3 Money-Saving Tricks I Always Use as a Professional Online Shopper

As the senior market editor here at Better Homes & Gardens magazine, it’s basically my job to shop online. The better part of my day job includes scouring for new trends, cool companies, unique products, and major deals. And after 10 years on the job, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to work the system.

As luck would have it, my job also happens to be my biggest passion and hobby (I’m a constant decorator and thrifting enthusiast), so you could probably call me an expert in online shopping. Here are my top three insider tips for saving money when shopping online. Now, they’re not definite, foolproof, constant, or a guarantee, but they’re absolutely worth a shot.

1. "Favorite" the Item

I’ll start by telling you what you don’t want to hear. (Don't stop reading here—I promise it gets better.) But the first thing you need to do on a site you’re seriously shopping is to make an account and sign up for emails. Texts, too. They’ll often send you a welcome discount, and you might also become eligible for “friends and family” discounts that aren’t widely available to non-member shoppers. It’s completely free to sign up, and the only drawback is a few extra weekly emails. But the perks of those emails: hidden sales, discount codes, and insider deals. 

Websites like Etsy, 1stDibs, and Chairish are a gold mine for great deals on new and old pieces. They’re each a literal treasure trove of incredible new and vintage finds, often available at incredible prices. But here's the secret: after you’ve made an account, these websites also allow you to “like” or “favorite” the item (click the little heart icon at the top right of the listing), typically used to save it for later.

This is general knowledge, but what you might not know is that after you’ve liked a specific item, the seller can see you’re interested and will often send a personal discount for it, or some websites might send you a unique price offer (at a lower price since you’ve shown interest), allowing you to save tens to hundreds of dollars on that specific piece. Not all sellers will do this, but I’ve scored many-a-deal with this method.

2. Add the Item to Your Cart

This idea is similar to the last, but it's a better solution for big-box online retailers like Wayfair, Target, Pottery Barn, and West Elm. Sometimes, if you add an item to your cart, the company will send you an email offering something like “10% off that item in your cart” as an incentive to purchase. Even if they don’t send a special discount, you’ll definitely be notified when that specific piece goes on sale, or if it’s at risk of going out of stock. This is also an easy way to save the item for later or hold onto it while you shop around for discount codes.

Speaking of discount codes, if you haven't already, download the Honey widget/extension to your desktop or browser. Honey scans all successful discount codes used on a specific website and automatically applies them at checkout. It’s a completely no-charge and risk-free way to scan for possible coupons. If you don’t want to download Honey, open a new "incognito" window in your browser to quickly search for discount codes. Going incognito will ignore any previous search history and give you the best, unbiased results for finding the related answers to what you’re looking for.

3. Buy a Cheaper Item First

There’s a good reason why I put this one last—it’s a bit of a gamble. This tip might be considered "cheating the system" by some, but hey—the economy is the economy, am I right? So many times I’ve found that after I buy something from a seller (big-box or independent), I’m sent a discount code as a thank-you, and as an incentive to buy more. Therefore, if I’m shopping for something specific but end up with two or three (or more) things in my cart—if one of those things is cheap (like a $10 tchochkie or a little accessory), I’ll buy just that first as a solo purchase.

Now, this is why this is a gamble. Sometimes, after I make that cheaper purchase, the seller will send a message or email for 10 (or sometimes 20) percent off my next order. I’ll then apply that coupon code to the item I really wanted or needed. Do I actually save any money this way? Depends on the day/item. Does this always work? Absolutely not. Call it the shopper’s gamble—online shopping is my Blackjack table.

Regardless, this strategy might be a win-win as it can be a great way to build up your gifting stockpile. For example, if you see something on a webshop that’s affordable, and you know your mother, daughter, sister, friend, etc., would like it, this is the time to give this tip a try. Purchase the giftable item—that way, when their birthday or a special occasion comes around, you already have the perfect gift for your loved one. Then, a day or two after you purchase, check whether the seller sends you the discount. If yes, use it for the more expensive item you were originally there for. If not, add the item you want to your cart, favorite it, or wait for the next holiday sale.