To land the best price when you're shopping online, be sure to use all of the tools at your disposal. Here are several online shopping tools and price comparison sites we like:
Guide to Scoring the Best Deals in 2017
- Costco vs. Sam's Club
- Surprising Perks From Your Credit Card
- Best Time to Buy Big-Ticket Items
- Get a Cash Bonus for Opening a New IRA
- Invest for Less With Commission-Free ETFs
- Trim Your Mortgage Rate With a 'Nonbank'
- Update Your Bathroom for Less
- Top Tech Bargains of 2017
- Save Big on Exotic Travel
- Save on Plane Tickets
Sites such as CouponSherpa.com (opens in new tab) and RetailMeNot.com (opens in new tab) have coupons for a wide variety of products. But instead of taking the time to hunt down discount codes every time you shop online, install a deal-finding tool to do the research for you. PriceBlink (opens in new tab), a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox and Safari, stays invisible until you visit a website where it detects savings. You'll be alerted with a list of ways to save money, including coupon codes, free shipping, price reductions and membership discounts. Plus, when you click on a specific product, another alert will pop up flagging retailers that carry the same product for a lower price.
Honey (opens in new tab), a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari, also scans the web for coupons while you shop at supported retailers, and it will automatically apply them at checkout (click on the "save money" pop-up). If coupons cannot be combined, it will choose the one that saves you the most. At Amazon (opens in new tab), Honey finds the lowest price for a product among all sellers.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
PriceGrabber.com (opens in new tab) can help you compare prices across sites. For prescriptions, visit GoodRX.com (opens in new tab) to compare prices at local pharmacies and print coupons good for up to 80% off. Daily deal sites Groupon.com (opens in new tab) and LivingSocial.com (opens in new tab) can also help you snag discounts for products, travel and restaurants. But instead of waiting to receive the daily e-mails, search the sites while you're shopping. Recent deals at Groupon included half-off electronic gift cards for CVS, Dunkin' Donuts, Toys "R" Us and Uber, as well as local restaurants and services.
-
-
Can My Pension Trigger a Retirement Tax Bomb?
Key planning strategies like asset location and Roth conversions can dramatically reduce the taxes you pay throughout retirement and your heirs’ tax liability.
-
Being on a First-Name Basis Can Make Everything Better
This story of a doctor’s entitled spouse illustrates how establishing a friendly connection can sometimes resolve a spiraling situation with an unreasonable customer.
-
The 27 Best Smart Home Devices
gadgets Innovations ranging from voice-activated faucets to robotic lawn mowers can easily boost your home’s IQ—and create more free time for you.
-
How to Appeal an Unexpected Medical Bill
health insurance You may receive a bill because your insurance company denied a claim—but that doesn’t mean you have to pay it.
-
Amazon Prime Fees Are Rising. Here’s How to Cancel Your Amazon Prime Membership
Amazon Prime Amazon Prime will soon cost $139 a year, $180 for those who pay monthly. If you’re a subscriber, maybe it’s time to rethink your relationship. Here’s a step-by-step guide to canceling Prime.
-
How to Choose the Right Payment App
banking Using PayPal, Venmo, Zelle and other apps is convenient, but there are pros and cons to each.
-
Shop for a New Wireless Plan and Save Big
Smart Buying Competition is fierce, and carriers are dangling free phones and streaming subscriptions.
-
Watch Out for Job Listing Fraud
Scams If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to find new employment in 2022, be on guard against job-listing scams.
-
28 Great Black Friday Deals and Doorbusters for 2021
Smart Buying We’ve rounded up dozens of bargains from top retailers including Amazon, Costco and Walmart, but you’ll need to act fast; many of the more popular items will be in short supply.
-
Virtual Numbers Add Security to Credit Card Shopping
Technology Some mobile wallets offer this feature, which randomly generates virtual digits that are linked to your credit card.
