Whether you're shopping for yourself or buying gifts for others, shopping online is a great convenience. Purchases can be made in minutes without ever having to leave the house, and your item arrives at your doorstep just a few days later. But are you getting the best deal possible at the online checkout? Save even more money online with these 6 tips for smart online holiday shopping on a budget.
Online Points Programs
If you make purchases online, even occasionally, it makes a lot of sense to belong to a points program. Sites like Ebates and Memolink receive commissions from referring you to participating online stores, and are willing to give you a cut of their commission. You just need to sign up, use the points program’s link to the online store of your choice to receive credit, and make your purchase. Points programs usually give you a specified number of points per dollar spent at member stores. After accruing points in your account, payment can be requested via check or PayPal. Some points programs may offer payout in the form of retailer gift cards.
Find Online Coupon Codes
Almost all online stores have special deals and promotions, but you may not be aware of them. Before making any online purchase, do a quick Internet search for coupon codes for the store you are considering purchasing from. It usually only takes a few minutes, and there are lots of sites out there dedicated solely to sharing coupon codes. Most don’t even require you to be a member to access the codes. It’s common to find codes that will give you free shipping or 10% off a purchase when you type it in at checkout.
Take Advantage of Free Shipping
Items are generally cheaper online than in brick-and-mortar stores, but shipping costs usually negate the savings. When you include shipping costs, online items often end up being more expensive! But a lot of stores will offer free shipping on orders exceeding a certain dollar amount. Of course you aren’t saving money if you are buying extra items just to qualify for free shipping, but it pays to search for a store that will ship for free versus one who will not.
Search Price Comparison Sites
Sites like Pricegrabber and Shopzilla exist just to help online shoppers find the best deal for their money. If you navigate to a price comparison site, you can type in the item that you’re looking for and the site will search the Internet for outlets that sell it. Within seconds you’ll be provided with a list of retailers that sell it and the cost of the item at each store.
Buy with a Cashback Credit Card
Online shopping almost always requires you to use a credit card, so you might as well use a card that earns you money in the form of rewards. Cashback cards usually give you a return of 1%-5% on all purchases made. You can view your accumulated rewards on your monthly credit card statement and request payment via a check or direct deposit into your bank account. Shopping online with a credit card is generally safer than sending checks or even using PayPal, since you are guaranteed to get your money back if you don’t receive the item or fall victim to a scam.
Buy Used
When you need to shop for an item, consider whether it has to be new. Used items are available for sale online at drastically discounted rates. Shop sites like eBay and Amazon.com to find used items that are in good condition. When shopping eBay, however, it’s important to remember to check shipping rates as well as the item price. Some sellers will sell inexpensive items and then make up the difference by charging exorbitantly high shipping rates.
The next time you go online to make a purchase, remember to use all of the resources that are out there to help you save money. Utilize points programs, coupon codes, free shipping promotions, price comparison sites, cashback credit cards, and used items to stretch your money the farthest.
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