Comparison shop. Be sure to take full advantage of your ability to quickly and easily comparison shop products and prices. If you plan to participate in online auctions, start early so you aren’t tempted to over-bid at the last minute. Watch for sales and other perks, such as free shipping.

Shop with a list. Make a comprehensive list of all your needs. Use your list when you shop online and buy only those items on your list.

Plan for pay-off. Before you make any purchase on your credit card, you should know how you will pay for it. Keep in mind that a $1,000 charge can take more than 12 years to pay-off if your interest rate is 17 percent and you make only the 2 percent minimum monthly payment.

Read the fine print. Investigate return policies, shipping charges and taxes. You will also want to check delivery dates and review warranties.

Practice safe cybershopping. To prevent fraud, check out any business thoroughly before making a purchase. Only make purchases on a secure server and print out all receipts. Keep all of your passwords private and never feel pressured to reveal your social security number.

Use your credit card. According to the Federal Trade Commission, if you pay by credit or charge card online, your transaction will be protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this law, consumers have the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances. In the event of unauthorized use of your credit or charge card, you are generally held liable only for the first $50 in charges.