13 Mar 2008 03:24:31 | Julie Hood
Do you love to shop as much as I do? It's even more fun when I
can shop and save money, too. Here are a few of my favorite ways
to save time and money when shopping.
1. Compare prices on a shopping comparison site
Find the best price (and save a lot of time surfing) by using
price comparison websites like Shopping.com, PriceGrabber.com,
NexTag.com, Epinions.com, MySimon.com and others. Be sure to
check more than one since some sites only list certain stores.
2. Lose the mall. Surf the online malls instead
Just like a regular mall, an online mall groups the best stores
all in one place. In this case, the stores are all accessible
from one website. Online malls are so much more efficient than
the regular mall. You save time because there's no waiting for a
parking space, no fighting the crowds and no waiting in long
lines. You can save more money using an online mall than a
regular mall. Many online malls give you cash back rebates on
each of your purchases through their store links. Rebates can be
up to 25%.
3. Make sure your plastic pays you
Cash back credit cards offer another great way to save even more
money on your purchases. My credit card gives us 1% back every
time we use it. Rewards vary depending upon the store you're
buying from and what items you purchase. Other cards provide
airline miles or even let you save for college while you are
shopping.
4. Clip those codes
Don't forget to use online discount codes and coupons to save
even more. The best way to get these codes is to sign up for a
store's e-mail newsletter. Notice of the site's sales and
specials will be sent directly to your e-mail. Another way to
find codes is to use your favorite search engine and search for
the site name along with the word "coupon," "discount" or
"promotion code." If you are using an online mall, be sure to
check it too. Most malls maintain a selection of coupons for
their members.
5. Always get free (or almost free!) shipping
When shopping online, watch for times when you can get free
shipping. You can save anywhere from a few dollars on up. Use
the search engine technique above to look for the website name
with "free shipping."
6. Give an electronic gift certificate
Are you shopping for a special someone? Let her decide what she
wants and where she wants to buy it by giving her an online
"super" certificate from GiftCertificates.com. If you need a
last minute gift, you can e-mail the gift certificate to the
recipient. Save even more when you buy these certificates
through an online mall. GiftTracker.com even has certificates to
my local mall (perfect for teacher gifts), restaurants, spas and
more.
7. Avoid the long lines at discount stores and visit their
websites instead
Some of the best discount stores like Wal-Mart and Target have
an online store to save you time. Instead of standing in lines,
get your purchases delivered to your door when you shop online.
About Author :
Want to know more about online malls and other ways to save?
Visit the Discount
Shopping Service Guide where Julie Hood is a senior
contributing editor and writes about saving money shopping
online.