Holiday Shopping Safety

I keep touting the benefits of shopping online during the holidays, mostly because I am a lazy shopper (unlike during my teen years), but there are also many safety benefits as well. Every year around this time, you can see reports on your local news channel about unsuspecting men and women being robbed of their Christmas wishes in some mall parking lot. Of course you go down the checklist of all the Christmas shopping dos and don'ts because, alas, you still have some major shopping to do. Here are some common tips for safe shopping:

1. shop in the daytime
2. if you must shop after dark, park in a well-lit area
   
3. shop with a friend
4. if alone, avoid being off to yourself and keep closer to a crowd
5. notice if someone bumps into you
   
6. be aware of your surroundings
7. avoid dark or empty areas
   
8. keep your keys where you can easily reach them
9. carry as little as possible, perhaps leaving your handbag at home
10. don't walk to your car carrying big items that can block your view
    
11. don't carry a lot of cash, credit or debit cards are better if kept in your front pockets
12. leave the kids with a sitter so you're not distracted
13. don't fiddle around when getting in your car; get in and lock the doors immediately

And for those of you who like to shop a little and then stash your items in the car while you go back for more, think again. That's a big no-no. Most safety experts will tell you that there are people watching for people like you and they will be more than happy to relieve you of your Christmas goodies.

You may be hoping that your car's comprehensive insurance policy covers property theft but it may not. Most car insurance policies likely won't cover theft of merchandise from your car because, typically, comprehensive car insurance coverage only covers the theft of the car and car parts, not items stored inside. Property theft is more common to home insurance policies and is not necessarily included under your car insurance policy. It may be a good idea to take a look at your policy papers or give your car insurance company a call to find out what their policy is. And with rates as competitive as they are these days, it wouldn't hurt to get a new car insurance quote either.

If online shopping isn't for you, please be the safest you can be when you're out shopping for the holidays, or any time really. Nothing can make you lose your Christmas cheer faster than some old Scrooge waiting to get your something, for nothing.