Online shopping has taken my love of good old fashioned coupon-clipping to the next level. So this one’s for all of us mamas and mamas-to-be out there on a budget, trying to get the most they can at a value. Plus, if you get a REALLY good deal, that means there might even be room for something extra you’ve been eyeing.
From ways to save on baby stuff (from new clothes to more diapers, who couldn’t use to save?!) or needing a reason to splurge on yourself (I hear you, mama!), don’t wait for the sales to come to you, find the everyday deals hiding in plain sight!
Here are FIVE ways to save money right now, MINUS searching countless sites for codes:
1. Save $ Several Ways With Honey
Ditch the endless code searching and pick up some real time and money savings with this simple, FREE Chrome extension. I first tried it because I was tired of looking for coupon codes across several different sites.
While Honey has many other bells and whistles, including their “honey gold”, the true gold for me has been a lot more instant than a rewards points program. Try these major money savers with Honey:
Automatic Coupon Codes
Honey will try ALL of the codes they have while you sit back and wait for savings, and it’s extensive. If it can’t find a code (which is rare), you can still search for one, and nothing is lost.
Price Chart for Amazon
Honey will tell you if the price you’re looking at is the best deal, with a GRAPH showing in real-time when the prices have fluctuated. You may just notice a pattern and wait to buy it accordingly!
Purchase Gift Cards for Extra Savings
On certain sites, you can buy a gift card for your total cart amount for less. Then you use the gift card code to complete your purchase, to the tune of a few bucks less, generally.
I was SO skeptical when I first saw this pop up on Honey when making a Domino’s order. But it WORKED. I’ve since used it for Old Navy and am constantly on the lookout for this option. I bet you will be, too!
Check out more features here, and happy shopping! In full disclosure, the link you’ll use does get me in the running for some free swag, like stickers or a baseball cap with their logo. Hey, I’ll rock it proudly! Pictures to follow!
2. Let Google Price Compare For You
I know I told you to put the Google machine down, but this is the exception.
It’s easy to go to sites like Target or Walmart and think you’re getting the best deal. And hey, many times, you are. But there are exceptions.
Let me give you a real-life example. I was looking for a newborn bottle set and went with Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Complete Newborn Feeding Gift Set.
I have a registry on Target.com, and so I went immediately to Target and found a deal that looked so good they kept it a secret:
Now, this is a really killer deal! Add to that that I always use my Debit Target Red Card for an additional 5% off.
Still, I love the thrill of the hunt. So I went and Google searched it. This is what popped up on the right side:
While some of the items weren’t the same, I immediately saw two options that were well below the Target price: Walmart and the Tommee Tippee brand itself. Instead of going with Walmart, I knew I might be in luck with the brand’s website, and up next is why…
3. Go Directly to The Source of the Product
Typically, brands want to gain your loyalty (plus, their profit margins likely benefit from cutting out the middle man, so it’s a win for everyone).
So they are much more likely to give you an additional discount to start shopping directly through them, even on sales items.
This was the case with Tommee Tippee! Immediately, I got a 20% coupon for my first purchase to subscribe to their emails.
Here’s what the price came to:
In the end, it was only $61.59, plus local tax.
That’s a twenty dollar savings from that original Target Price BEFORE calculating taxes and almost eleven from the Walmart Price!
It pays to shop around! And, if you can part with an email address (maybe a lesser-used one, just a tip), the following advice is just for you:
4. Get Emails From Coupon Happy Sites
Some sites that are often notoriously more expensive will gladly give you an incentive to receive AND keep reading their emails. For us Mamas, I’ve noticed two stellar standouts.
Bed Bath & Beyond and BuyBuy Baby have BOTH sent me 20% off one item coupons about once a month since I’ve signed up. I have yet to see a limit on the 20% off so it’s an extra swingin’ deal for those purchases $50+.
I’ve purchased items semi-frequently, so it may have helped the frequency of my coupons, but it’s easy to do while nesting!
While they do have a few items excluded, I have been SHOCKED that many major brands are included, at least in part, including Boppy (though the Boppy Newborn Lounger is excluded, just keepin’ it real).
Still, these coupons are amazing and frequent! Especially because this is ON TOP of other occasional promotions like $20 off $80 (received from Bed Bath & Beyond).
I just used that one for a Boppy Nursing Pillow and adorable Fisher-Price Snugapuppy Bouncer that matches the Fisher-Price Snugapuppy Swing I bought from BuyBuy Baby with a 20% of coupon.
Note: I tried to stack the discount with the 20% coupon, but no items qualified with it. When in doubt, though, TRY to stack! It doesn’t hurt. 🙂
Bed Bath & Beyond also has an annual membership for an annual fee of just $29 for 20% off the site. I just haven’t had to sign up for 20% off yet. 🙂
Have other sites that are coupon happy? Let me know in the comments below! I’m always on the lookout and will definitely be covering many, many more in the future.
5. Shop On The Right Day of The Week
With the amount of nesting I’ve been doing, I’ve noticed that sites tend to have better deals on specific days. While many of these look like one-time promotions, they’re not!
In fact, many of your favorite sites have a pattern! Their discounts run every week (excluding Seasonal Sales or big holidays like Cyber Monday or Black Friday, of course).
Don’t be afraid to scope out your favorite sites for the days they have the biggest deals!
This is how I found out that Pink Blush Maternity consistently has 40% off one item and 20% off sitewide on Tuesdays (and the occasional Thursday for one-off big-time promos). This pops up in some form every Tuesday (sometimes Thursday, they may be making a switch!):
It’s an even better deal than signing up for their emails. Though signing up means they remind you every Tuesday!
With all of those savings, I say go treat yourself! Because you are perfection, mama! As-is.