Online Shopping Bargains

I've been using ebates since I posted about it back last May. I just got my first payment from them for $31.20. No, that doesn't sound like much, but remember, over the last year I haven't done hardly any online shopping at all! I really wish I had known about this site back in my big eBay, Barnes and Noble and Zappo shoe shopping days, I'll tell you that! Now that I am poor, pretty much the only things I purchase online are gifts or items for work.

Of course, I shop online quite a bit differently than I used to. Now, I love seeing how many things I can use to stack up the points on a single purchase. For example, I might use swagbucks to hunt for what I want, then I'll pop over to RetailMeNot to see if I can score a coupon code, then head over to ebates to make the purchase so I can get a rebate. (I know there are other various sites doing the "shop online and get a rebate on your purchases" thing, but so far I have really had good luck with ebates.) In fact, in many cases I feel like I can better deals online than I can in person, but it depends to some degree on the purchase, I guess.

There is one thing about ebates I am looking forward to though...

Remember back in April when I was traveling through work? Well, I bought my ticket through Expedia - but I went through the ebates site first so that I could get a rebate on the purchase. It takes 45 days for Expedia to be report those, but that should means that in a couple weeks I should have another bit of cash sent out to me. The best part is that work paid for the travel and hotel, of course, but I will be the one getting the rebates!

Speaking of good shopping deals - if you are thinking about making a purchase, my boss directed me to this article on The 10 Best Coupon Sites. There are some interesting sites on there, although the only ones I have used personally are Coupon Mom and RetailMeNot. I have to say though, the real benefit of online shopping is that I save money in avoiding impulse shopping! I rarely pick up something I don't need online - that's probably the biggest savings of all!




Photo by Daniel Broche