Online shopping offers convenience, but the best deals don't always find you. Smart shoppers use a combination of tools, timing, and strategies to save 20-50% on everyday purchases. This guide covers the most effective techniques to find deals that actually save you money.

Price Tracking Tools

1. Install CamelCamelCamel

CamelCamelCamel is a free Amazon price tracker that shows price history for any product. Before buying, check if the current price is genuinely a deal or if it was cheaper last month. The browser extension shows price charts directly on Amazon product pages. Set price alerts to get notified when items drop to your target price.

Pro Tip

Amazon prices fluctuate constantly. A product might be $50 today, $65 tomorrow, and $40 next week. CamelCamelCamel reveals these patterns so you can buy at the right time.

2. Use Honey or Capital One Shopping

These browser extensions automatically find and apply coupon codes at checkout. Honey also has a price tracking feature called Droplist. Capital One Shopping (formerly Wikibuy) compares prices across retailers and offers cash back. Both are free and work on thousands of shopping sites.

3. Set Up Google Shopping Alerts

Google Shopping aggregates prices from multiple retailers. You can track specific products and get email alerts when prices drop. It's especially useful for comparing the same item across different stores and finding the lowest price at any moment.

Cashback & Rewards

4. Stack Rakuten with Credit Card Rewards

Rakuten (formerly Ebates) offers 1-15% cashback at over 3,500 stores. This stacks with your credit card rewards—if your card gives 2% back and Rakuten offers 5%, you're getting 7% back total. Activate Rakuten before shopping by clicking through their site or using the browser extension.

5. Use Shopping Portals for Airlines and Hotels

Most airline and hotel loyalty programs have shopping portals that earn you miles or points on everyday purchases. United MileagePlus Shopping, AA Advantage eShopping, and Chase's Shop through Chase all offer bonus points. These also stack with credit card rewards.

6. Check for Store Credit Card Bonuses

Store credit cards often offer 5-10% off your first purchase or ongoing discounts. Target RedCard gives 5% off every purchase. Amazon Prime Visa gives 5% back at Amazon and Whole Foods. These can be worth it if you frequently shop at that retailer, but be disciplined about paying the balance monthly.

Warning

Store credit cards often have high interest rates (25%+). Only use them if you pay the full balance every month. One month of interest can wipe out years of savings.

Timing Your Purchases

7. Know the Sales Calendar

Major sales events offer the deepest discounts of the year:

January: Post-holiday clearance, winter clothing
February: TVs (before Super Bowl)
May: Memorial Day sales on appliances and mattresses
July: Amazon Prime Day (and competitor sales)
September: Back-to-school electronics
November: Black Friday/Cyber Monday (biggest discounts)
December: Green Monday, last-minute deals

8. Shop End of Season

Retailers discount seasonal items heavily to make room for new inventory. Buy winter coats in February, patio furniture in September, and holiday decorations after December 25th. You can save 50-75% on items you'll use next year.

9. Wait for New Model Releases

When Apple announces a new iPhone, older models drop in price. The same applies to TVs, laptops, and most electronics. If you don't need the latest features, buy the previous generation right after the new one launches.

Comparing Retailers

10. Use Price Comparison Sites

Before buying anything over $50, check prices at multiple retailers. Google Shopping, PriceGrabber, and Shopzilla aggregate prices. For electronics, check Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, and manufacturer direct prices—they can vary by $50-100 for the same item.

11. Leverage Price Matching

Many retailers match competitors' prices. Best Buy, Target, and Walmart all have price-matching policies. Buy from the store you prefer and show them a lower price from a competitor. This is especially useful when you want the convenience of buying locally or need faster shipping.

12. Consider Refurbished and Open-Box

Amazon Renewed, Best Buy Open-Box, and manufacturer refurbished items are often 20-40% cheaper than new. These products are inspected, tested, and come with warranties. For electronics, refurbished items from the original manufacturer are often as reliable as new.

Coupon Strategies

13. Sign Up for Email Lists

Most retailers offer 10-20% off your first order when you sign up for email. Use a separate email address for shopping newsletters to keep your main inbox clean. Unsubscribe from stores you no longer shop at to reduce temptation from marketing emails.

14. Abandon Your Cart

Add items to your cart and leave the site without buying. Many retailers send discount codes within 24-48 hours to encourage you to complete the purchase. This works especially well with smaller retailers and direct-to-consumer brands.

15. Stack Discounts When Possible

Look for opportunities to combine savings: use a coupon code + cashback extension + credit card rewards. Some stores allow stacking manufacturer coupons with store coupons. Read the fine print—most exclude combining with other offers, but not all.

Key Takeaways

Use CamelCamelCamel to verify Amazon "deals" are actually discounted
Stack cashback apps (Rakuten) with credit card rewards for maximum savings
Time major purchases around sales events like Prime Day and Black Friday
Compare prices across retailers—the same item can vary by $50+
Sign up for email lists for first-time buyer discounts
Consider refurbished items for electronics—often 30%+ cheaper