It’s the quiet of the night. It’s your time, all to yourself. Pour a rich cup of coffee or glass of wine, put on your favorite tunes, and jump online to find the perfect treat for your home, deck, garden area or other home decor items.
Here’s a few ways you can take a little slice of “me time” and have peace of mind that all of the numbers connected to your credit card purchases stay in the safe-zone.
Find the best price
It’s always wise to comparison shop, whether you’re looking online or walking the aisles of a brick-and-mortar store.
For online purchases, start with Amazon.com. They are the largest online retailer known to have the best deals. Surfing there will give you a vantage point, and then you can click and surf some more to try to beat their prices. Use online service directories, like EiEiHome.com, with reviews from other consumers to help you make a purchasing decision for home decor items.
There are also some great online resources like ShopBot.ca. This website allows you to type in what you’re looking for and find several options for stores where there is availability of the product and a listing of prices for comparison shopping.
Remember some of the tried and true tips for shopping in general. Avoid impulse buys and tap into sources like Lifehacker.com and other sites that show you which months offer the best deals on certain items; for example, buy tools in February, luggage in March, furniture in July, and laptops in April.
Safe payments
There are quick and easy ways to see if you are on a secure payment site. Check for the following:
- There’s a small “lock” icon in the bottom right of the screen. That’s a good indication that your information is protected. If you need further assurance, click on the lock to check for the encryption level. Most have 128-bit encryption. That means you’re safe for a secure payment.
- Check the web address. When you’re ready to pay, the address should start with “https://.” That small “s” stands for “secure.”
- If you’re still not comfortable with providing credit card information for online purchases, look into PayPal.com. You can load up a certain amount of money into your one-stop PayPal Account, and then you are able to buy online a secure storage spot for your purchases.
Enjoy your shopping experience by following these tips and become a savvy online shopper. From the comfort of your own home, you’re likely to find just about anything that you’re looking to buy.
