CHICAGO, IL – NOVEMBER 26: In this photo illustration, Walmart advertises Cyber Monday sales on the company’s website on November 26, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. Americans are expected to spend $1.5 billion while shopping online today, up 20 percent from last year. (Photo Illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Today is Cyber Monday. A day where you'll see a TON of online sales and you'll for sure be tempted to spend your entire paycheck on these great deals.
Here are five mistakes to avoid if you're shopping online today . . .
1. Shopping for the sake of a sale. A lot of people buy stuff JUST because it's on sale. So ask yourself if you're actually excited about the product, or did they trick you into buying something you don't actually want.
2. Think about delivery times. There's still plenty of time for the post office to deliver stuff, but warehouses have had staffing issues during the pandemic. So double-check the estimated shipping dates before you buy anything.
3. Don't wait until tonight to start shopping. A lot of stuff will be sold out by then. So if you want the best deals, start early.
4. Don't ignore travel deals this year. Airlines and hotels are offering even crazier deals because of COVID. And you can book way ahead of time for later next year.
5. Don't get scammed. Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. So make sure you really trust the website before you give them your credit card info.
And also be careful about the bogus shipping updates that have been really widespread this year. That's when you get a text or email that looks like it's from UPS or FedEx, with a link they want you to click. If the link looks suspicious, don't click it.
