GMTS Newsletter: Cyber Monday Morning Musings

Monday, Nov. 26, 2012

Time for Cyber Monday Morning Musings.

-Here’s the thing about Cyber Monday. Yes, it’s the biggest online shopping day of the year. But that doesn’t mean you’ll get the best deals. Some are pretty good, though.

For example, Dicks’ Sporting Goods is giving you 25 percent off any one item, and unlike most of its other “coupons,” there aren’t 423 restrictions. I actually just re-bought a present I bought in the store yesterday, and saved $15 – with free shipping. There’s not much I like more than saving money.

Here’s another: Sears has $430 off a washer/dryer. Loft is offering 50 percent off of everything today only. Omaha Steaks has a deal that’s 64 percent off, with free shipping.

But the bottom line is this: To quote Taylor Swift, “Never, ever, ever…” buy anything online without checking first to see if there’s a coupon code to use. My favorite site to check is retailmenot.com . It’s reputable, reliable, and it even has an app. With few exceptions, you can find at least a 10 percent off or free shipping code there. Sometimes you’ll luck out and get 30 percent or more. Well worth a quick search before clicking “buy.”

Cyber Monday escalated to this spending plateau when fewer people had Internet access on the weekends. Many just had access at work, which is why the first weekday after Black Friday became the day to buy stuff online.

These days, even 10-year-olds have smartphones and can buy something with a couple of swipes of the finger -- right in the palm of their hand. And that makes you wonder if today is really as big a deal as it should be. Are people just spending hours – and hundreds of dollars – online because they’re getting great deals? Or because they think this is what they’re supposed to do?

It’s a little of both. I’m being a bit conservative in my Cyber Monday shopping. I’ve bought some teacher gifts and one for my sister, but mainly because I got free shipping. It saves me a trip to the store, and the time it takes to get there.

Upon further investigation, I think I’m allergic to shipping costs. I was about to check out of one store’s site with a gift for my niece, when I realized the shipping would be $12. No thank you! I’ll figure something else out. Even with a 50 percent coupon for one item, I would have eaten up those savings on shipping. In this case, I’m going to try the store itself to see if I can save there.

So there you have it. Enjoy this Cyber Monday, and just hope the bank doesn’t call asking about “suspicious activity” on your debit card.

From Today’s Show:

Overalls on the Bieb: Let me list for you the acceptable places you may wear overalls in 2012:

-to a hoe-down

-to a Hee-Haw reunion

-that is all

But somehow, Justin Bieber -- one of the richest and trendiest (if you consider his most recent, tighter version of Hammer pants trendy) men/boys in the world decided overalls would be appropriate attire to meet the Prime Minister of Canada. Ah, yes, and also a backward baseball cap.

I didn’t realize it was 1990.

Today’s Distracting Link:

Don’t we all want to do this? Escape the ladies room.

http://www.addictinggames.com/puzzle-games/escape-the-ladies-room-game.jsp