CHARLOTTE, N.C. – First, a confession: I was one of the crazies at the Gaffney Prime Outlets last year at midnight, rushing the doors of the Pottery Barn Outlet.

After waiting in miles of stop-and-go traffic on Interstate 85, then the mad rush to find a deal in the store, it was a lot of work. And there are shoppers out there who live for this, have strategies that they rehearse in store the Wednesday before Black Friday.

Well that's not me. As merchandise vanished the instant the doors opened, I did manage to grab a hold of a wrought-iron light fixture - but was braving the crowds worth it?

Well, no! And call me a wimp, but I will not be there this year. I am scarred, traumatized and can't face it again. But Cyber Monday -- now that's a whole other thing -- you can count me in!

Experts say we will spend $700 million this year alone on Cyber Monday (for you novices or folks living in caves - that's the Monday after Thanksgiving, when shoppers go online for their holiday purchases). And, a recent survey released this week by the National Retail Federation says many of us will do our online shopping at the office.

No matter where you log on to do Santa's secret work, here are some ideas on how to stretch your dollar as far as it will go. And there's one thing you need to get started on as soon as possible:

1. Sign up for e-mail alerts and notifications from your favorite online retailers. And here's why this year retailers can't send out special promotions fast enough. October was not as promising as they hoped, so retailers are sending discounts right to your inbox as long as you are signed up to receive them. The National Retail Federation says e-mail campaigns will make up 32 percent of all promotions.

2. Comparison shop. Here are some links that can help you do this. All you have to do is enter the product name or type:

google.com

mysimon.com

pricegrabber.com

3. Once you find the lowest price, look for more discounts by using special promotions offers and discounts. Check your inbox for alerts and check out these sites for even more discounts you can apply to your final sale:

retailmenot.com

couponcabin.com

couponmountain.com

4. Check out CyberMonday.com to see if you can find even more savings. This site is put together by promoters of Cyber Monday - they claim to have exclusive discounts for more than 500 retailers.

5. Deals of America ( dealsofamerica.com) is worth book-marking and checking in on every single day. It searches the Web for the best deals out there. I'm a believer and so is one of our WCNC producers - we've found great deals on this site.

6. And remember, cyber safety first in the frenzy of getting good discounts: shop with retailers you trust. And remember you can check out any business' reputation by logging onto the Better Business Bureau's Web site at bbb.org.

7. Pay with a credit card that offers protection for purchases that don't measure up or never show up. A charge back is a powerful thing.