

1. Should you be shopping online, never give out your Social Security number. There is absolutely no website that really needs this number for you to buy something. If you are being asked for your Social Security number during checkout, you are probably on a scam website. Leave this site and find one that has a better reputation.
2. To help protect your credit, use only one credit card for online purchases. This will help you quickly track your spending habits when the bank card statement is available in the mail. If you notice any charges which you did not make, call the credit card company immediately and report it to them.
3. Pay close attention for potential sales online starting as soon as Wednesday. Many brick and mortar stores do sales on the weekends, and to compete, many internet retailers have moved their sales days up by a few days. You can often find exceptional mid-week bargains with just a little online research.
4. Before going shopping at any online retailer, do a quick search for promotional codes. Many of the big retailers often have promotions running that are not advertised on the home page. Performing a quick hunt for these codes will allow you to insert the code at checkout to save money.
5. Make it a habit to sign up for price alerts. It goes even for purchases that you've recently made. Price alerts will let you know when a product has dropped to a price you want. And if you've recently purchased at full price, it is possible to ask for a price adjustment to satisfy the new deal.