Do you recall the joy of wandering through the mall? The excitement of moving from one shop to the next, piling more bags into your hands, and actually paying cash (!) for those impulse buys — it was an experience, and it often helped you stick to a budget.
Online shopping is a different beast. The convenience of finding everything you want — and plenty you don’t — makes it incredibly easy to click through and buy now, then worry about the credit card bill later.
Let’s face it. Online shopping isn’t going anywhere, but overspending can be controlled. Below are some of the best tactics to cut costs and even earn you cash back.
1. See if You’re Paying Too Much and Potentially Save $1,825 a Year
Wouldn’t it be great if you received a heads-up when you’re about to overpay while shopping at stores like Target?
That’s the purpose of Capital One Shopping.
Install the free browser extension, and before you complete your purchase it will search other retailers — including Walmart, eBay and more — to find a lower price. You’ll also get coupon codes, price-drop alerts and access to the item’s pricing history.
Imagine you’re looking at a new TV and think you’ve found the best deal. The extension will notify you if the exact model is cheaper elsewhere, and any applicable coupon codes will be applied automatically at checkout.
If you shop online 25 times a month — counting every Amazon item and each delivery order — you could potentially save around $1,825 per year. The tool projects savings at different shopping frequencies: five purchases a month could save about $365 yearly, and 10 purchases could save roughly $730.
Getting set up takes just a few clicks to find out if you’re overpaying.
Capital One Shopping compensates us when you add the extension through the provided links.
2. Earn Rewards Every Time You Buy Essentials Like Toilet Paper
Grocery trips have rarely been fun, and lately they can feel downright exhausting. Navigating crowds and social distancing — even picking up toilet paper feels like an achievement. Shouldn’t you get something in return?
Fetch Rewards is a free app that gives you gift-card rewards for buying toilet paper and more than 250 other grocery items.
Here’s the deal: after installing the app, snap a photo of your receipt that shows purchases from brands featured in Fetch. In return, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards to retailers like Amazon or Walmart.
You can download the free Fetch Rewards app to start collecting gift cards. More than a million people already use it, so it seems to be working for lots of shoppers.
3. Cut Up to $610 a Year Off Your Car Insurance — Fast
Alright, checking car insurance rates isn’t as exciting as snagging a discounted find online, but it’s still an online expense worth reviewing. When did you last compare car insurance prices?
Try EverQuote to view multiple quotes at once.
EverQuote is the largest online insurance marketplace in the U.S., bringing options from over 175 carriers directly to you.
Spend a few minutes answering questions about yourself and your driving history. With that info, EverQuote will present the top car insurance recommendations for you. In just a short time, you could shave up to $610 off your annual premium.
