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The bills are all paid, and there's a nice chunk of leftover cash waiting to be spent. With Cyber Monday well on its way, the only real question is how to make the most of what remains of your paycheck.

Fortunately, this big shopping opportunity doesn't have to be such a stressful nail-biter. Instead of worrying about how to make the most of your money by limiting what's in your digital cart, simply follow these tips from the Cute Booty Lounge team.

We may be best-known for our fantastic designer leggings, but we love getting discounts just as much as any modern netizens, and we're here to come to your rescue. We've compiled the planet's most excellent online shopping pointers to make it easy for anyone to score great deals. Here are five critical things to know before diving into the virtual retail fray.

1. Don't Get Too Dazzled by All of Those Shiny Ads


One of the oldest tricks in the retail book is to pretend that so-so discounts are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Some sellers count on lazy consumers not doing their research, and they're more than willing to fudge the numbers to make themselves look better. For instance, companies might claim that they're offering the savings of a lifetime without really slashing their prices that much. Others jack up their prices slightly before Cyber Monday so that consumers think they're receiving amazing bargains when they're really paying the regular cost.

How can savvy shoppers keep their eyes on the prize in the midst of the biggest advertising blitzes in human history? Not every seller is some twisted, devious evildoer, but there's nothing wrong with keeping them honest. For instance, subscribing to your favorite company's email lists or following them on Facebook and Twitter are great ways to keep track of what's actually a good deal and what's not.

2. Clear Those Browser Cookies Once in a While


Prefer sticking to a specific shopping platform or site? Don't get too comfortable in your habits. True shopping masters are willing to go the distance by outsmarting technology if it means they'll catch the hottest deals on Cyber Monday.

We're not recommending hacking your favorite sales sites to get a five-fingered discount. Instead, take back control of your privacy settings to see a broader selection.

The cookies that companies store on your computer serve many purposes, including tracking your shopping and browsing behavior. Although stored cookies can make it a bit easier to check out by remembering your payment information, some saved preferences intentionally limit the product selection that your browser or phone displays based on your history. If certain sites keep offering the same stuff over and over again, occasionally clearing the cookies might be a good way to reset and get a fresh perspective.

3. Take a Gander at Deal Aggregators


Most retailers want to keep shoppers on their pages. With the exception of awesome folks like us, sellers generally shy away from showing consumers the great deals they might be missing out on elsewhere. This can make your search for bigger discounts a lot harder, so treat yourself to a change of pace. Like most smart shoppers, your routine probably already involves a lot of hopping from one corner of the web to another to compare deals. Just be sure to include non-sales sites in the hunt.

Even though media sites like kinjaDEALS, dealcatcher and Buzzfeed get paid big bucks to feature products, good deals tend to crop up from time to time. Sure, these offerings are usually the sheer definition of random, but some of their hidden gems are worth the extra trouble. Many journalistic sites, such as TechCrunch, also post similar feature pages in the run-up to Thanksgiving.

Pages like BlackFriday.com even take this to the next level by focusing almost exclusively on Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. SlickDeals.com is another excellent place to find ways to fill your cart, and it even offers custom bargain alert notifications.

4. Get Immersed in Social Media (But Only Some of It)


Feeling overdue for some much-deserved digital detox? We certainly sympathize, but after coming back from an intensive meditation retreat or grounding yoga session, it may be wise to rethink your social media habits for a bit. Instead of wasting time looking at what your friends and peers are doing with their picture-perfect lives, focus on the deals. While most people are busy getting lost in the endless hell-spiral of timelines and feeds, smart shoppers can take advantage of the deals that everyone else is missing.

Web forums are known for being good places to unearth extra discounts. On the flip side, some discussion boards seem to attract the absolute scum of the internet, so when shopping, it may be best to lurk instead of actively participating. Or, in the case of multitopic sites like Reddit, try sticking to a few subreddits, such as r/blackfriday, r/cybermonday, r/retail, r/fashion and r/dealsreddit. If these options still feel like too much of a PITA, then just see what your preferred cost-conscious influencers have been promoting on Instagram and Pinterest recently. These are also awesome ways to find hidden coupon codes.

5. Check Out Some Niche Sellers


Specialty brands love ditching their overstock on Cyber Monday, so why not give them a hand? For instance, companies that sell meditation aids are always willing to help consumers get a rest from all of the madness with something Zen. Cyber Monday is a great time to find everything from phone cases to cute leggings (hint, hint) at serious markdowns, so don't overlook your usual online shopping haunts either.

Is the prospect of all this screen time starting to feel overwhelming? Take a deep breath, chill out and spread the goodwill by elevating your spirit: In the past, the big sales weekend has actually been a great time to find lots of extra discounts on healthy vegan self-care products, apparel and compassionate snacks.

How is your big sales spree shaping up? Did we miss any of hottest deals that Cyber Monday is known for? Let us know what you think, or check out the Cute Booty Lounge selection to find even bigger discounts.
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