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Creatively
Frugal Online Shopping
What strategies do you use to get the best deals when shopping online? Share
any tips, secret, or favorite websites that you use to help you save money
with your online purchases.
"I do a lot of shopping online! I first attempt to see if I can
get the item used, from eBay or Craig's List. If I am purchasing
directly from a website, I always do a Google search for the website
name and the words 'coupon code.' About 75% of the time I come up with
a code for a percentage discount or free shipping or some other great
offer. Also, many websites have free shipping if your order is over a
certain amount. Be sure to check the minimum, as your order may
already be just a few dollars away! When shopping Amazon, I always
check the 'used' book section of the particular book I'm looking for,
as most of the time brand new books are listed there as well!" ~
Rebecca
"I
find online shopping to be easy and it can save you money if you do
some homework before hitting that 'place order' button. First I start
by Googling '<website name> promotional code' (i.e.
Amazon promotional code). This generally will give me some sites
that list discount codes. Be sure to check minimum purchase required,
exclusions, etc. Make a note of the code. Then I go to eBates.com and
see if the website participates in that program. If so, you will
receive either a fixed amount of money or a percentage of what you
spend. You MUST use the website link from the site to get credit, but
you can still use your other discount code. The eBate amount is
credited to your eBates account and you receive a quarterly check with
your accumulated savings." ~ Connie
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"Before you check-out while
shopping online, do a web search for discount codes for the store
you are shopping in. For example, if you are buying items from
Target.com, do a search for 'Target discount code.'
You will be shown links to sites that gather discount info for
online stores. You could get a percentage off or free shipping if
you just have the right code when you check out." ~ Kathy
Z
"I have found that I can get most anything I want on eBay.
I do research and cost compare on the web before I shop
there to make sure that it is a good deal. The thing I find
you need to be aware of is shipping costs. Free shipping
usually isn't free. By that I mean the price isn't always
the lowest for the same product that you pay shipping for. Just
check before you bid. Another place to look is on Craigslist
or join Freecycle for someone that may be upgrading and is
willing to let it go for a low cost or better yet, free!"
~ Glenda
Editor's Note: Thanks to these readers for taking time to share
their ideas!
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