Top 15 ways to save on Christmas shopping

Data from a recent survey showed that 39% of Americans feel a certain amount of festive excitement, which is spending more money than planned.

Edition Time has prepared 15 tips on how to save on holiday gifts.

1. Track prices for things you want to buy

Planning is one of the easiest and most effective ways to save money. Start by making a gift list, then compare prices using InvisibleHand, which automatically searches the Internet for the lowest price on any item you specify. You can also use the CamelCamelCamel or PriceZombie apps for the same purpose, which also show you when the item you want is selling for the highest and lowest price. That way, you'll know whether to buy your planned gift now or closer to Christmas.

2. Configure price change alerts

If the desired gift goes beyond your budget, you can use the application TrackIf.com, which sends an e-mail alert on the fall in the price of the programmed product.

3. Offer sellers to bargain among themselves

Having found out the lowest price for the desired product, contact your local dealer with an offer to find this product cheaper, stating your readiness to purchase it. Most stores are happy to arrange price competition with their direct competitors.

4. Use sites that return money

Sites such as Ebates.com, FatWallet.com and TopCashback.com return a portion of the money spent on purchases at retail online stores in case you visit these stores through the listed sites. Typically, the refund amount is from 1% to 5% of the purchase price, although there are special offers with returns up to 20%.

5. Sign up for newsletters from stores

Subscriptions to mailings from retailers can significantly increase the amount of spam in your mail, but, nevertheless, most stores offer discounts or report on sales in advance only to regular subscribers subscribed to them.

It is also worth keeping in mind that regular reading of such mailings can not reduce, but only increase your costs, tempting you to discounts on something that, to put it mildly, you do not really need at the moment. Therefore, it is better to put such letters in a separate folder and open them only when you really need something.

6. Use social media

Follow your favorite brands on Twitter or Instagram. Shops often advertise special offers and discounts in social media.

7. Use coupons

Before you shop online, go to RetailMeNot.com and CouponCabin.com, which offer discount coupons for various retail products.

8. Store gift cards electronically

According to TowerGroup, in 2014, the total amount of outstanding gift cards was about 750 million dollars.

In order not to forget about such cards at the bottom of the bag or in the remote pocket of your wallet, store them electronically. This application will help you Slide app, which, after scanning the barcode of the card, will show you the balance remaining on it, as well as help you to pay in the store, even if you have forgotten or lost the previously scanned card.

9. Leave your online purchase unfinished

Upload your online shopping cart, start the verification process, enter payment information, and then simply close the window. Stores hate this because 68% of online baskets are abandoned in this way, according to a Baymard study. In order to convert an unfinished sale into an actual one, many stores will send you emails that offer additional discounts within a few days. Please note that in order for this to work, you must be registered on the online store website.

10. Pay with your correct credit card.

To pay for purchased goods, choose a card that offers the most favorable money-back conditions.

11. Never apply for credit cards at the store.

Retail stores offer attractive discounts to customers who issue a credit card. But according to creditcards.comThe interest on these cards is much higher than standard bank cards. Moreover, many retail chains use the practice of so-called deferred interest, which means that if you do not repay the entire loan amount during the grace period, your 0% will turn into a standard interest rate that you will have to pay retroactively for using the entire loan amount.

12. Use price adjustment

Save receipts from purchases and continue to track the prices of the items you purchased with TrackIf. Some outlets return the price difference if the goods entered their network later and at a lower price. Each store defines a window for such a return differently, but some expand the duration of this window on holidays.

13. Never pay for shipping

Many stores offer free shipping when the cost of your purchase passes for a certain amount, and some give delivery as a bonus.

But even if there are no such offers, you can, for example, subscribe to the Amazon Prime Trail. And every 30 days you get two days of free shipping at any time when you order from the site.

You can also wait until December 18th for a free shipping day, when about a thousand retailers offer shipping and guaranteed delivery before Christmas at no extra charge.

14. Use chat

You've probably seen a pop-up on your favorite store's website asking you to start a chat “right now.” Take advantage of this offer to bargain. Write a message with something like: “This is a little more than I wanted to spend and I can’t find a coupon, can you offer free shipping or a discount?” The operators running the chat have discount coupons and can offer them if the dialogue goes well.

15. Name your price

To purchase home appliances, television and music equipment, try shopping through Greentoe.com. Name the price you are willing to pay for the goods, and if one of the sellers in this network likes your offer, you will receive the goods for the price you specified.

Previously, “Forum” wrote about how to buy and decorate the right Christmas tree.