· Online: Card numbers can easily get “hijacked” and debit cards are more risky to use because they’re linked directly to your account.

· Buying “Big Ticket” Items: A credit card offers more protection, and in many cases will offer an extended warrantee with your purchase.

· Anywhere requiring a deposit: Pay with a credit card, and the store gets its deposit while you retain access to your money.

· Restaurants: Many restaurants approve the card for more with the intent that you’ll leave a tip. The amount frozen for this transaction could be more than your original tab!

· Recurring Payments: If you forget to deduct that automatic withdrawal one month, you could bounce an important check.

These are just some of the tips that they offer to keep you safe when using your debit card. Like they mention in their tips, sometimes an alternative payment option offers much more security when paying online. eBillme offers platinum buyer protection that covers the customer just in case, and furthermore you don’t have to supply any of your personal information to pay cash online. Visit us at www.ebillme.com to find out more about how eBillme works and discover debt free living.

The kickoff of the holiday shopping season is upon us! And many online retailers are offering deep discounts. This is great news if you are ready to get started on your Christmas shopping, but it can take more than just a good price to make your online shopping experience perfect. To make sure that you’re actually getting the best deals and are shopping safely, consider:

1) Store Shipping Prices

a. Consider the shipping charges (if the shipping is going to cost $19, then is the total price really the lowest?

2) Store Buyer Protection

a. Consider the return policies (if the item arrives damaged, or if you are otherwise unsatisfied, will the company take it back?)

b. Consider the price protection policies (if the item is discounted further next week, will the company reimburse you the difference?)

c. Consider the fraud and privacy policies (is this retailer taking care of your confidential information?)

3) Store Payment Option

a. Do they have a way for you to shop with cash? Cash is the new way to pay online – it’s safer and doesn’t have interest charges or extra fees. See eBillme Stores for a list of stores that accept the eBillme cash payment option.

Interesting Sites to check out today:

The National Retail Federation’s Shop.org has created a Cyber Monday web site where they say you can save money with “hourly specials and exclusives from your favorite online retailers”. (Other people are saying that you can get the same deals elsewhere, but I’ll leave it to you to decide)

eBillme has created sites with the Top 10 Gifts for him and the Top 10 Gifts for her. These sites are designed to make online shopping faster and easier because the eBillme team has gone through and tried to find the best deals on the hottest gifts this year. The added bonus here is that if you pay with eBillme, you’ll get extra discounts (up to 40% off!) Also check the eBillme gift card mall for deals on online gift cards.

For more tips on shopping online safely, see Safe Online Shopping Tips from eBillme