Every year I have lofty gift ideas for my family. But when I add up everything that I want to buy, it is usually way over my Christmas budget. Sure Black Friday helps a little, but what are the odds of everything you’re looking for being on sale that day? Before you head over to the mall and resign to paying retail check out these popular Web sites that are sure to slash your holiday bills.
- eBay- Unless you have stranded on an island for the past 10 years, you’ve heard of eBay. But many people don’t think of looking there for a lot of things. They have virtually everything. Even if you don’t know what you are looking for, just browse around the site for a few minutes and you are sure to find something for everyone. The downside is that you don’t really know who you are dealing with. If you get your package right before Christmas and it’s not what you are expecting, it will be hard to find a replacement on such short notice. Be sure to ask any questions you have and check the seller’s feedback before bidding. Even with the uncertainty, if you are looking to get something WAY out of your budget; www.eBay.com is probably your best shot. ***Bidding tip: Try what I affectionately refer to as bid sniping. Place your bid in the last 30 seconds of the auction leaving other bidders without enough time to outbid you. It is frowned upon, but effective.
- Amazon- This bargain Web site is hit or miss. You can get lucky and find a great deal on what you are looking for or it could be grossly overpriced. Again, if you go there with out a specific product in mind, you can find a lot of steals in their “gold box” department for everyone on your list. A notable benefit to shopping on www.amazon.com is their free shipping program. If you spend $25 in qualifying items, which is most of them, your order ships free. And their shipping is usually super quick. Another perk with Amazon is their hassle-free return policy.
- Overstock- This is a good Web site to get moderate quality merchandise at a moderate discount, on average about 35-40%. So if your desired purchase is just slightly out of your price range, www.overstock.com is the Web site for you. They have very cheap ($2.95 on any order) and sometimes free shipping. They have a great return policy and if you sign up for their mailing list they send out periodic coupon codes for 10-15% off of your order.
So don’t settle for cheap gifts or maxed out credit cards. If you are looking for bargains this holiday season, these websites are where to find them.
