Did you know there are three things you should always do before you ever make an online purchase? They are easy and don’t take too much time, but they can make a huge difference in how much you spend while shopping online.
First of all, we all know that it’s great to shop during sales. With Memorial Day weekend coming up, sales will be flying at us from every direction! So do you just take the sale at face value and walk away content that you saved 30-40%? No way! Try these three tips from savvy online shoppers and multiply those savings!
- Price Compare: You might think you found a great deal on that fabulous purse, but just because the site you are on says it’s at rock bottom price, doesn’t mean it really is. Check other retailers for pricing info. Nextag, Price Grabber and BizRate are all great sites to do easy price comparisons on. Take into account shipping costs. One retailer might have a good price, but gouges you on the shipping fees. While the other might be a bit more expensive, but they have free shipping!
- Google Other Discounts: Once you have a good idea of the price points for all the retailers that carry your desired purchase, see who has coupon codes available. Free shipping codes are awesome, but see if you can stack multiple codes. Kohl’s is famous for allowing stackable codes, but not all retailers are. RetailMeNot is a great place to go to for coupon codes.
- Go through a cash back site: Now that you know where you want to shop, check out your favorite cash back site to earn cash back on your purchase! My favorites are Ebates and Shop at Home. Many offer anywhere from 3%-30% cash back on your purchases! You’ll need to create an account and make sure you go from their site DIRECTLY to the site you want to make a purchase on so that your cash back is applied. In most cases, you should receive your cash back 48 hours after you make your purchase.
It seems like a lot of extra work, but really it’s just quick and easy smart shopping! I hope next time you decide to make an online purchase, you’ll take a few minutes to follow these steps!
What do you do to save money when shopping online? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks!
