If you’re on a tight budget and need to save money in every way possible, it’s likely that you’re considering shopping online for most of your needs. There are a lot of great ways to shop online andfindgreatbuys,fromautomatedcomparison shopping to coupon codes. Using a few of these methods can ease the burden on your budget and even make shopping a bit more fun when long lines need not be endured.
Comparison shop
It’s something you would do “offline” if you were shopping for products at traditional retailers: check prices at each store for the items you need, and go with the store that offered the lowest price on the product you’re looking for. In the world of offline shopping,thisprocess can be tedious as you walk or drive between retailers and look for the item and price you have in mind.
Online shopping is a completely different world and truly excels in this type of comparison shopping. Services like mySimon have been around for almost a decade, offering comparison shopping for everything from electronics to household items. And no internet service worth its weight in mouse-clicks would be without competition.
Google Shopping competes directly with mySimon and offers things like shipping estimates when listingproductsby price, as well as the local taxes that apply to your area when purchasing. Combined with knowledge of your location via your Google account, Google Shopping can even list the cheapest products in descending order of their distance from where you’re sitting. You can elect to have the product shipped or, for many stores, you can pick it up in person and avoid the shipping fees — all because Google goes the extra mile. Free Shipping on “Select” ItemsEven the best deals on the internet can be a little disappointing after you factor in the cost of shipping. However, lots of online retailers are introducing a new concept to get customers to buy their hottest or newest items, as well as score free shipping.
At many online retailers, customers can simply add one “free shipping item” to their cart and receive the entire order without a shipping charge. Clothing retailers often provide free shipping on all items to customers who add a shoe or accessory purchase, for example. It’s a great way for retailers to boost the number of items they sell per customer, and it’s a great way for savvy online shoppers to get rid of shipping costs. Not only that, but everyone could always use a new pair of shoes — right?
Of the many ways to save in your online shopping excursions, these are but two of the best. Don’t forget to look for online coupon codes and special online “one day sales” from major retailers. Often, the online sales will provide deeper discounts than their offline counterparts; online sales also tend to happen more frequently than sales in traditional bricks-and-mortar stores, as retailers are always looking to increase their online sales numbers (and, thus, their profit margins).
A little savvy online shopping can create big budget surpluses for yourself and your family, so shop carefully, deliberately, and smartly!
