Welcome to our new series, “My Dallas Mommy’s Top 10”! Each week, we’ll highlight a top 10 list of our favorite things!
Top 10 Reasons to do Your Holiday Shopping Online
The holidays are very quickly approaching! Have you started your gift shopping yet? By shopping online, and grabbing the amazing deals we post daily, you’ll be saving time, money and frustration. Plus, you’ll be getting some extra perks along the way! Be sure to follow along on the blog, because we’re already posting awesome online deals. Don’t miss a HOT deal we post, by getting free HOT text alerts! Here are 10 reasons to do your holiday shopping online:
10. The crowds, lines, parking and holiday rush
Avoid the holiday crowds by shopping early. That means grabbing the online deals that we post, when we post them. Everything we post is something that one of us will buy, or is currently purchasing, because it’s the best deal anywhere online! If you can’t shop early, you’re still going to find awesome deals online through Christmas. You’ll also avoid seeing a sale in-store on the flyer, going to the store, and finding that it’s been sold out. What a bummer!
Probably the BEST reason to avoid these things is that shopping in-store (especially during the holidays) might cost you MORE money. Factor in the gas it takes to get from store to store, the breakfast, coffee or lunch you might pick up if you’re out for a while, and sometimes, you’ll even have to pay for parking. If you take your kids with you to shop, you may be spending more money to appease them with treats, snacks or small toys. Avoiding those additional costs by shopping online.
9. Product Reviews
Scrolling through the product reviews online can make or break a deal. Most online retailers have reviews, ratings and comments from previous customers that purchased the items. Product reviews are a lifesaver at times, because they are honest opinions from the people that have tried and tested the things you are considering buying. You’ll find that most products receive some horrible reviews, and some exceptional reviews – it all depends on the user and their experience with the items they bought. Amazon is famous for their reviews! When the majority of the users commenting and rating are giving an average of the same response, you can be pretty sure that your experience will be similar. This is something that you can’t get by shopping in-store, and is an invaluable asset to shopping online.
8. Shop 24/7
With busy schedules and only so many hours in the day, shopping in-store can be difficult. You may need to wait for the weekend – only to find the items you wanted are sold out, or the sale has ended. Some of us work or go to school at night, and can’t make it to the stores during business hours. That’s why shopping online is so great – the sites are open 24/7! You’ll never have to worry about missing that sale because you couldn’t get to the store in time, when you shop online. This is convenience at it’s best – without having to pay more!
7. No coupons needed
We love our coupon binders, and when we shop the drugstores and grocery stores, you’ll always find our binders out and ready for price reduction battle. But when we shop for gifts, clothing, household items and larger products, we shop online. One of the greatest things about being frugal is that we aren’t limited to one method of saving money! When you shop online, you don’t have to clip coupons, organize them, and take them with you to the store. Shopping online with coupons is as simple as typing in a short coupon or promo code into a box, and clicking a button on the site. Most online stores will display their sale prices or coupon codes on the homepage, so you don’t have to hunt them down. Although we love our coupons, we don’t always have to have them with us, and shopping online cuts us a little break from the coupon chaos!
6. Discreet purchases
Whether you’re a little embarrassed to buy your feminine hygiene products at the drugstore, or want to get something a little risqué for your significant other or favorite couple, shopping online is definitely the way to go. You’ll get privacy and peace of mind for any of the items you want and need to buy, and you may even avoid the judgmental raised eyebrow of the cashier in Walgreens! Buying online gives you freedom to shop around and buy without feeling uncomfortable. If you’re asking your significant other to give you some sexy lingerie this year, they won’t have to feel rushed or red-faced as they browse in Victoria’s Secret. You’ll be able to stock up on incontinence pads for your mom, without having to walk around Target with a cart full of Poise Pads. No matter what you’re purchasing, you can feel comfortable doing so from the comfort of your own home.
5. Ship to recipient
If you’re a procrastinator, this might be the best reason for you. Instead of having the gifts you’re giving this year, shipped to your home to be wrapped, tagged and then shipped back out to long distance family and friends, have them shipped straight to their address! This saves money on additional shipping, and something we do every year. Once the recipient receives their package, they simply need to wrap it up in the shipping box, and stick it under their tree.
4. More options & products
Shopping online offers retailers and stores that you don’t have in your local area. You’ll have access to hundreds of thousands of sites and products that you can’t always find within driving distance. If you’re not exactly sure what you want to gift to that special someone in your life this year, you won’t be limited to the stores that your mall offers, and you’ll probably find some items you never thought about before! Plus, online retailers often offer much more inventory, with more choices, colors, sizes and even customizations than their in-store counterparts.
Being “geographically free” also means that you can shop worldwide online – discovering some unique products, without having to travel to get them! Shop local stores, or browse the items that other countries offer – either way, you’ll be unlimited in your options.
In fact, that brings us to another reason to shop online – the search box! Shopping in your local store, you will have to look around for what you need, or ask a sales associate. You won’t find a search box in-store for quick and easy shopping!
3. Free shipping
A deal doesn’t get better than hitting a rock bottom price AND offering free shipping! If possible, getting free shipping is the way to go. Some stores even allow you to have the online purchases shipped to their stores for free, so you can pick them up at a convenient time. What’s better than having the FedEx or UPS man stop by your house with packages? Knowing those boxes contain GREAT deals, and were delivered to your home for FREE!
Having your purchases shipped to your door also means you avoid lugging around heavy, huge boxes and bags while you shop, making multiple trips through the crowded mall to the parking lot, and burning out earlier than expected.
2. Perks
Many online retailers reward you with perks for shopping on their websites. In fact, you’ll save even MORE money by purchasing online, rather than in-store, because of these perks. Target.com shoppers with the Target REDcard (debit or credit) will get 5% off their purchase, plus free shipping. They’ll also have more time to return items that were bought online and purchased with the REDcard.
Amazon Prime offers FREE 2-day shipping (a lifesaver for last minute shoppers), plus you’ll get to take advantage of the other perks that Prime members get, including free unlimited photo storage, instant video to watch your favorite movies or tv shows, unlimited music streaming, and early access to limited time offers at super cheap prices. Did you know you can give the gift of Amazon Prime membership?! Head over HERE to check it out!
Zulily.com offers FREE shipping for 24 hours after you pay your initial shipping fee. This can make for some SWEET deals.
Groupon also offers some nice perks for their members. Get their emails, and you’ll receive early access to deals, and other great sales that non-members won’t get!
Many online sites offer exclusive codes and discounts, too. First time customers will generally save between 10-15% off, so be sure you’re watching for pop-ups when you hit the home page.
1. Black Friday & Cyber Monday
Black Friday deals are some of our favorites, but instead of fighting the crowds and getting up super early on Black Friday, we prefer to sit in our pajamas, grab a cup of coffee and our laptops, and shop with comfort and ease for the week (or more) that online retailers are offering the same, or LOWER prices as they do on Black Friday. Cyber Monday is also a great way to save money and shop from home. There’s no rush to throw on your makeup, pack up the kids, stop to get gas in the car, fight the traffic and then search the stores for the items you want and need.
Every year, it seems that Black Friday starts a little earlier, and Cyber Monday lasts a bit longer than just one day. Some stores will stretch these popular sale days out for a few days. Online retailers will stretch them out for up to a month! You’ll get better sale prices for LONGER by shopping online. In addition, during these special sale weeks, we are busy posting deal after deal for you, so you don’t have to hunt them down!
We do price comparisons before posting our deals – checking other popular and reputable sites that are selling the same items, and making sure you get the best bargain on the web, whenever you’re ready to shop! Grab a cup of coffee (or wine!), get the kids in bed, throw on your comfy jammies and come shop with us online!
Did we miss an important reason to shop online?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
Check out the rest of our Top 10 Series!
Just a few of our favorites:
Want more? Be sure to go here to checkout discounted ticket prices for events in Dallas and Fort Worth! Also, keep in mind that Groupon and LivingSocial always have great deals on local shops, restaurants, spas and more. GoldStar also offers half-priced entertainment! For other ways to save on going out, try Pogo Pass or City Pass!
