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5 Ways to Save Money Shopping Online

By Bob on May 9, 2016 4:39 AM

Savvy shoppers are always on the hunt for a bargain. Even if you're not overly familiar with the internet, you should still have no problem finding great deals this way. You simply need to learn the best ways to shop to cut down on costs.

Here are five ways to save money shopping online.

1. Shop During the Offseason

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Image via Flickr by frankieleon

Many items you buy each year are seasonal. Halloween and Christmas are great examples of this behavior. One of the easiest ways to save money is to stock up on these goods well in advance. Think about buying candy and costumes around Labor Day when they're cheaper. Then, remember when Halloween arrives to buy your holiday decorations from a trusted online vendor like Christmas Lights Etc. You can save a lot of money employing this strategy. 

2. Bookmark Coupon Sites

With a bit of practice, you'll discover how easy bookmarking a website is. You can use this technology to your advantage by identifying the best coupon sites on the Internet. Bookmark places like RetailMeNot.com, SlickDeals.net, and Coupons.com. Then, get in the habit of checking them when you're looking to buy an item. Some sites even have notification features that will email you when a product you're tracking goes on sale. They also have apps you can download to your phone to maximize your convenience. 

3. Don't Forget Social Media

Most retailers want a high volume of people visiting their social media pages. They understand that they can earn revenue quickly when they hold lightning sales targeted to their most loyal customers. These consumers are the ones following them on social media. That's why many retailers offer their best deals exclusively on their social media pages. All you need to do is follow your favorite stores on Facebook, Twitter, and other sites to enjoy these deep discounts. 

4. Understand the Calendar

Over the years, you may have noticed a strange behavior from your favorite businesses. Their best deals tend to occur during the middle of the week. It's not a coincidence. Companies know the days when their sales are slowest. In order to boost business, they lower prices to entice customers to visit. 

Most retailers use this tactic. The days might differ, though. For example, the airline industry notoriously offered its lowest prices on Tuesdays for many years. Once they noticed that it'd become one of their most popular shopping days, they started increasing prices on that day instead. Now, research indicates that Sunday is the best day to pay for a flight. Do research to discover the best day for deals for the item you need, and shop on that day. 

5. Remember Shipping Costs and Sales Tax

When you buy online, the price you see in your shopping cart is rarely the final cost of your item. Get in the habit of checking to see whether the deal you see includes shipping and, where applicable, sales tax. If not, check the cost at checkout to guarantee that you're getting the deal you think you are.

Finding deals online isn't difficult. You simply need to follow the tips above to learn how to shop more strategically.

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If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.

Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.

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