How To Save Money Online Shopping

Last updated: May 31, 2023

In 2020, most people’s financial situations are less than ideal. Across the world unemployment has risen due to the coronavirus crisis, so now more than ever, everyone is searching for ways to save money. Due to the unsafe circumstances of being outdoors and in crowded spaces, most of us have begun online shopping even more frequently than before. Many people took to the internet to shop online during quarantine, purely to feel distracted away from the frightening reality of COVID-19. Online shopping is convenient, simple and cost effective, but oftentimes the delivery costs, coupled with disappointment when the product doesn’t look or feel as advertised. Could online shopping be easier and more cost-effective? Yes. Yes it could.

More and more business owners are struggling to stay afloat, and those of us on the outside want to support them – but how can we support businesses we love while saving money? Read on for your definitive guide on how to save money as you shop online.

Never Miss A Sweet Deal

If you find a product you love and are about to click ‘Pay Now’, stop. Think. Is this product available on another site? Could I be saving my hard-earned money here? The answer is probably yes. If you are buying a product which is sold by multiple retailers, take an extra five or ten minutes to search for it on other sites, and perhaps save yourself some money.

One way of doing this is by using a browser extension which searches for deals for you. These are new forms of browser tracking which absorb the data of what you’re buying, and scan the internet for voucher codes, deals, or other retailers who are selling the same item for less. This browser extension will scan your browser, so you can sit back, sip your tea, and wait for the dollars to roll in.

Ask Yourself: Do I Need This?

While online shopping is an amazing, convenient tool, it is also a double-edged sword. Online shopping is sometimes used as an antidote to boredom, stress, or simply enjoyment. You click ‘Buy,’ you wait patiently for your parcel, then tear it open like Christmas morning when it arrives, buzzing off the feeling of having something brand new. This can form an addictive pattern which is used to satisfy other needs, seeking the small ‘high’ you get when a shiny new thing arrives at the door. 

If that sounds like you, there are ways to break the cycle. You can make hard and fast rules for yourself. This works for some people who become tempted to buy any nice thing they see in a store or online.

Tips

Here are some examples of ways you can break the habit and save yourself some cash.

• ‘Will I wear this 30 times?’ This has been hailed as a great yardstick for measuring whether you should buy an item of clothing you see. Of course, the rule doesn’t always apply, if you are buying a particularly fancy piece of clothing for a wedding, or a fancy dress costume. But generally speaking, you should ask yourself, ‘Will I wear this 30 times?’ and if the answer is ‘No!’, remove it from your basket and move on. If the answer is ‘Yes, of course!’, then you should consider purchasing the clothes. This rule doesn’t only help your bank account, but also helps the environment and makes your fashion choices more sustainable.

 

• ‘Is this an ethical purchase?’ If you see an unbelievably cute dress, a piece of furniture, a beauty product, or pretty much anything at all for a very low price, ask yourself if this product is ethically sourced and made. Shopping ethically means being more picky about your sources. This not only helps the world and society as a whole. It also helps keep the dollars in your bank account, and away from the bank accounts of unethical corporations.

 

• ‘Will I want this product in a month? In six months? In a year?’ This is another classic tactic that helps you to decide if the purchase you are making is really worth it. How will you feel about this clothing or pair of shoes in a month or a year? Will it stand the test of time?

Use Targeting To Your Advantage

If you aren’t aware of advert targeting, get wise to this practise. Have you ever noticed how, if you enter a Google search about, say, cowboy boots, you will begin seeing ads for cowboy boots on your social media pages? This isn’t a mistake or a creepy coincidence. It’s actually targeted algorithms which take in your search information, location, demographic and other factors to target you with adverts for your favourite products. This might sound sinister, but it’s actually very simple; these search engines are not stealing your details or using them for any scam purposes. They are instead creating personalised advertising for you.

How can you use these ads to your advantage? It’s pretty simple, really – if you search around an online clothing store, perhaps put something in your shopping basket, but click away before you purchase, the company will usually target you with ads to remind you to finish your purchase. Often, they will offer deals, voucher codes, or flash sales to encourage this further. If you are thinking of making a purchase online, try this tactic and see if you get targeted with money-off deals. You might just get a sweet deal, saving more of your money for a rainy day.

Conclusion

If you, like so many people around the world, are struggling financially in 2020, have no fear. Your online shopping could be saving you hundreds or even thousands of bucks per year. This leaves you with more to save and invest for your future.