Five ways to avoid Black Friday tricks
There鈥檚 a lot to love about the holiday season. You may get time off work to spend with family and friends, and a spirit of giving permeates the air. But it鈥檚 also important to avoid some accompanying pitfalls.
For example, be careful not to overspend, wander unwittingly under mistletoe or wear that ugly Christmas sweater on a first date. But it鈥檚聽crucial to be wary of tricks 鈥� particularly during the biggest shopping weeks of the year. Here are five ways to avoid ruining your holidays:
1. Secure your online shopping cart
It might be tempting to use your phone to shop online or transfer money while you鈥檙e waiting for your venti mocha, but using public Wi-Fi for financial transactions is like putting up聽a billboard emblazoned with your credit card and banking information.
聽to go online, and buy only from sites that encrypt your data.聽To check whether sites are secure, look at their URL, which should start with https 鈥� the 鈥渟鈥� at the end is crucial. There also should be a tiny padlock icon in the menu bar. Otherwise, don鈥檛 enter your credit or debit card information.
2. Lock down your shipping location
If you plan to do a lot of your聽shopping online and have packages delivered while you鈥檙e not home, consider having them sent to your office or asking聽a neighbor to take in your boxes. That could thwart thieves who carry off packages left by delivery trucks.
3. Be smart with your smartphone
Not all apps are created equal 鈥� or even legally. Last year, many people were duped by a聽聽that installed malware on Android phones, ferreting out personal information and siphoning it to the developer. To ensure this doesn鈥檛 happen to your phone, download apps only from legitimate sources such as the Google Play store or Apple鈥檚 App Store.
4. Read the fine print
Doorbuster deals can be misleading, so double-check the ad before you set the alarm for 5 a.m. Does the price involve a mail-in rebate? Does the store carry more than one or two of the items you want to buy? What is the time frame on the deal? (Don鈥檛 expect to roll into聽聽just before closing on Black Friday and find that bargain flat-screen TV waiting for you.) If you鈥檙e buying online, will the shipping fees eat up any discount? Can you return the merchandise if you need to?
5. Make sure the deal is real
That new cashmere track suit may seem like a steal, but not every Black Friday deal is actually discounted.聽Retailers tend to change聽prices and discounts聽throughout the season, so check several sources for benchmark prices and competing brands to determine if you鈥檙e getting the best deal before you buy. A well-researched gift will be the best bargain.
This story originally appeared on .
