If you aren’t shopping online already, chances are you will soon. Buying online doesn’t have to cost you a fortune though. As we were getting some office essentials online this week, I was reminded of a few tips to make your online purchases cheaper after saving $30.
People are shopping online due to increased inventory, (sometimes) lower prices, home delivery, convenience and many more reasons. Regardless of why you purchases online, hopefully these tips will make you if nothing else a wiser shopper.
1) Google Coupon Codes
Last night I saved $30 doing this. Its simple. Go to http://www.google.com. Search the phrase “coupon codes for _______” (insert what you are buying into the blank). I searched “coupon codes for HP ink cartridges” and saved $30 doing 30 seconds of work.
2) Buy in Bulk
Many companies reduce shipping costs or ship goods for free when bought in bulk. There are many things we’ll always need such as ink cartridges. We buy them every 3-6 months in bulk and never pay for shipping. (Warning: Be careful with this one. Don’t let free shipping justify unnecessary purchases).
3) Google Your Product
Go to http://www.google.com, type in what you are buying (ie “cuisinart mixer”), and compare the prices. This is a quick way to see if the store you are looking at is overpriced.
4) Utilize Frequent Flyer Programs
Never buy flowers direct from a company. First go to your frequent flyer program (for example AA.com) or credit card rewards program, then click on the link within its website to make a purchase at a partner site. This usually yields discounts AND frequent flier miles for purchases you were making already (plus you get the credit card miles for each dollar spent).
5) Slick Deals Dot Net
Yes, this one deserves its own category. Slickdeals.net offers all sorts of coupons, sales, etc. The important thing here is to know what you are looking for and buy those things. Don’t fall into the trap of buying something just because its on sale when you don’t really need it.
How do you save money online? What tips do you have for us? We find that we never stop learning but love it when (as mentioned above) we take thirty seconds and end up saving $30.
