Why You Should Love Cyber Monday More Than Black Friday

I like Black Friday. A lot. I just don’t love it as much as Cyber Monday. Long lines, congested parking lots, doorbusters that sell out before you can even get to them … the list goes on and on.

But on Cyber Monday, I get to shop from the comfort of my own desk, have everything delivered exactly where I need it to go and I’m not limited to saving only on select items that may or may not be what I need.

Apparently, I am not the only one who loves these conveniences. Online shopping exceeded $1 billion on Thanksgiving for the first time this year, and Forrester predicts consumers will spend a record $78.7 billion this holiday season via online purchasing, 15 percent more than last year.

Here are some of the top money reasons why Cyber Monday can beat out Black Friday for savings:

Procrastination pays. There’s a reason why you may not have heard all the Cyber Monday deals yet – retailers are waiting to see how sales perform on Black Friday. Once they have an opportunity to assess, they can push discounts even further, and there’s much more flexibility to offer last-minute deals online than in-store.

Discounts are sitewide. None of this “being limited to doorbuster deals;” many merchants offer sitewide discounts so you can order exactly what you need and still save money.

Deals are at your fingertips. Promocodes.com has a special Cyber Monday section where deals will be updated in real-time throughout the day, so start your savings search by visiting the site first.

You can ship your gifts directly to recipients. Order items online, send gifts directly to the recipient and you’ll eliminate having to costs for shipping materials and time standing in line at the post office. And, if you have to travel to see family, baggage fees can quickly accumulate and bust the budget. Last year we saw about 90% of major merchants online offering some form of free shipping during the holiday season.

Oh, and if the money-saving reasons aren’t enough, you can add avoiding injury to your list. Car accidents are reported to be at an alarmingly high-rate on Black Friday, and trampling crowds and frantic shoppers cause serious and fatal accidents during the shopping frenzy.