs that'll have you video editing, gaming, and running several large programs at once, shop on Cyber Monday. Historically, it's one of the best days of the year to shop online at Best Buy, Fry's, and NewEgg and save money on a quality laptop from brands like Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, and Apple.

2. Stack Coupons

There will undoubtedly be a large number of Cyber Monday coupons available for those willing to seek them out. Did you know that some sites actually let you stack more than one coupon, which leads to huge savings?

Kohl's

Kohl's will have a ton of Cyber Monday coupons available, so do a Google search for "Kohls Coupons" and start stacking. They'll let you combine a percent off coupon with a dollar off coupon, but note that you can't stack two "percent off" coupons during one transaction. But the good news is that you can stack two "dollar off" coupons when making an online purchase.

Target

Target's website lets you stack one manufacturer coupon, one Target coupon (must have online promo code printed on it), and one Cartwheel offer.

NewEgg

They'll let you stack an unlimited number of online coupons on your transaction. The catch is that you can only use a single coupon code on each item in your virtual cart.

3. Free Shipping Is Great, But...

If you plan to cross a few names off your Christmas list on Cyber Monday, it's smart to start with a website that offers free shipping. But be warned that free shipping is not always what it's cracked up to be. Many sites will actually jack up their prices just before releasing a Cyber Monday coupon for free shipping or a percent off your purchase. This is why I recommend using a site like PriceGrabber or Google Shopping to quickly find the cheapest price online, then go look for a Cyber Monday coupon code to make that price even cheaper.

4. Abandon Your Shopping Cart to Trigger a Deal

If you're considering a big Cyber Monday purchase like a new appliance or HDTV, I have a passive aggressive way to score a special discount at many online retailers. In the days leading up to Cyber Monday, visit the website you want to shop, login to your account, and add the item to your shopping cart. Then, log out right before you enter your credit card information. Sit back and wait for your coupon to show up in your email inbox. It could be a coupon for free shipping, or it could be coupon code good for up to 20% off your purchase.

Websites where this technique works include Toys R Us, Bass Pro Shops, Bed Bath & Beyond, Macy's, and Williams-Sonoma. Retailers know you're very close to completing the transaction and are willing to entice you back to the their site with an exclusive coupon. Try it this Cyber Monday and you stand a great chance of scoring an extra discount that you might not otherwise get.

5. Use Social Media to Score a Deal

The past couple Cyber Mondays, retailers have been littering their Facebook and Twitter feeds with exclusive deals and coupons. So before you do any online shopping, be sure to check the retailer's social media accounts for extra savings. Last year we saw exclusive discounts from Banana Republic, Crate & Barrel, Best Buy, JCPenney, and Lands' End to name a few. Most are limited time offers so be ready to pounce when you find the deal.

6. If a Deal Looks Too Good to Be True…

...It probably is. Cyber Monday emails are already floating around, and with that comes the added threat of scam sites designed to steal your money. Be suspicious of any email that claims savings significantly lower than the competition. When using price comparison tools, be cautious of any website that you're not familiar with, especially if they're offering an item at an unusually low price. Always do a quick Google search of the company's name, followed by "reviews" or "complaints," and see if you can find out a little bit more about them. Trust your gut.

Also, when you reach the checkout page that is asking for your credit card information, take note of the browser url — does it change from "http://" to "https://"? If the all-important "s" shows up, that means the website has taken the proper steps to keep your credit card and personal information secure. If the site doesn't have the letter "s" showing, do not enter your credit card information. It could be compromised by a third party.

Are you planning on checking out Cyber Monday deals? If so, do you have any websites or deals in mind?

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