Best 5 Tips to Save Money On Online Shopping

Have you already squeezed every last penny out of your budget? Maybe not. Thanks to free market capitalism, we can choose from a wide variety of products at a wide variety of prices pretty much any time we want to buy something. Unlike investing, saving money on purchases doesn't require any specialized training and is an easy way for anyone to stretch their budget a little farther.

No matter what your income level, you can give yourself more breathing room by becoming a savvy shopper. Here are ten tips to help you get started.

Free Shipping

If you are purchasing a big order or an expensive item, try to take advantage of free shipping offers. Many sites will include free shipping if you spend a certain amount. Getting free shipping will save you money in general, but it will help you even more if you are ordering an item that is expensive to ship because of the size or weight.

Many sites like Amazon include free shipping but often group your purchases into multiple shipments so that you get them faster. Sites like Amazon offer a number of different items from various categories, which can allow you to save money on shipping but also save time because you can do all your shopping on one site. Other popular sites with free shipping include Macy’s, L.L. Bean (no minimum order required), and many more.

Choose Company

Many companies, including Walmart, offer free shipping on items if you are willing to pick them up at the store. This will save you money on having an item shipping to your home. In addition, although you can go to the store itself first just to pick up the item, not all items that are available online are also available in stores — some items you have to purchase online. In addition, ordering online assures you that a popular item will actually be there when you get to the store (even if you call ahead, things could change by the time you get to the store). Unlike making an order online and receiving it in the mail, you will have to go to the store itself to pick up the item, but if you are only going to one store, you will still save time.
 

Consider a Credit Card

Many stores offer membership cards that allow you to get coupons through email or the mail and sometimes accrue points toward future purchases. Some of these membership cards are free, while others cost money, but even the ones that cost money can be worth the price if you shop at a particular store regularly.

In addition, opening a credit card to a specific store can save you money immediately: Many stores will take off $25, $50 or more on your total purchase price if you qualify for a credit card. Although you can apply for these cards at a store, doing your research online to determine which membership or credit cards are right for you might be better. Plus, you can save time by applying online and possibly save the stress of trying to fill out the application while the next customer in line stands behind you.

Of course, you want to be careful about opening too many credit cards because it can be difficult to keep track of all of them, and opening too many accounts can harm your credit score.

Check Out Sites

We’ve all heard of eBay, and for good reason. Checking eBay can potentially save you a lot of money: You might be able to purchase a new or gently used item on the site for a largely discounted price by purchasing it immediately or bidding for it. Sites like Amazon also allow you to purchase items from an individual seller, and you don’t have to worry about whether you will win the bid. There are also sites that offer several gift cards at discounted prices, as well.

Craigslist is another site you should check often — you can sometimes find an item you are looking for near your house without paying for shipping. You also can go inspect the item yourself, which is a big advantage over purchasing used items directly from an online site. Lastly, although you will have to go to a house or apartment to see the items you are looking for, you can use the Internet to look over local garage sale lists, too. You will save money and time by knowing exactly which sales you need to go to get a good price for the item you want.
 

Online  Price Saving Methods

Social media sites can be a great way to save money. Not only will you sometimes see posts that your friends share about money-saving shopping ideas, but if you join a particular store’s page, you might receive coupons that way. Many stores post coupons directly to their Facebook pages.

The Internet also has the advantage of immediate coupons available for most stores. If you like a particular store or you realize you need something last minute, you can search for coupons for that particular company and probably find one. Also check for promo codes that only work online.

Follow Your Favorite Stores

Retailers love to connect with their customers through social media, so they’re always posting new coupons, giveaways, and promotions to keep them engaged and interested. To find the latest deals online without having to search through too many coupon sites and message boards, just follow your favorite stores on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. You won’t even have to leave the comfort of your news feed!
 

Trick Out Web Browser

A whole new array of browser extensions like Honey (joinhoney.com) take the guesswork out of online savings by applying multiple coupon codes and promotions to your shopping carts. Just add the items you want to purchase to your shopping cart, proceed to checkout, and hit the “Find Savings” button. If there’s a deal to be had, the price will automatically decrease.

Stack Deals

While many sites have a one-coupon limit, that doesn’t mean they can stop you from applying multiple savings tools to your purchases. Beat the system by stacking discount gift cards, rewards cards, and coupons together. You may save as much as 90% on your online purchase.

Comparison Shop

Before you commit to a purchase, make sure you know the value of the product. Try using comparison shopping search engines like Amazon, Google Shopping, Shopzilla, and Pronto.com to search for products based on price. Chances are you can find the same product your looking for at a lower price outside of a traditional retailer store.
 

Know Your Limits

Even if you find the best online deal in the world, if it doesn’t make sense for your budget, then the savings aren’t worth the overall cost. With Manilla, keep track of your income and expenses all in one well-organized space so you can make financially savvy, informed purchasing decisions.


It's predicted that online shopping will continue to grow as today's younger generations become tomorrow's prevalent consumers and as people become more comfortable shopping online. As Internet shopping grows, so will the discounts. So start your online bargain shopping today and discover what savings the Internet has in store for you.Do you have any other tried-and-true ways of saving when you shop online? Let us know in our comments section/