Those deep discounts you're seeking while shopping online could be eluding you if you're not comparison shopping. But racing around the internet looking for the lowest price could be a dive down a rabbit hole, a time suck, especially when time isn't on your side. You need that bargain right now.
We surveyed smart shopping experts and evaluated a variety of deal sites and online shopping tools ourselves to identify these 18 sure-fire ways to save money every time you shop online.
If shopping for discounts is as exciting to you as shopping for clothes or gadgets themselves, consider visiting some of our favorite deal sites to search for special offers yourself.
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Or let a browser extension do the work for you. They can speed through the web hunting for deals on laptops, clothing, household items, jewelry and more in a matter of seconds. (All the recommended browser extensions here are free and available on Chrome, Firefox and Safari.)
Take a look.
Best Site to Find Free Shipping Deals
When shopping online, finding a great deal gets even sweeter when you can score free shipping, too, a perk Amazon Prime forged into a mainstay of internet shopping. But trying to track down promo codes that actually work, as well as retailers that offer the perk, can be frustrating if you don’t know where to look. Skip hopping from site to site and check out FreeShipping org (opens in new tab). It’s a web site that aggregates all of the retailers -- big and small -- that offer free shipping and other discounts to customers. The site includes the terms and conditions of the free shipping deal and the promo code, where applicable. For example, a recent promotion we found on the site for Lands’ End included 40% off full-price styles plus free shipping when using the discount code BRIGHT.
Best Sites and Browser Extensions for Price Comparisons
Save yourself the hassle of digging into multiple websites to find the best price on items you’re buying online. Consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch (opens in new tab) recommends the browser extension Popcart (opens in new tab), which sends a pop-up notification any time a product you’re looking at is cheaper on a competitor site. In addition to retail price comparisons, the browser extension also compares unit prices on items (check out this video (opens in new tab) to see how).
Woroch also digs deal aggregator site CouponFollow.com. It organize coupons by store name to help shoppers pinpoint the best deal quickly.
You probably already buy a lot at Amazon.com. Should it be even more? Install the Amazon Assistant (opens in new tab) browser extension, says smart shopping expert Trae Bodge of TrueTrae.com (opens in new tab), to see how Amazon’s prices stack up as you shop products on competing sites. See how it works here (opens in new tab).
Best Deal Sites and Browser Extensions for Coupons and Promo Codes
Our sources recommend CouponCabin.com (opens in new tab) for its vast collection of online promo codes and printable coupons that can be used in-store. Consumers can find deals from online and brick-and-mortar retailers such as Nike, Overstock.com and Target. The site also maintains a list of retailers’ active cashback offers. Savvy shoppers might even be able to combine coupon codes and cashback offers to maximize savings, says TrueTrae.com's Trae Bodge.
The Honey (opens in new tab) browser extension helps save shoppers time and money by doing all the work, says Kyle James, founder of Rather-Be-Shopping.com (opens in new tab). After registering for the site and downloading the extension, you’ll see a Honey widget appear when you check out at any participating retailer. The widget searches the web for all relevant promo codes and applies the one with the biggest savings to your order. A note to Amazon loyalists: If you’re searching for a specific product, this browser extension will track down the lowest price among Amazon sellers offering the same item and notify you. It even factors in shipping costs before selecting the best seller. Watch this YouTube clip (opens in new tab) for a tutorial on how to install and use Honey.
Next time you go on an online spending spree, consider using Cently (opens in new tab), recommends consumer savings expert Woroch. It’s a browser extension that automatically searches for coupon codes while you shop, tests them and applies the one with the biggest savings to your order. You can even score cashback on your purchases when using Cently. Unlike similar extensions, you don’t have to divulge your personal information by becoming a registered user. Watch this video to see how it works.
Best Site for Daily Deals
DealNews.com (opens in new tab) is a go-to resource for the retail experts here at Kiplinger. The site offers a curated selection of product deals -- ranging from electronics to home goods -- that gets updated daily. Bargain hunters can also find smart shopping tips on the site’s blog (opens in new tab). Some recent topics include a list of the retailers with the best customer rewards programs, as well as determining when is the best time of year to buy a smart phone. Also, we often call on DealNews experts during the holiday shopping season for advice on where to find the best Black Friday sales.
Best Sites for Deals on Travel
If you’re planning to travel during the pandemic (opens in new tab), you can still take advantage of historically low prices on airfare and hotel packages. To find the best travel deals, we often recommend these three sites to help get the most value for your money:
- Scott’s Cheap Flights (opens in new tab) sends e-mail alerts when airfare deals based on your search parameters become available (check out our Your Money’s Worth podcast episode with the site’s founder (opens in new tab)).
- On Kayak.com (opens in new tab), you can search for travel deals by plane or train, as well as rental car and hotel packages.
- Google Travel (opens in new tab) allows users to search average airfare and hotel prices and more using an interactive map. The site even aggregates vacation rental listings offered by VRBO, Booking.com and TripAdvisor.
Best Sites for Deals on Gift Cards
No matter if you’re buying a gift card as a present or purchasing one for yourself (to prevent overspending), you can always find them at a lower price through an online gift card exchange site compared to buying direct from the retailer or at retail displays of gift cards in supermarkets. Try these two:
- GiftDeals (formerly CardPool) offers discounted gift cards from the likes of Best Buy, Nordstrom and Patagonia for up to 35% off face-value. For example, we spotted a $25 Fandango gift card selling for $18.76 -- that’s 25% off. The cards available on GiftDeals have no expiration date, no fees and come with a 60-day purchase guarantee of validity. The site says it does this to encourage buyers to use the cards sooner rather than later.
- GiftCardGranny (opens in new tab) is another gift card exchange site worth a look thanks to its vast selection and cashback rewards, says TrueTrae.com’s Bodge. You can earn cashback by purchasing select gift cards (think: Lowe’s, Uber Eats and Apple’s App Store) and then redeem the rewards for a direct payout or free gift cards once you’ve earned at least $5 in rewards. In addition to big name retailers, you can also find gift cards for local businesses based on the zip code you enter into the search field.
Also, if you're a warehouse club member (think Costco), you may be able to pick up gift cards at a discount price in-store or online.
Best Apps and Browser Extensions for Cash-Back Rebates
We’ve previously written about browser extension Rakuten (opens in new tab) (formerly known as Ebates) and why you should take advantage of its rebate offers while shopping online. Once you’ve downloaded the browser extension, sign up for a Rakuten account. After you’ve registered, you’ll gain access to 2,500 online retailers where you can earn up to 40% in cashback rewards. Participating stores include Nordstrom, Kohl’s and Best Buy. You can also find travel and vacation deals from Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz and VRBO where you can earn as much as 5% cashback after booking your travel arrangements. Rakuten even has a blog (opens in new tab) with helpful tips on how to get the most bang for your buck (and maximize cashback rewards) when shopping on partner sites.
If you frequently shop using a smart phone, consider downloading a mobile app such as Ibotta (opens in new tab) that lets you earn cashback on everyday purchases, suggests Rather-Be-Shopping.com’s James. You can score money back on everything from grocery items to pet supplies purchased through the app, which requires linking a credit or debit card to your Ibotta account.
"You can even supercharge your cash back earnings by using your cash back card with a cash back payment app — you will earn 4% cash back every time you pay using the Slide (opens in new tab) with one of their partner stores," says Woroch. "Since payments are ultimately processed through a linked credit card, you will get double the rewards just like that."
Best Sites for Deals on Insurance
Don’t limit your comparison-shopping to traditional retail purchases such as clothes, electronics and household goods. You can even use online sites and tools to help score the best rates on insurance policies. One such site we recommend at Kiplinger is Policygenius.com (opens in new tab) (listen to our Your Money’s Worth podcast episode (opens in new tab) with the company’s co-founder and CEO), where you can get price quotes for a range of policies including life, homeowners, auto and renters insurance.
If you need life or long-term care insurance, consider using AccuQuote.com (opens in new tab). You’ll have to cough up your contact information so an agent can follow-up with you directly at a later date, but you’ll immediately receive a list of insurers that match your profile and estimated monthly premiums for each plan. For help on selecting the right life insurance plan, see our story How to Shop for Life Insurance (opens in new tab).
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