9 Ways to Cut the Cost of Holiday Shopping

iStock.com/Eva Katalin Kondoros

5. Install Tools to Help You Save Online

If you think you’re likely to forget the previous hack, there is a great way that you can be reminded. If you become an Ebates member, it’s possible to add a Cash Back Button to your browser. So, if you find yourself shopping the web without checking the cashback site first, the browser add-on will alert you of any cashback or discount to be had on the product you’re viewing.

Additionally, you can also add the Honey browser extension which will automatically find and apply coupon codes for thousands of different retailers when you go to the checkout page.  It’s totally free to use and saves you from wasting your precious time searching for coupons.

6. Join Mailing Lists and Check the Retailer’s Facebook Page

A great way to find some exclusive savings is to sign up for email alerts from your favorite retailers. Often, retailers share any sales or promotions they have running with their email list first, so to hit the sale before everything sells it and it helps to know about it ASAP!

Almost every time you open an online store’s website, you are faced with this ‘sign-up to receives emails’ box. And, most retailers will give you a 10% off your first purchase just for signing up.

Another way to find out about sales and deals is to follow and like your favorite brands on social media. There will sometimes be 24-hour flash sales that you’ll need coupon codes to access – but these might only be advertised to people who’ve hit the like button on Facebook. So, keep your eye out.

7. Compare Prices on Amazon Before You Buy

This might come as a surprise to you – but Amazon’s prices change pretty frequently. There’s enough time between now and Christmas that you might want to use a price tracker when shopping on Amazon. You can use CamelCamelCamel and Keepa to do the hard work for you, too.

To make sure you are getting the best deal, these two sites will monitor the items you want to buy. Then, once the price changes to a cheaper one, you’ll be alerted so that you can purchase it at a cheaper rate. Both sites are full of deals, and all you need to do is sign-up for free. Then, you can receive alerts via email or Twitter when the price changes.

8. Get Sneaky with Your Shopping Cart

Here is a bit of sneaky trick you can try if you can’t find a coupon code or discount by using any of the other tips. Visit the site of a retailer where you want to buy something and load the items into your cart. Then, instead of buying them, close the tab. More often than not, a few days later you will receive an email with a discount code for your ‘abandoned cart’.

Online retailers can track every move you make on their websites, down to every page you view and which items you put in your cart. To make good of this trick, make sure you signed in to your account with the retailer. If you’re not, they won’t have access to your email address and you won’t receive a coupon.

9. Use a Price-Adjustment App

Another amazing tip you can use is a price-adjustment app. For example, sometimes you buy something for a great deal, but the next day or a week later its even cheaper. You’re probably kicking yourself over the money you could have saved. Well, don’t worry, because now you can claim the difference in the price back.

Using the Earny app, you can track your online purchases. The app will use your email receipt and compare it to any price drops. If the app discovers your item at a lower price it will claim the difference for you and send you the money back. However, Earny will take 25% of the refund for itself.

Paribus is another website that does the same thing but claims to let you keep 100% of your savings.