You might be a whiz when it comes to finding bargains at the mall, but if you're intimidated by the thought of buying goods over the Internet, The Apprentice winner Bill Rancic has the tips you need to safely shop online this season - and avoid the holidays crowds!

• Rest assured, when you use your credit card, federal law states that you're only liable for the first $50 if it's fraudulently used. So don't worry about someone racking up $10,000 on your credit card, you're not liable. Most major carriers who have debit cards are honoring the $50 as well.

• If you go to a website and they want you to pay with cash up front, or send a money order in before the product is sent or they don't take credit cards, be alarmed. That's something to definitely be wary of.

• When you go to these websites there will be a little lock icon; that means all your information is locked, it's safe, it's not going anywhere, no one is going to get a hold of it. They're usually in the bottom corner of the site. That's important, you want to be sure you're on a secure site.

• If you still feel overwhelmed by shopping online, start with the stores where you already shop in person and that you trust.

• A lot of store owners want you to go online because it's cheaper for them to do business with. That's where the savings come along. They don't have to pay that big rent on Rodeo Drive; they pass the savings along to you.

• If you are a member of AAA, it's not just for towing your car. You can save on most websites anywhere from 5 to 30 percent. For example, you can save 10% on your purchases at Target.com or BarnesandNoble.com if you're a AAA member.

• Make sure they have a return policy. You want to make sure that once you get it and see it and smell it, if it's not what you want you can send it back.

• For the holidays, don't wait until the last minute because then you pay the overnight shipping fees and those can be more than the actual product itself.

• Check your credit card. With American Express, when you get your credit card bill there's a sheet that comes with it that lists major discounts at major online retail stores, just by using your American Express card.

Ready to grab that mouse and start shopping? Check out ClubRR Deals, where Club RR members can get exclusive deals and savings from a variety of merchants, and visit a few of Bill's hot recommendations:

• FatWallet.com. "They direct traffic to retail sites and they get paid for it from the retailers, and then they split that money with you in the form of a cash back reward."

• ShopItToMe.com. "It's essentially giving you your very own virtual personal shopper for free. You type in your favorite designers and your sizes, and then it will alert you when those items are for sale."

• RetailMeNot.com. "They provide coupons for over 40,000 retail stores. In one month's time, the people who used this site save over $5.1 million."

Related Links

Bill Rancic

Fat Wallet

Giuliana & Bill on the Style Network

Retail Me Not

Shop It To Me