You can use the internet for almost everything nowadays – and my favourite is (surprise) saving money. While there’s the obvious and important ways, like Googling product reviews and comparing prices at multiple online stores, there are many more ways to give your credit card a break.
1. Free Shipping: Web sites usually offer better prices, and you can often find a way to score free shipping (whether it’s a weekly special, or free with a minimum purchase).
2. Discount Codes: Upon check out, you might see a box for a “promotion code” or “discount coupon.” Whenever I see these, I search the site name online along with the term they use for their discount field. While you won’t always find an applicable discount, or it could be expired, it’s worth a quick look… I’ve received as much as 50% off by doing this!
3. Canadian Sites: You don’t have to search or surf to find the lowest price. Many sites will do the research for you. Red Flag Deals is a must visit. I got a price match to a deal I found in their forum and saved us over $1,000 on our new TV! Other worthwhile sites I visit regularly include Smart Canucks and Bargain Moose.
4. iPhone Power: When I’m in a store, I can save money with an iPhone by simply checking other store’s flyers and getting a price match.
By visiting a few sites and doing a bit of research, you may never have to pay full retail price again!
Tom Drake is the owner and head writer behind Canadian Finance Blog and also works as a financial analyst for a major retailer. Tom and his wife Amanda welcomed their beautiful baby boy Christian in October of 2009. To read more of Tom’s posts, subscribe to Canadian Finance Blog’s RSS feed and follow @CanadianFinance on Twitter.