Saving money while shopping is like having your cake and eating it too. However, thanks to the ever-rising popularity of online shopping that somehow transformed the internet into a virtual battleground for merchants to compete and win customers over, you can transform those hours of screen time into cold hard cash, heading straight back into your bank account. Are you ready to shop and save? Here are 10 online shopping hacks that can save you money.
1. Place Your Order Through Online Rebate Sites
Here’s how this works. First step is to sign up for a free account. Next, browse through their list of stores or merchants they partner with. They will also show how much rebate or cash back you’ll be getting back for every purchase you make. Once you’ve made your choice, click the link of the store on the rebate site and it will take you to directly to the store you chose. All you have to do is shop and your rebate will automatically be added to your account. Easy and convenient. What’s the catch? Nothing really. Rebate sites get paid by merchants for every purchase made through their site. As a buyer, they are giving you a share in the form of a rebate.
Here are links to my favorite online rebate sites:
2. Use Cash Back Credit Cards
Cash back credit cards gives you back a certain percentage of your spending within each billing cycle.
Facts:
- Cash back rates may vary depending on the purchase category.
- Most cash back cards give you back a minimum of 1% for every dollar you spend
- To be qualified for a cash back credit card, you would need to have a very good or excellent FICO score.
Tip:
Cash back credit cards have higher interest rates than regular cards. If you can’t pay it all off at the end of your billing cycle, getting 1% back is not worth the 15% you’re paying in interest.
My favorite cash back credit cards:
Chase Freedom
My Favorite Features: 5% Rotating Cash Back Categories every 3 months, 1% Cash Back everything else, no annual fee
Discover IT Card
My Favorite Features: 5% Rotating Cash Back Categories every 3 months, 1% Cash Back everything else, no annual fee
Bank of America Cash Rewards
My Favorite Features: 3% Cash Back on Gas, 2% Cash Back on Groceries (including Walmart), 1% Cash Back on everything else, no annual fee
Capital One Savor Card
My Favorite Features: 4% Cash Back on Restaurants and Entertainment, 2% Cash Back on Groceries, 1% Cash Back on everything else, no foreign transaction fees, no annual fee for the first year, $95 annually hereafter.
3. Take Advantage of Online Coupons and Coupon Codes
There are tons of online coupon codes out there that provide you with discounts at checkout. For starters, you can just use Google to find coupon codes. Otherwise, these are my top sites for online coupons:
- RetailMeNot (Download their app here)
- Coupons.com (Download their app here)
- Groupon (Download their app here)
- Slickdeals (Download their app here)
- Coupon Cabin (Download their app here)
Tip:
You might get a coupon code from these sites, or a clickable link that applies the discount upon checkout. Either way, they should work.
4. Sign Up for Email Discounts
Keep yourself informed with latest sale events by signing up to receive your favorite stores’ promotional emails. Nothing beats that impeccable timing of when and where to shop for the best deals and get the biggest bang out of your buck.
5. Rack Up Swagbucks Points and Exchange Them for Gift Cards
Swagbucks allows you to earn points by shopping online, watching videos, searching the web and answering surveys. When you’ve racked up enough points, you can exchange them for gift cards to your favorite retailers like Amazon or Walmart, or get cash back straight to your Paypal account. Click here to learn more.
6. Intentionally Leave Unchecked Items in your Online Shopping Carts
Retailers don’t like it if you have unchecked items in your shopping cart. To get you to come back, they send out price drop alerts or special discounts to your email, hoping to entice you to complete your order. If you are not in a rush to make your purchase, leave them in your cart for a few days. Before long, you might be able to buy your items at a much lower price.
7. Rack Up Loyalty Points by Joining Your Store’s Rewards Program
Some retailers have a rewards program that allows you to accumulate enough points to receive cash backs or discounts towards your next purchase. Retailers want you to come and shop with them time after time. For that, they are more than willing to offer incentives to keep your nose in their business. This could also mean signing up for an in-store credit card.
Tip:
Be sure to read the fine print and know what you’re signing up for. Otherwise, you might end up with having too many open credit card accounts that could potentially affect your FICO score.
8. Find the best deals with the Priceblink Toolbar
Priceblink is a browser addon that is currently compatible with Chrome, Firefox and Safari, and can be added via one-click installation. Just go to Priceblink.com in your desktop web browser to get the desktop version. According to the site, Priceblink for iPhones is coming soon.
Top Priceblink Features:
a. Finds the lowest prices for you by doing a price comparison between merchants. It even takes into account the shipping price.
b. Alerts you to available discount coupons
Watch the video below to learn more about Priceblink.
9. Time your Shopping and Wait for Seasonal Trends
This strategy is simple but takes quite a bit of patience and impulse control to work. If you are contemplating on purchasing a new riding lawnmower, you can buy them at a much cheaper price during the end of fall when they are off season. You might not be able to use them this year, but your shiny new lawnmower will be there for you next spring. In short, save big money making your purchases off season by planning and timing your purchases appropriately.
10. Wait for Holidays For Special Deals
Time your purchases to certain holidays throughout the year and your wallet will have you to thank for it. Merchants compete to have your full attention by giving out special deals to attract their customers.
Here is a list of US holidays and the best deals available:
Fourth of July
Find best deals on fashion, outdoor items & large appliances
Labor Day
Find best deals on lawn and garden, Halloween costumes & back to school items
Columbus Day
Find best deals on winter clothing and accessories
Christmas and Hanukkah
Find best deals on pretty much everything and anything
New Year’s Day
Find best deals on club memberships and Christmas items
Memorial Day
Find best deals on mattresses
Father’s Day
Find best deals on home improvement supplies
