12 Proven Ways to Save Money When Shopping Online

Save More Without Spending More Time

Most people know about coupons and sales, but the real money-saving strategies go much deeper. The techniques in this guide are used by professional deal hunters and savvy shoppers to consistently pay less for the same products. Implement even a few of these, and you will see a meaningful difference in your annual spending.

1. Use Price Tracking Tools

Tools like CamelCamelCamel (for Amazon) and Keepa track price history on millions of products. Before buying anything, check the price history to see if the current price is actually a good deal. Many products are "on sale" at prices that are actually above their historical average. Set price alerts for your target price and get notified when the item drops.

2. Stack Coupons and Cashback

The biggest savings come from combining multiple discounts. A typical stack might include:

• A percentage-off coupon code from the retailer
• Cashback from a service like Rakuten or TopCashback (typically 2–10%)
• Credit card rewards or statement credits
• A price match if the retailer offers one

Using all four together can reduce your effective price by 15–30% on a single purchase. Browser extensions like Honey or Capital One Shopping automatically find and apply coupon codes at checkout.

3. Abandon Your Cart Strategically

Adding items to your cart and leaving the website without buying is one of the simplest money-saving tricks. Many retailers track cart abandonment and will email you a discount code within 24–48 hours to encourage you to complete your purchase. This works especially well with mid-size retailers. For this to work, you need to have an account with the retailer and have marketing emails enabled.

4. Buy at the Right Time

Timing your purchases can save you 20–50% on many products. Key dates to know:

• January: Best for fitness equipment, gym memberships, and winter clothing clearance
• March–April: Spring cleaning sales on home goods and appliances
• May: Memorial Day sales for mattresses and large appliances
• July: Amazon Prime Day and mid-year tech sales
• November: Black Friday and Cyber Monday for electronics and toys
• December: End-of-year clearance on the previous year's models

5. Use Virtual Credit Cards

Many banks now offer virtual credit card numbers — temporary card numbers linked to your real account. These serve two money-saving purposes: they protect your real card number from data breaches, and some virtual card services offer automatic price protection or extended warranty benefits at no extra cost.

6. Take Advantage of Student, Military, and Senior Discounts

Many online retailers offer permanent discounts that do not require coupons. If you are a student, teacher, military member, or senior, always check for available discount programs. Services like ID.me and SheerID verify your status and unlock savings at hundreds of retailers. These discounts typically range from 10–20% and stack with other promotions.

7. Buy Open-Box and Refurbished

Open-box items are products that were returned unused, often at 20–40% off retail price. Refurbished products have been inspected, repaired, and certified by the manufacturer. Both offer significant savings with minimal risk. Look for:

• Manufacturer-certified refurbished products (they come with warranties)
• Amazon Renewed items with the Renewed Guarantee
• Open-box deals at Best Buy, Walmart, and other major retailers

8. Negotiate (Yes, Even Online)

Many people do not realize you can negotiate online prices, especially with smaller retailers. Use the live chat feature or email to ask if they can match a competitor's price or offer a discount for first-time buyers. This works particularly well for:

• Furniture and home goods
• Electronics from authorized dealers
• Subscription services and memberships
• Services like web hosting and software licenses

9. Set Up a Dedicated Shopping Email

Use a separate email address for online shopping. This prevents promotional emails from cluttering your main inbox while ensuring you never miss a sale notification. Many retailers offer a 10–15% first-purchase discount when you sign up for their newsletter. You can create multiple accounts with different email addresses to claim new-customer discounts at the same retailer periodically.

10. Use Grocery and Household Item Subscription Services

For everyday items you buy repeatedly, subscription services often offer 5–15% lower prices than one-time purchases. Amazon Subscribe & Save, for example, reduces the price on each item and offers additional discounts when you have five or more subscriptions delivered in the same month. Just remember to review your subscriptions quarterly to avoid paying for items you no longer need.

11. Check for Price Matching

Several major retailers offer price matching policies. If you find a product cheaper at a competitor, bring proof (a screenshot or link) and the retailer will match the lower price. Stores with strong price match policies include Best Buy, Target, Home Depot, and Bed Bath & Beyond. This lets you buy from your preferred retailer while paying the lowest available price.

12. Clear Your Browser and Use Incognito Mode

While the extent of price personalization is debated, there is evidence that some retailers show different prices based on your browsing history, location, and device type. Before making a significant purchase, try opening an incognito or private browsing window and checking the price there. At minimum, this ensures you see the same price as a new visitor.

Start Saving Today

You do not need to become an extreme couponer to save significantly on online shopping. Pick two or three of these strategies that fit your shopping habits, and implement them consistently. Over the course of a year, these small changes add up to hundreds of dollars in savings — money you can put toward things that actually matter to you. Browse our current deals and product guides to find the best value right now.