November 27th: Black Friday. It’s the biggest shopping day of the year, and the deals can be great, but you have to search for them. Make sure you read my 7 steps to saving money on Black Friday.

December 1st: Cyber Monday. This is the online retailers version of Black Friday. They’ll have some great deals, and you might be able to get better deals on sites like Buy.com and Amazon.com, because their overhead is less. I would suggest waiting for Cyber Monday if you are looking for mid-priced electronics like computer accessories, digital cameras, and video games.

December 20th: This is usually the last day you can purchase something online and get somewhat guaranteed delivery to your home before Christmas. Don’t be the jerk that bought your spouse a present for Christmas but it doesn’t get there until New Year’s Day.

December 26th: The Biggest Return Day. I would stay away from this day, because it tends to be more crowded than Black Friday. Although, this is also a great time to buy Christmas decorations for next year.