Here Are The Black Friday & Cyber Monday Strategies Money Experts Swear By

The holidays are around the corner, which means holiday shopping season is already upon us. Whether that fills your spirit with joy or the thought of more things on your to-do list makes you feel like Scrooge before his morning coffee, there's no judgment here.

What some call the most wonderful time of the year is also one of much stress for moms, who have to manage all their regular mom duties on top of making things ~merry and bright~ for your nearest and dearest.

Before you panic, grab yourself your favorite snack or beverage of choice and take a few deep breaths, because we've got the holiday shopping strategy that you need to tackle your list while saving as much time, money, and energy as possible — an important trifecta, given how freaking expensive everything is lately.

Not sure where to start? Experts agree that making a list separated by wants versus needs is a great jumping-off point. The list should include your budget, which will help you stay focused whether you're shopping in stores or online.

"Making a list is key," says Kandi Arrington, the executive vice president of customer development and retail consultancy at Mars United Commerce. "Knowing what you are looking for and having a plan can reduce budget stress. Act early on big-ticket items, then utilize the time period closer to the holiday to fill smaller items. Large-ticket item deals are based on limited inventory."

Adds Vipin Porwal, founder and consumer expert at Smarty, "Whenever you're shopping for a big-ticket item, it's worth comparing rewards opportunities to maximize savings."

Some of his top tips to look for:

• cash back or extended warranty options from your credit cards
• shopping rewards from apps like Smarty
• manufacturer rebates
• teacher/student discounts
• free shipping

Signing up for texts and/or emails from retailers — annoying as they may be — will clue you into savings opportunities, but you can (and should!) check prices before clicking “add to cart” or heading to the store.

How to track prices and save precious cash

“There are a number of ways to keep track of prices, such as CamelCamelCamel, which tracks the price of every product sold on Amazon and can send you alerts when an item falls to a certain threshold,” says Porwal. “There are also Slickdeals and Reddit, which offer community-focused deals and roundups identifying the absolute best deals of the holiday season.” Keepa, another Amazon-based historical price tracker — all of which can help you determine if a “deal” is really just an inflated price being brought back down to earth to entice buyers less in the know than you are.

Signing up for cashback and/or coupon portals like Rakuten, Honey, TopCashback, and CouponCabin makes saving even more money a breeze. According to consumer and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch, “We usually see cashback rates go up during holiday sales events like Black Friday to entice people to make the purchase, so you stand to make even more money back on your purchase than usual. This can greatly offset your holiday purchases as you can use the money you earn to pay off your credit card balance.”

Woroch also likes Fetch, a free rewards app that lets you earn points towards gift cards to Target, Amazon, Sephora, and more, which you can then give as gifts or to treat yourself. Wins all around, indeed.

“Using apps for price comparisons and setting alerts for specific deals can significantly reduce the stress of paying more for items or missing out on deals,” adds Destiny Chatman, consumer expert at TopCashback.com.

Hit the stores without losing it

If you're braving the crowds and shopping in person, your level of stress management will look different… that is, if you're not using it as an excuse to avoid your family gathering, in which case, go forth and grab that purse, girl.

Before you head out, "compare store ads using a savings app like Flipp that aggregates your local store circulars all in one place," says Woroch. "This way, you can see which stores have the best deals for the items on your gift list so you can map out your shopping route accordingly to save time when shopping in person."

She adds, "Some items are better to buy in person, like bedding, clothing, and footwear, since you can assess the quality of material used and verify colors. Plus, it's better to try clothing and shoes on in person so you don't end up with a pile of items that don't fit and a limited return policy or have to pay for return shipping."

To that point, you'll want to take a peek at any return/exchange policies before swiping that credit card. "Always review the return policy before buying anything — whether in-store or in person — as some items may be final sale, only available for a merchandise credit, or come with a restocking fee if you decide to return it," says Woroch.

Be on the lookout for "derivative models promoted as doorbusters," she adds. "Cheap prices on lousy products are never a good deal. Spend time researching models of electronic doorbusters to verify if they are the same model you've been eyeing or possibly missing features you want and need in a device."

Generally speaking, "Know what to buy when — the best deals on Black Friday will be on TVs, laptops, smart home devices, personal gadgets, and small kitchen appliances," says Woroch. "However, wait to buy clothing and beauty during Cyber Monday. Toys go on sale closer to Christmas. You can also find better deals on travel during Hopper's Travel Deal Tuesday, the Tuesday following Black Friday."

Avoid getting scammed

Part of being a savvy shopper is knowing a scam when you see it. "Only make purchases from trusted websites and vendors," says Darius Kingsley, managing director and head of consumer banking practices at Chase Bank. "Don't click the first vendor website you see during an online search; scammers are creating fake websites that look legitimate and may appear among top search results or if you mistype the retailer name. Ensure the URL starts with https:// — the 's' stands for secure — and avoid clicking on links from unsolicited emails or texts."

Kingsley says it pays to be cautious, continuing, "Purchasing items on these fake sites can result in your personal information being stolen," he continues. "If you're unfamiliar with a store, complete a search with their name along with terms like 'scam,' ‘complaints,' or 'reviews' to uncover any red flags."

As you patiently await your packages, you still need to stay vigilant. "Scammers send out phishing scam emails disguised as UPS, FedEx, or U.S. Postal Service with a link to view your 'missed deliveries,'" says Kingsley. "These links can lead to phony sign-in pages asking for personal information or to websites infected with malware. Legitimate companies will never request financial details via email or text."

It all sounds like a lot, but fear not. Bookmark this article, and you'll have every tool at your disposal to make holiday shopping as painless as possible. We've got you covered, friend.