Black Monday Online

Everyone has heard of Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving sale stampede. But have you heard of Black Monday? The Monday after Thanksgiving weekend is the biggest online shopping day of the holiday season. According to this Washington Post article, over 36% of people will do some of the holiday shopping online while at work. Here are some tips for a happy Black Monday:

• Only enter your personal information on secure and trusted websites. Secure websites have "https" in the URL and the lock symbol in the corner of the browser.
• Don't forget to calculate your shipping and tax costs. These could add up to a lot of extra expense.
• Use a credit card while shopping online instead of a debit card. A credit card will be easier to track and has more security protections.
• Know your employer's policies. Most employers aren't too concerned about a little online shopping at work but it may be a big deal for some. Trust your instincts when it comes to shopping at work or having packages delivered to your office.
• Limit the number of stores to save on shipping. Instead of ordering one thing from five websites, see if you can order all five from one store. This could help you cut down on your shipping costs.
• Watch out for "phishing" emails or "pharming" web sites. These sites look authentic but are actually fakes set up by ID thieves. Check the URL of the site and investigate anything suspicious before entering your information.