35 Best Online Shopping Hacks

We all love online shopping and being able to save our time and money. When it comes to online shopping it has its own perks and saving would be one of its top benefits. Let’s take a look at these 35 Best Online Shopping Hacks that can save you a couple of bucks on your shopping.

1) Coupons & Discount Codes

Coupons are one of the best-proven ways to save money on your shopping. Whether it’s in-store or online you can save ample money using discount codes. At Saving Says you can find hundreds of thousands of coupons for your favorite stores worldwide. Just search for your desired store on Saving Says and use the best coupon available.

2) Cash Back

Cash Back is a great way to earn while spending. Many websites and apps offer cashback on brands when you purchase thru them. One example is Ibotta and Rakuten, they offer you cashback on 500+ stores nationwide. All the cashback you earn is hard money and you can redeem it in your wallet at any time.

3) Seasonal Sale

Seasonal sales are a great opportunity to save on online shopping. With every season change, brands hold a massive clearance sale in order to make space for new stock. You can find items at up to 50% discount in seasonal sales saving you a lot of money.

4) Buy OFF-Season

This might sound stupid, but buying clothing off-season can save you a big amount of cash. For example; if you buy a jacket or coat in summer you will get it for up to 60-70% discount. Or if you purchase a swimsuit in winter you are sure to get in at discounted price. Now if you do it smartly, you can save hundreds of dollars using this online shopping hack.

5) Black Friday / Cyber Monday

Everyone knows about Black Friday, the biggest sale event of the year worldwide. You can find huge discounts running storewide on all of your favorite brands. The average discount value on Black Friday and Cyber Monday is 50% – 80% which means bigger sales, and bigger savings. So if you want to buy something expensive it’s totally worth waiting for the sale as it is likely you won’t see those big discounts again.

6) Abandoning your Shopping Cart

This is an old trick but still, a great hack when you’re shopping on a budget. The way it works is you add items to your online cart and leave it. After a while, the store will start to push notifications or emails reminding you of items left in your cart. And with a one-time use coupon for products that’s been sitting in your cart. This practice can save you some money but I recommend doing it only when you don’t need it urgently because it may take a long time.

7) Free Shipping

Many stores offer free shipping when you order over a certain amount. At some stores, it can be $50 and for some, it can be $100. Try to order over the required value so you can avail free shipping on your purchase. Now some stores also offer exclusive codes for free shipping that can be again be found at Saving Says.

8) Collect Items In-Store

Picking up your order from the store warehouse or choosing a curbside pickup can save you shipping charges. Many online stores offer in-store or curbside pickup options that you can choose from. This also saves them cost and time which allows them to give you further discounts.

9) Social Media

Social media can be a great place to discover exclusive deals and offers. Many stores give special discounts to their social followers and you can also find exclusive coupons for the brand’s influencers.

10) Ask for Discount

Don’t be afraid to shoot a message asking for discounts you might score a goal. Some brands would happily give you a discount offer if you asked them nicely. Just send them a message on their social media and they might reply you.

11) Reward Program

If you’re a frequent buyer of an online store it will be worth joining their reward/loyalty program. Many online stores or even hotels offer you to become a member by signing up with them. Once you’re a member of their reward program, you can earn points as you spend that can be later redeemed for discounts and gifts.

12) Refer A Friend

Referring your friend to a store can save you both money. All you need to do is invite your friend to shop from your favorite store and when they make a purchase you will earn some cash or a discount on your next purchase. And your friend will also get a discount on their purchase. You can invite as many friends as you like and earn.

13) Credit Card Discounts

If you aren’t using a credit card for online transactions you’re missing a lot. Paying your bills with a credit card can give you a lot of benefits that you can never imagine. But these benefits can vary depending on your card issuer. Credit Card discounts and benefits include but are not limited to discounts & cashback on purchases, interest-free installments, reward points, insurance, and price protection. And it also improves your credit score (if you repay the amount in time).

14) Price Protection

Different credit card companies offer price protection on purchases thru their cards. This interests the buyers as they can save money with this shopping hack.

How it works – If you make a purchase with a credit card offering ‘price protection’ you can get your money back if the product’s price changes. E.g; you bought an iPhone for $1200 and the price drop to $1000 in next 7 – 14 days you can claim the $200 price difference and get your money back. You can check the eligibility and T&C on your credit card provider’s website. OR give them a call to ask about it.

15) Newsletter Sign-Up

Signing up for newsletters can be a great idea to receive all the deals and coupons straight to your inbox. And besides signing up to only stores and brands, you can also sign up for newsletters of coupon sites to get the current best deals.

16) Use a different email to sign up

As cheeky as it sounds, you can use a different email address for sign-ups to get more coupons from the same brand. You can take advantage of this by making a new email address or using a junk address you have had. But do not misuse it because you might get noticed or banned from the store for abusing the loophole.

17) Browser Extensions

Many free browser extensions are available that help you save on online shopping. Some of them can scan the internet for the best coupon and some can help you track the price history of the product. You can use different browser extensions to save while shopping online.

18) Gift Cards

Gift cards can be a lifesaver for you if you know how to use them correctly. First off they can be used to gift your loved ones. But you can also use them for discount purchases. You can buy or earn gift cards from any store to use later for your purchases.

19) Store Credit Card

Some retailers offer their own credit cards that can only be used in their stores. Using these cards to shop can give you exclusive discounts and benefits. If you often purchase from specific stores it is worth buying their branded card.

20) Outlet Sales

Buying from the sale section of stores can save you a ton. Most of the time items listed in the outlet sale or clearance sale are the ones with older designs or if the company is planning a new launch. You can score big discounts if you purchase at the right time.

21) Dynamic Pricing

Be aware of dynamic pricing (surge price) to identify the bad deal. Online businesses may hike prices based on the demand for their products. If you notice a price difference don’t buy the item as it won’t be a good deal. Wait for the prices to drop again in order to get the justifying deal.

22) Compare Prices

Compare price of the product on different sites or marketplace. You might find the same product at a lower price at a different store. E.g: A dress price on Amazon can be different than the other online store.

23) Track Prices

You can track the prices of the product you want to buy in order to get it at the best and lowest price. Tools like CamelCamelCamel can help you track the price history of any product on Amazon. They show you highest and lowest price point an item has touched and what is the best price to buy. You can also set alerts for when the price matches your budget.

24) Buy in Bulk

Buying in bulk quantity can save you a lot of money. This shopping hack is evergreen for groceries, household items and others. You always save money when you buy in quantity. You can even get a Costco membership that gives huge discounts on all wholesale items.

25) Amazon Prime

Becoming an Amazon Prime member can result in lots of benefits and savings. For the price of one you get complete and exclusive Entertainment, discount offers, Free and Fast Shipping, and more.

26) Buy Online

If you’re looking for something new you can try it in stores like Target or Walmart. And if you like the product try to find the same item online on lower prices. Many times you can find the same product online at lower prices saving you a good amount of money. (This mostly happens because of the low retail cost.)

27) Small Online Retailers

There are good chances you might find a better deal at small retailers rather than big brands. This is not because the quality might be poor but because small retailers try to build their customer base by giving discounts to attract more buyers to their site. Buying from these online retailers can save you some money as well.

28) Refurbished or Used Items

Buying a refurbished item can also be a money saver. You can find items in good and working condition in used marketplaces. Many people sale things that are not being used by them and some even give them away for free. So tapping a marketplace or yard sale would be a good idea to save on your purchases.

29) Yard Sale

Many people are familiar with yard sales and many even make money off of it. That’s right, you can find items at way less prices in a yard sale and flip them online for good money. As they say “One person’s trash is another one’s treasure“. Try to look for yard sales happening in your neighborhood or search on Facebook.

30) Take Surveys

Take part in surveys for freebies and discounts. Some stores give you rewards for leaving valuable feedback about their store. Companies use these survey results to improve their products and services. This allows them to get better in competition so they don’t hesitate to give you an incentive.

31) Special Discounts

If you’re a working professional in special occupations like the Military, Healthcare, First Responders, or Teachers. Different brands offer different discounts to all the heroes of our society. You can get exclusive discounts by showing ID proof of your profession.

32) Military Discount

If you’re one of those who’ve served the country or currently serving then we have great news for you. Many stores often provide special discounts and offer for military members including active duty, veterans, reservists, and retirees. You just have to verify yourself as a military member with a valid ID and claim your discount. Head over to our site to see the stores offering military discounts.

33) Nurse, Healthcare, and First Responder Discount

All nurses and healthcare workers and first responders are the heroes of our society. They risk their lives to save ours, always working on the frontline. Many brands and retailers offer them exclusive discounts to show their love and respect for them. So if you’re a nurse, healthcare worker or first responder you can save up to 25% or more on many stores by simply verifying your ID. You can visit our Nurse discount, Healthcare discount and First Responder Discount page to discover the brands.

34) Students and Teachers Discount

Whether you’re a learner or an educator, scoring a discount can’t be easier. If you’re a College or University Student you can save up to 40% on many big and small retailers. And if you’re a teacher shaping the future of our world you deserve special treatment as well. Visit our pages to discover what brands offer Student Discounts and Teacher Discounts.

35) Senior Discount

If you are aged 50 or above you’re eligible for senior discounts. Many big brands offer exclusive discounts to senior citizens of society. Making them feel special and helping them save a little more for their expenses. You can find many senior discounts by different brands listed on Saving Says that you can use to save money.

Bonus Hack

Christmas is here and it means lots of gifts and holiday trips. Don’t buy gifts or book a trip on any festive event. Instead, plan it beforehand and try to buy all the items (gifts) needed in advance. Because chances are you might find it expensive at the last moment or it can even go out of stock. So it’s always good to buy everything while it’s available at right price.

Conclusion

Did you know about these 35 best online shopping hacks? These are some of the best ways you can save when shopping online and they all work 95% of the time. While some of them will work for you some might won’t but you’re guaranteed to save on your shopping next time. Let us know in the comments if you know of any more shopping hacks and we would love to add them.

Frequently Asked Questions