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Giving your spouse a gift on Valentine’s Day is a sweet gesture to express love. However, planning it as a surprise can be tricky—especially if you share devices or accounts with your partner.
Use Incognito Mode or Private Browsing
Shopping in incognito mode ensures your browsing history isn’t saved. Once you close the browser, there’s no trace of the websites you visited, so others using the same device won’t see your plans.
To activate incognito mode across different browsers:
Incognito mode has different names across the major browsers, but it performs the same role.
Turn Off Email Notifications
Online stores often send order confirmation emails that could spoil the surprise. To avoid this,turn off email notificationsfrom the retailer or temporarily mark their emails as spam. you’re able to also use a separate email account for Valentine’s shopping, so all order-related emails go there instead.
To turn off email notifications from Gmail, click the gear icon in the top right corner. Then, chooseSee all settingsfrom the menu. Head to theFilters and Blocked Addressestab and clickCreate a new filter.
In the From field, enter the retailer’s email address (you’re able to also add their name to theSubjectfield). Next, clickCreate filterand then check the box forMark as read. Finally, clickCreate filteragain to save the changes.
Any emails from that retailer will automatically be marked as read and won’t appear in your inbox.
Clear Browser History and Cookies
If you’re not using incognito mode while shopping,clear your browsing history and cookiesto avoid leaving a trail.
InGoogle Chrome, click the three dots at the top right, selectDelete browsing data, choose the time range and items to clear, and then clickClear data.
InMicrosoft Edge, tap the three dots in the top right, head toHistory, and click theBinicon. Choose what to clear, set the time range, and hitClear now.
InMozilla Firefox, click the three lines in the top right, then navigate toHistory>Clear recent history. Now select the time range and items to clear, then clickClear now.
For quicker access to these settings, useCtrl + Shift + Deleteon Windows or⌘ + Shift + Deleteon Mac.
Disable Push Notifications from Shopping Apps
Shopping apps also send push notifications about recent purchases. This could be a red flag for your surprise gift, so it’s best to disable them until after Valentine’s Day.
Here’s how to disable notifications:
Just remember to turn them back on again after Valentine’s Day.
Use a Different Payment Method
People often overlook their payment method when shopping online, but it can actually ruin a surprise. If you have a joint bank or credit card account with your partner, they might easily spot your purchases.
To keep things secret, try using prepaid gift cards or virtual credit cards instead. That way, they won’t notice any suspicious transactions, and you can still keep it a secret.
Choose an Alternate Shipping Address
Now that everything is set, there’s just one last step: updating the shipping address. If you usually get packages at home, consider using another place like a friend’s house, your office, or even a P.O. box. It might feel like an extra step, but it’ll ensure your special surprise doesn’t end up in the wrong spot.
These are some tips I usually use when shopping online to surprise my partner. So, if you’re planning something special this Valentine’s Day, give them a shot and see how they work for you.
