Set Up Price Alerts: Creating price alerts is a tactic that will directly help with not buying into the hype because you’ll know when the item you’re in the market for has a price drop. Camelcamelcamel is a great one for Amazon and Honey is a solid one for all other retailers. Both offer browser plug-ins that make them easy and effective to use. Signing up for a particular retailer or brand’s newsletter (hint hint: our Deals email, too) is always a good way to get advance notice of upcoming sales and exclusive offers as well.
Look for Retailers Who Price Match Competitors: Remember when you could bring in a physical advertisement from a competitor and that retailer would match the price? It’s beginning to happen more and more online now even. Price matching competitors is a tactic that the likes of Walmart is putting lots of weight behind this year as they look to match nearly every deal Amazon will offer up.
Utilize Cashback When It Makes Sense: Making the most of cashback options is a smart way to shop in general. Cashback services like BeFrugal, Rakuten, Honey and others can be an easy way to earn money back on top of savings. There are also a host of retailer credit cards that have great cashback programs — Amazon Prime Rewards, Macy’s and Walmart Rewards are all solid ones. But don’t just dive into getting a new credit card just to score special savings or get cashback. You need to evaluate that decision on a holistic credit view and philosophy. That said, if you were planning on signing up for one and are looking to capitalize on holiday offers, it’s one of the best times of the year to do so.
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A note on Drop:
Drop is not like other online retailers. It’s a members-only site that requires signing up (all it takes is an email address). If you’re not a member, you can sign up here. When you place an order from Drop at a discounted price, you’re not buying from them directly. The site works by taking orders from consumers, then bulk ordering product at a discount directly from brands and other wholesalers. For more information on how Drop works, click here.
