Thrifty Thinking: Early Holiday Shopping Tips from RetailMeNo

If you’ve ever hit the mall to snag a last-minute gift, you know retail stores during the holiday season can be ho-ho-horrible. The crowds, lines and pushy customers can easily become a mess. However, RetailMeNot's Shopping and Trends Expert Sara Skirboll is here with tips and tricks on how to have a successful holiday shopping season!

IN STORE:  Start early: The early bird catches the worm. Early morning doorbuster sales last for a limited time due to a lower stock of inventory. Start your shopping in the early morning if you’re looking for the best deals on specific items. Walmart is rolling back prices on even more toys RIGHT NOW! With their already existing Rollbacks on toys, this means that more than 400 toys are available at a special price for purchase at this instant. It's Christmas in October! Get additional savings by using codes from RetailMeNot.  Plan ahead: Have a list ready of what you're buying and for whom and set a budget and make sure you stick to it.  I recommend purchasing a discount gift card with the amount you intend to spend on holiday gifts and leaving your credit card at home so you're not tempted to overspend. Research and Price compare: Scour the internet for what’s on your shopping list as some retailers might offer it at a better price or have better offers. Form a shopping team/task force: There is power in numbers! Form a shopping team of friends and family and divide the holiday shopping wish list to accomplish the most in the least amount of time! Leave the kids at home: Speaking of unnecessary spending, leave the kids at home so you can navigate through the stores a little easier  Shop on Wednesday: Sometimes, the Black Friday prices are not always the lowest price. Visit the stores on Wednesday to find out. You might find that the price listed is the same as, if not lower than, what you will find in a couple of days. Go ahead and grab that item while you can.  Start in the back of store: If you plan to hit the malls when they first open, start in the back of the store and work your way towards the front, moving in the opposite direction of most other shoppers. Apply The 40% Off Rule On Clothing And Accessories: Bargain-hunting experts say Black Friday weekend is actually not the best time of year to score the best deals on clothing. (The steepest markdowns tend to be available in August, September and January. But if fashion and accessories are on your gift-giving list, don’t settle for anything less than 40% off the full retail price. “Make 40%-off our barometer for a great deal on clothing, shoes and accessories,” Charlie Graham, CEO of ShopItToMe.com, which bills itself as your personal online shopper and bargain hunter, tells Forbes. “Except to see 30% to 50% off and free shipping,” as well as “whole stores on sale,” he said. Two step approach: Purchase a discount gift card for the retailer you plan to shop with to score an instant average savings of 10% or more. Combine the gift card with a promo code or digital rebate at checkout. Follow favorite retailers on social media and sign up for email newsletters. They sometimes will post special sales and offers exclusively for their followers on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Use RetailMeNot as your 1-stop-shop for saving money    ONLINE (tips to stay safe):  Beware email phishing - best not to click on links from senders you don’t recognize. Be sure to hover your mouse over links without clicking to see if the address is really taking you to where it says it will  HTTP and HTTPS – Before sending any personal information over the internet, make sure the website has “https://” at the beginning of its web address. The “S” at the end of HTTPS indicates that the website is secure and your information is encrypted, which makes it safe to enter credit card number or other personal information. Use anti-virus software – To ensure your computer and personal information are safe, use anti-virus software on your computer or mobile device and keep it up to date. Shop with a credit card – A credit card provides additional protections over a debit card in case of fraudulent transactions. If your card number is compromised, it’s easier to dispute any charges that you didn’t approve. Public Wi-Fi – It’s all right to look-up reviews or compare prices using public Wi-Fi, but it’s best to avoid logging on to any sites with sensitive personal information. Public Wi-Fi is often vulnerable to thieves and fraudsters who are looking to steal your info.