Update 1: I've included a section on auctions and cheaper chain stores.
The internet has made finding deals and coupons easier than ever before. Seldom do we rely on coupon books anymore, and what we can find in a coupon book can often be found online as well. I've found some of the best methods to finding deals and getting cashback over the years that I'll now detail to you. If you know of another website or method, please feel free to share!
Finding deals
I categorize deals into two groups: deals you search out and deals that find you. Let's say that you are looking to buy a new laptop, but you don't want to spend the $700 at Best Buy. With the search out method, you could try to find something that matches your requirements and price range. I have found www.dealspl.us to have the best community for finding and posting deals, which basically means that thousands of people are looking online for great deals, then they post them all on the website for easy access. You can easily search with the appropriate keywords and find the deal that best fits what you are looking for.
Also, when you find a great deal, don't just settle for what is advertised. May websites have coupon codes that can be used to take the price even lower. The Dealspl.us community does a wonderful job making sure that each deal found is also accompanied with the best coupons available, but don't forget to look around for yourself! Dealspl.us has it's own coupon section for just that.
With the deals that find you method, you would wait until your laptop deal came about. This slight distinction has created something called the DOD ("Deal Of the Day") website. DOD websites include www.woot.com, www.1saleaday.com, and many others. In a 24 hour period DOD websites have a single deal that is considerably marked down, be it new or reconditioned. So if you are patient, that laptop that costs $700 at Best Buy may just turn up on Woot for half the price. There are literally hundreds of DOD websites (I know of over 400), so checking them is often very difficult. This is why websites such as www.todaysDOD.com are so helpful. TodaysDOD updates constantly to provide the most up-to-date list possible of virtually all DOD websites. Not only that, but it has picture previews so you can know what is being sold, where and at what price without visiting the website itself. It also has many customization options, so your list could be as big as your favorite 6 websites or as massive as 400+.
When I say, "half the price," this is not an exaggeration. Most often, if a product is not at least half the price, I don't even consider it. PLEASE, STOP PAYING RETAIL IN THE STORES.
A quick note: reconditioned items are COMPLETELY TESTED. They encompass any product that has been returned for any reason, and ironically are tested more so than new products. Be assured, you are not getting a "used" product when it is an open box or recertified product. Don't let that deter you from snatching up a great deal!
Recap:
- www.dealspl.us - Find the best deals on specific products, all around the internet. Don't forget to look for coupon codes!
- www.todaysDOD.com - Search through a huge list of DOD websites. Complete with pictures and excellent customization options.
- Recertified does NOT equal bad, used or faulty!
Cashback
Once you have found the right deal, sometimes you can get cashback for your purchases. Websites such as www.mrrebates.com have given people cashback opportunities for years, but recently Microsoft joined the fray with Bing cashback. For both websites, you simply sign up with percentage calculations. Let's say that laptop you got at www.Dell.com (which sometimes has insanely cheap deals) was marked down from the $700 to only $450. Well, by going to that order through your Bing account, you will get %10 cashback on your puchase. Meaning that in a few months once it has all processed, you will get a Paypal payment of $45. Not bad at all. Both Mrrebates and Bing are great, so sign up for both and check out which has the better percentage for the store you are buying from.Recap:
- Both www.mrrebates.com and Bing cashback will save you additional money by providing cashback on your purchases.
Auctions
Arguably, the absolute best deals found anywhere are at auctions. Why is this? Because auction services buy truckloads of goods and need to clear the inventory out (often every week) in order to have the storage for more truckloads. There are many auctions around, and google is your best bet at finding them. I'm sure there is a website that will show you the nearest auctions around, however I do not know of one in particular at the moment. Auctioning is not for everyone: sometimes you will sit through 4 hours of estate furniture when you are looking for a new camera. Do your research and then look around for an auction that best fits your purchasing style.
My personal experience at auctions? I once bought a 65 inch DLP HDTV for $100 because the bulb was broken. I bought a bulb online for about $120. The TV retailed for over $1000. Another time, my mother purchased a brand new, still in the plastic Italian leather sofa for $50. Auctions will make you laugh at retail. My sister just bought a freestanding projector screen for a dollar. One time I bought a table lot for maybe $15 that had about ten ipod speaker players, some broken and many still in the box. I didn't have enough room in my car, so I had to leave a few there.
Just BE CAREFUL. Most auctions sell all items as is, so you are bound to get items that do not work as indicated. Don't get frustrated. When hundreds of items are moved into a warehouse and checked for quality every single week, there are bound to be a few mistakes. The pros are outweigh the cons.
Recap:
- Auctions can literally save you thousands of dollars, especially if you are looking for furniture. But know that most everything is sold "as-is."
Retail Stores that Rock
If you are fortunate enough to have a store like Big Lots nearby, do yourself a favor and take a look around. Much like an auction, you never know what will be at Big Lots, but if you just so happen to find something you are looking for, chances are it will be at a fraction of the price. Via Biglots.com: "As the nation's largest broadline closeout retailer, we have the buying power to find and negotiate the best deals in the business."This means that the exact same items in larger corporate stores are found at Big Lots, just cheaper. This includes food, housewares, furniture, gadgets, and everything else. My experiences at Big Lots are far too numerous to recall. Just recently I found cartons of Almond milk on sale. Some people will pay $3-$5 per carton online, which they consider to be a good deal. I waited until Big Lots had a storewide "%20 off" coupon available, then I purchased the Almond milk for $1.04 each.
Recap:
- Closeout stores like Big Lots will save you a considerable amount of money on items you would normally purchase at other retail stores.
Be Warned... Deals are Seductive
But there is one thing to always ask yourself when constantly looking for deals: "Do I really need this?" Just because something is cheaper or on sale, doesn't mean you need to have it! Buy buying many things you'll never use at discount, you spend the money you saved by finding good deals on items that you did need! It is very easy to fall victim to the "sale" sign.Be "Deal-Minded"
The thing about getting the best deals possible is to stay informed. Often, people buy products at outrageous prices because that is what they perceive to be a fair price. While the products may indeed be worth that price, that does not mean that you have to pay that price. In order to save money by paying less, it is essential to be "deal-minded." When you reach for that new laptop at Best Buy, is it really what you need? And if it is, have you done your research to see if Best Buy has the best prices or if there is a competitor brand that is cheaper but just as well built? Could you wait a week or so and see if any deals pop up? The two most important aspects of saving the most money are staying informed and being patient. I'll be updating and correcting information on here every so often. Hope this helps you on your journey to saving money!
