The Biggest Shopping Days Are Ahead: How to Stay Safe and Protected

The holiday shopping days are here again. According to a survey by Deloitte, 79% of shoppers are planning to spend as much or more than what they did in previous year. The average household is expected to spend $1,226 during this holiday season. Even if 51% of shoppers will shop online, 42% of shoppers will shop in stores and 43% of people who will shop online can pick up items in the stores making some of the dates on the calendar the busiest.

Here are some of the biggest and busiest days in December for holiday shopping:

Dec. 11: Green Monday

The second Monday in December is Green Monday which was first coined by eBay more than 10 years ago to mark its best sales day in December. This day has continued to produce huge sales for many other large retailers. There will be great deals on this day this shopping season, but not everything will be for holiday shopping.

Dec. 15: Free Shipping Day

On this day, many stores offer free shopping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. Many retailers provide deals along with the free shipping offer to attract last-minute shoppers. It's the perfect day to make a small online purchase that would not qualify for free shipping on normal days. Make the best use of this Free Shipping Day and get stocking stuffers without paying the shipping charges.

Dec. 21: Thursday before Christmas

This day is for people who know they will not get free shipping and don't want to pay for priority shipping. These people don't have more options left, so they are heading towards the stores for last-minute gifts.

Dec. 22: Friday before Christmas

People are out of online delivery options now and will be going to the stores to pick the items left in their shopping list. The Friday before Christmas is the last shopping day for people who don't to visit crowded stores on the Saturday before Christmas or on Sunday, the Christmas Eve.

Dec. 23: Super Saturday

The last Saturday before Christmas is called Super Saturday and is the biggest day for last-minute holiday shoppers. It is the busiest day for in-store shopping and many stores offer one-day sales or even extended hours. This year Super Saturday will be very busy as it is two days before Christmas. It's time to put your waiting shoes on and brave the stores.

Tips to Stay Safe While Shopping This Holiday Season

Before you can make the most out of these holiday shopping days, there are a few things you should keep in mind to protect your personal financial information. Follow these tips to stay safe while you shop online this holiday season.

• Visit secure shopping sites, look for the lock symbol or "s" in "https" in the web address.
• Use two-factor verification to keep your account protected.
• Install software update whenever they are available.
• Don't click on the links in phishing emails.
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi for shopping online, use only password-protected network.
• Don't save your banking information or credit card details on any website.
• Download any new app only from a trusted source.
• Keep a check on your credit card statement for any suspicious activities.

Holiday shopping is not going to be easy, but at least now you are armed with all the tips and tricks to take advantage of the shopping days.