November
seems to sneak up on me every year. I’m minding my own business,
working out costume details and sugar coating trick-or-treaters when,
BAM! Out of the blue it’s time to get cracking on holiday shopping. To
help myself get in the game and to help you save some money, here are my
top five ways you can use your tech savvy to save money on your holiday
shopping.
1. Check out the resale market:
I
know, you’re thinking, “wrapping up used gifts?” but a lot of things
available though sites like Craigslist and Ebay, or even at your local
gently-used second hand store, haven’t actually been used. We’ve all
received a present that we thought for sure would come in handy but
instead just gathered dust. That posh purse may be perfect for your
sister-in-law and is significantly less expensive than buying it in the
store. If you have any youngsters on your list I can assure you that
they aren’t going to care that the shiny new tricycle took a few spins
in someone else’s yard before it showed up under their tree.
2. Use discount gift cards:
Just
as there’s a resale market for items that people didn’t end up needing,
there’s a resale market for unused gift cards. Check out eCard Exchange or Cardpool for an extensive selection of discount gift cards that you can use to
get instant savings on your holiday shopping. Benefit from those
looking to cash-out a gift card they don’t need with savings averaging
10%. Unlike buying on eBay where you have to take a leap of faith that
the balance on the card will be valid when you receive it, these sites
act as a middle man. They purchase the card from the seller and then
guarantee the value to you, the buyer. There’s even free shipping. While
you can certainly re-gift the gift card itself, I like to buy discount
gift cards for the places I know I’m going to shop for presents, earning
myself an instant discount that I can then combine with sales and
coupons.
3. Become a coupon printer:
Before you head out the door to cruise the mall, check out the in-store coupons available online through RetailMeNot and Coupon Cabin.
You can earn yourself a quick $10 or percent off your purchases with
just a couple of clicks and an available printer. If you’re buying
online, be sure to check the coupon codes section for instant savings on
your order.
4. Compare, compare, compare:
The Shopping Assistant browser extension (available for Chrome, Firefox, Opera or Safari) gives you a toolbar
that automatically shows similar products to what you’re shopping for at
other online retailers, such as Walmart, Newegg and slickdeals. If you
prefer to peruse the shelves in person, make that Smartphone data plan
earn some money back for you with ShopSavvy 5 (for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone). Once installed on your
Smartphone, simply use your phone’s camera to take a picture of the
barcode of the item you’re considering. The app will instantly report
back prices of that item online and at other local retailers, allowing
you to request a price match or drive next door to get the best deal.
5. Make your credit card work for you:
Many
credit card companies have discovered that the key to keeping customers
is to help them save money on purchases they are already making. Most
deals and special coupons can only be activated by logging into your
account and navigating through the associated deals section. For
example, Bank of America cards now offer “cash back deals” that give you
cash back on purchases made at certain retailers, restaurants and more.
The catch is that you have to activate the offer in advance of making
your purchase to get the reward. Citibank now offers Citi Price Rewind
which it calls “buy now, save later.” Register your covered purchases
and Citibank will track prices at online retailers for 30 days. If the
price drops by at least $25, you get the price difference back – up to
$250 per item.
Need more great money saving tips, contact Andrea at her computer and laptop repair
website. She loves to share!
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