LIFE

A few tips for Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday

Abbey Roy

Hopefully by the time you’re reading this, you’ve recovered from your Black Friday escapades and frozen your leftovers in portions as I recommended.

Perhaps you’ve even cleaned the house, decorated for Christmas (oh wait — that was in October) finished your wrapping and have nothing left to do but tick off the days on your Advent calendar and twiddle your thumbs until Dec. 25.

Or perhaps, like me, you’ve done none of these things and would rather test your telekinesis powers by staring at your laundry bin until it washes itself.

Regardless, I’d like to bring your attention to two events taking place this week that you might choose to observe, one relatively well known by now and one, perhaps, less so.

First: Cyber Monday.

The day when you sit on your couch in your Christmas jammies with the cat on your lap (or, like ours, walking across your keyboard and brushing its tail against your face) and finish off your shopping with a few clicks of a button.

If you’re planning to do some e-shopping on Cyber Monday, here are a few things to keep in mind, many of which, you recall, were applicable to your Black Friday brick-and-mortar shopping experience:

1. Set a budget and stick to it. Because let’s face it — it’s easy to buy things when you’re looking at a screen and the Internet Powers That Be somehow recognize your shopping habits and know which ads will draw you in based on your purchase history.

Make a list of who you’re shopping for, shop for them and be done with it. If you need to, let the item rest in your e-cart for awhile (you know, while you make yourself another cup of coffee) so you can think it over before you take the plunge.

2. Follow deal blogs. This will help you stay on top of what deals are happening when (especially in the ever-changing universe of Amazon, where “Lightning Deals” appear and disappear with the frequency of, well, lightning) and also alert you to promo codes that will help you rack up additional savings. Websites blackfriday.com and theblackfriday.com continue their deal alerts, for example, into Cyber Monday.

3. Don’t check out without checking for promo codes. Before hitting the “Submit order” button, I always stop by retailmenot.com to make sure I’m not missing any coupons or promo codes. A small step that can save big (or big-ish) money.

4. Look for free shipping. In the Bargain Advocate’s opinion, free shipping should be a given on a day that touts the best online deals of the year, or close to it. Shipping costs may not be a deal-breaker if your merchandise is a significantly better deal than what you’d find in a store, but I recommend shopping around before you foot the bill for shipping. If you’ve been eyeing online-only items but have been hesitant because of shipping costs, Cyber Monday probably is your day to take action.

5. Be safe. Remember during the checkout process that a URL starting with “https” means a site is secure and your information will be encrypted. I recommend visiting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website, dhs.gov, and searching “Cyber Monday” for a list of online security tips.

6. Know return policies. Questions to ask yourself: Is this item returnable? Can it be returned to a store or must it be mailed back? If it must be mailed, does the buyer pay the shipping? Be sure to factor this into your purchase.

Now ... let’s move on for a moment.

Did you know that even the Bargain Advocate can tire of deals and savings and that oft-overwhelming First World Problem known as STUFF?

It’s true. Which is why I’m so pleased to introduce you this week to Giving Tuesday, a “global day dedicated to giving back,” taking place this Tuesday.

You can learn more about Giving Tuesday at givingtuesday.org. Though the movement isn’t all that widespread (yet), I’d encourage you to spend time with your family thinking about ways you can contribute to your community and beyond — not just on Tuesday, but in the coming month.

Maybe you can bake cookies for your neighbors or visit folks in a local nursing home. Maybe you can find some toys, coats or canned goods to donate to a local charity. Or contribute to a global charitable organization.

Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in the drive-thru; pick up the tab for the family at the next table in Bob Evans. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen. Make a hot meal for a new mom or elderly neighbor. Write a letter to a teacher, nurse or public service person thanking him or her for how hard he or she works.

I’m sure you can come up with more great ideas. But I think there’s a lot of truth in that sometimes-overused phrase, “’Tis better to give than receive.”

Because, really, isn’t it?

If you have insight about a frugal living topic or an idea for a future column, please email me at amroy@nncogannett.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Happy saving,

Abbey