The holiday season creeps up faster every year, and this year is no exception. With many American’s out of a job, in a low paying job, and/or with tremendous amounts of debt, the stress of providing gifts for friends and family can be overwhelming.

Now that the unemployment rate has surpassed 10 percent, the consumer market is looking more so than ever for deals that will extend the value of their savings.  

For those who wish to stay away from the long lines at the counters, shopping online is the answer. Finding that perfect gift can still be done in the comfort of one’s home.  

However, at this time when identity thieves are about as common as the usual pickpockets, you need to protect your privacy and keep your credit information and your accounts away from devious individuals. Keep on reading to find out how: 

The falling stock market, the summer's high gas prices, and high food prices have all taken money out of consumer's wallets. Home mortgages can't be refinanced to get out extra equity when home prices are falling, credit card limits are getting tightened, and more people are unemployed, so many people have less to spend. Retailers count on good holiday sales to make a profit for the year. The National Retail Federation forecasts that there will be $470.4 billion in holiday sales in 2008, up 2.2% from last year but the worst year since 2002. Holiday sales increased about 3.5% in 2007, and that was a disappointing year for retailers. The NRF expects consumers to spend an average of $832 this year, up from last year’s $816. On the other hand, ABC News reports that 51% of people say they will spend less, $716 this year, down from $925 last year. Reports often say the Friday after Thanksgiving is called "Black Friday" because it is the day retailers hope to make a profit or go into the black for the year. This implies they are in the red for the first 10 months of the year, which is not always true. For example, Kohl's reported a third quarter profit of 52 cents per share, down 17% from last year but still a profit. And Wal-Mart reported a third quarter profit of 80 cents per share, up from 10% last year. Amazon.com reported their third quarter profits were up 48%. But even Wal-Mart and Amazon.com adjusted their projections for the fourth quarter downward. So retail shops are starting sales before “Black Friday” and going back to offering layaway so people can shop now and pay for items a bit at a time.