With so many different sites available on line to buy from, it can be difficult knowing that you are getting the best deal all the time and that you are not paying over the odds. By following a few tips though, you can not only find the cheapest price available but also shave a little bit extra off the top as well!
Price Comparison Sites
Many sites, including Google Shopping allow you to enter a product name and they will show you a list of different sites which sell the item, along with how much it is and how much delivery costs. This saves you having to compare dozens of sites manually and can save you a substantial amount of money for very little effort. It is important that you are careful at this stage though as some of the sites listed, especially within Google Shopping, may not actually be genuine websites. For this reason, stick to sites that you are aware of and that are trustworthy.
Group Deal Sites
Sites such as Groupon are able to offer large discounts by securing group purchases with retailers. For example, they agree with the retailer that if they are able to find 1,000 people willing to buy a specific product or service, they will get a set discount on this price. Obviously it can be very hit and miss waiting for the products that you want to buy to become available through sites like this, so it is not always an option. If it is though, these deals will often see you save over 50% on the original RRP.
Promotional Codes
Once you have found the cheapest retailer through a price comparison site, make sure that you look for any promotional codes which may be available in order to reduce the price further. This is the final squeeze, although you can quite often find discounts of around 10% and on the odd occasion, even up to 50% off! Do not forget, these promotional codes can also be used on top of special offers and discounts!
Second Hand
Depending on the item and who it is for, you may find huge savings by buying second hand. Obviously this does not apply to all items, but if you are looking for something such as a new push bike, sofa or TV and you are not too bothered about having it brand new, you will save a lot of money. If you are looking for electronics, media or books, sites such as Amazon.co.uk and Play.com have marketplaces which allow other users to sell their items, alternatively eBay or GumTree offer literally thousands of items.
Once you have bought your new item, if it is a replacement or an upgrade, do not forget that you can probably sell your old one on eBay or GumTree and recoup some of the cost. In fact, if you find a good enough deal and combine it with a good discount voucher, you can often find that the upgrade hardly costs you anything at all.
For more ways to save money online this article on creative ways to save money should help!