deals

(ARA) – If you haven’t already changed your bargain shopping habits and proudly added “deal finder” to your resume, you may be paying too much for the products you and your family need. Bargain shopping isn’t what it used to be. The new normal of bargain shopping involves comparing prices, taking advantage of deals and knowing the tools and tricks of the trade that can help you save money.

Michelle Madhok, founder of SheFinds.com and MomFinds.com, online deal-finding sites that help busy women and moms find the best deals, shares the following tips to up your shopping game and save you money. You can use these tips to bargain down or negotiate a lower price – whether you’re shopping in a department store, browsing a flea market or surfing the Web.

* When you’re out shopping for an item, don’t buy it right away. Jot down the item and first do some research using your smart phone or home computer to confirm you are getting the best deal out there.

*Ask for an after-the-fact markdown. This requires a little organization on your part, but if you keep your receipts and notice that the item you purchased last week now is on sale, ask the store to repay the difference.

* Shop now, buy later. Online sites like shopstyle.com, savvycircle.com and shopittome.com allow you to bookmark certain items. The sites will send you an e-mail when the items go on sale.

* Sign up for retailer discounts. Take advantage of a centralized shopping Web site that offers routine savings for shopping at major retailers’ Web sites. Bank of America’s secure online shopping Web site, Add it Up, allows enrolled customers to earn up to 20 percent cash back on their purchases made at more than 300 online retailers such as HomeDepot.com, Gap.com, and Sears.com. Customers with a current debit or credit card enrolled in online banking can register for free at www.bankofamerica.com/additup.

* Check for upcoming sales. Call the store or ask a sales associate when the next sale will start. Plan to shop during the sale, or go the night before and place the sale items you want to purchase on hold to be purchased the next day.

*Get promotion codes and coupons. When shopping online, before you hit “Buy Now,” try Googling “promotion code” or “coupon code” and the product name to see if you can find codes for additional savings or free shipping.

* Have sales and coupons come to you. Sign up for your favorite store’s e-mail distribution lists to get sale and special promotion alerts. This also allows you to do some comparison shopping before leaving the house, saving you time and money.

* Consider shopping now for the holidays. It may seem early, but many retailers offer larger discounts the farther in advance that you shop. Use specialized shopping search engines to hunt down gifts – quickly compare the attributes and prices at shopzilla.com, bizrate.com, shopstyle.com and pronto.com.

* Become a fan of your favorite retailers on Facebook or sign up to follow them on Twitter. Retailers often dispense coupon codes or promotions and giveaways on these social sites.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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