Whether you’re doing a little digital shopping for some gifts for your loved ones, or just taking a gamble at an online gaming site, the arrival of the internet in our lives has presented us all with a huge variety of ways to spend our money. And it’s the sheer ease and convenience of hitting that PayPal button that makes any financial activity on the internet require a little more thought than when shopping in your high street store.
It’s all too easy to make those spontaneous purchases that quickly stack up and lead us perilously close to finding ourselves in debt. So regardless of whether you’re shopping for clothes or are taking a bet on an online blackjack game, here are a few things to bear in mind.
Check the competition
Even though an online retailer may be boasting that they have ‘the lowest prices’, it really doesn’t hurt to do a little shopping around to see what other deals could be out there. There’s a massive amount of price comparison sites like Shopbot that make it relatively simple to see whether that bargain is really a rip-off so that you don’t make any foolish debt-inducing purchases.
Check the product
The phrase ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ didn’t come from nowhere, and it’s a concept that holds true in the digital domain where we don’t get chance to physically see the product. And whilst it’s easy to order that electronic gizmo direct from a discount warehouse in Taiwan, you could be making problems for yourself if it’s not quite right for you or even faulty.
Check your spending habits
It’s an obvious one, but as we pointed out how household budgeting requires discipline, the same applies to spending money online. Setting an online shopping budget and avoiding those tempting online store cards can do a lot to limit temptation. Even if you’re simply playing some online games at a site that cater for their casino audience, like Lucky Nugget Casino, it’s best to choose games like blackjack that require more skill than luck so that it’s you are deciding the fate of your finances, not lady luck!
Check the reputation
Much as you’d check that any site offering online blackjack has official legislation, the same applies to any eCommerce store. This is why it’s essential to make sure that any business has a decent customer service telephone number and a physical address so that you can raise any complaints. And if in doubt, then simply Google the company name and check to see if there are any negative consumer reviews associated with it so as to ensure a happy customer experience and that you stay free of debt!
photo credit: Curio Obscura via photopin (license)