It is always a challenge to stay within budget and buy all the things that your family wants and needs. Every time you can save money on a purchase, it is like giving yourself a raise. We are used to buying many kinds of products online. You can buy literally anything online now, even groceries. With so many choices, it sometimes is hard to make sure that you are getting the best possible price. Here are a few tips that you might find helpful.
Google Comparative Price Search
Google has apps, but the regular, browser-based version of their website has more features. With a regular Google search for a product, you will find a very random selection of merchants that has that product. How far up in the search results they are has nothing to do with price. However, In the browser-based version of the site, you can click “Shopping” and then click “sort by price – lowest to highest.” It will save you hours of searching.
Once you get those results, check the shipping costs at the first 3 merchants on the list. Free shipping may save you even more than finding the absolute lowest price.
Groupon Coupons
Thousands of merchants now have Coupon pages at Groupon. These pages, such as this one for Herberger’s, will give you either a percentage off discount, free shipping or access to special sales. Their system works quite well at removing expired coupon codes. If you are looking for this type of discount, always stop here first to check for the newest deals.
Store Newsletters
Smart merchants have newsletters to keep in touch with their customers. They reward their loyalty with access to special sales and discounts. Often when you first sign up for a newsletter, your first email from them will have something like a 15% discount off your next purchase. If you are about to make a big purchase at a new store, try signing up for the newsletter before you even buy anything, to take advantage of this common opening offer.
Loyalty Programs
Some stores and restaurants have loyalty cards. The most simple example is that of a coffee shop, where you get a punch card. Buy 9 cups of coffee and get the 10th one free. Many stores have such cards where they either give you a discount every time you shop or they give you a nice bonus when you reach a spending plateau. For example, after you spend $100, they may give you $10 towards your next purchase.
Combined Savings
Follow these tips and you will save money on nearly everything you buy. Try combining one or more of these tips on the same transaction. For example, you might find a coupon for 25% off items on a clearance sale, get free shipping and rewards points, all in the same transaction. Those savings add up to a better life for your family.