When Online Discounts Cost You Money. How to Save by Buying Only What You Need.
Shopping Tip #6
I'm a shopaholic. I admit it. Over the years, I have spent thousands of dollars online. Heck, over one year I have! One thing I have noticed that I often have done is buy more than I needed to hit that "free shipping" mark or to get a discount.
All the promotions are great and free shipping is always a plus but, if you find yourself spending more than you were prepared to spend and buying things you really don't need just to use a promotional code or to get free shipping, step back a moment.
Are you really saving? I have amassed a lot of things I simply don't need just because I added them on to get my discount or free shipping.
Now, I go to sites with what I want in mind and, if I only need a small item and shipping is too high, I either shop elsewhere or wait until I need other items from the site and combine my purchases to reach the free shipping amount.
You can get great deals online and save a lot of money if you shop right, do a little research, and find the often times hidden codes that exist for you to use. But, in the long run, if you spend more than you intend JUST to use a coupon, you've fallen into the online shopping trap that so many of us have been in (and still are in).
Obviously, if you are buying $48.00 worth of items and the site has free shipping for orders over $50.00, it makes sense to pick up something small to save on shipping.
However, if you go to a site with a $15.00 item in mind, then fill your cart with $35.00 worth of products to get the free shipping, you really haven't saved. It just feels that way.
I suggest that you check out the policies and codes for the online store you plan to shop at and then, if you only want to purchase a small amount, ask a friend or family member if they plan to shop for certain items soon. By combining orders, you can both (or all, sometimes I order with my two sisters) save by making one order and combining the totals to reach the free shipping or discount limits.
Here are some tips to rein in your spending while still enjoying all that online stores have to offer:
• If a purchase isn't urgent, wait until you need other items if there is a free shipping threshold.
• Combine an order with a friend or family member to get lower shipping rates and better promotions.
• Compare the total cost of an order with shipping charges at a few sites and choose the lowest priced one that you trust.
• Always look for discount or free shipping codes that have the lowest threshold for a purchase to be applied.
• Lastly, if you really just need a small item, get it and pay the shipping charge. It will save you money over buying things you don't really need or want just to get free shipping or a discount. Do the math!
E-tailers know how to entice us into spending more than we anticipated and, sometimes, those great discounts aren't really so great if you end up spending $100.00 when you planned to spend $25.00!
