How to Get the Most Out of Cyber Monday

We all know the scene: Endless Black Friday warriors-each armed with a shopping list (some color coated) and untapped plastic cards in hand-line the sidewalks of all the major shopping franchises. The early four o'clock in the morning weather offers little comfort to the short-fused madness that jitters within all the edgy buyers. After a lingering wait, a sleepy-eyed manager unlocks the store doors. And then, the mad dash commences.

But you are nowhere to be found. Instead, three mornings later you find yourself sipping an arousing Brazilian bean, garbed in a threadbare house robe-certainly much too indecent, even for your day off-hunting for the best deals your nimble fingers can track down.

So, whether you missed out on a particular gift on Black Friday or missed the biggest day of sales all together, then Cyber Monday offers a myriad of sales to capitalize on.

Here are some pointers to maximize your browsing efforts.

1) Do your homework. A few kilobytes of preparation can be worth several megabytes of frustration from fruitless browsing if you approach Cyber Monday unprepared. Also, the convenience of shopping from home does not negate a sound shopping list for your loved ones. Match gift ideas with a couple of sources to buy from.

2) Consult www.cybermonday.com. Many big stores advertise their deals within this website. Although this comprehensive catalog of savings helps immensely, it should not preclude you from checking your favorite store's homepage for additional deals. Last minute sales and other exclusive offers may be hidden at these domain names.

3) Read sales conditions and coupons carefully. Stipulated conditions hidden in the fine print? No matter, you have checked into the bylines (again, see tip number one). Don't sabotage your thriftiness by committing to a disguised sales contract. Also, be sure to follow through with mail-in rebates. Often times, companies provide several hoops of fire to leap through, and with one little mishap, your precious savings becomes a hefty wallet hit. Don't get burnt.

4) Check craigslist and ebay. Go rogue and try to scope out great postings from your cyber neighbors. With the holidays among us, sellers dump all kinds of wares, goods, clothing, etc, to be had.

5) Avoid scams. Every year there seems to be a number of holiday scams found online, whether they are delivered through e-mail or posted online. Don't be suckered by a deal from a less than reliable source. Sound judgment can easily curtail any scams. Stay legitimate!

Good things come in threes-as the adage goes-and waiting three days after Black Friday to cultivate the wonderful sales of Cyber Monday is no exception. This growing trend continues to provide huge savings and very manageable checkout lines. Shop hard, live well.