Life is great! But there are ways to make it better. Take shopping for example. We all love going online and browsing for that cool new smartphone, a new laptop, guitar, food processor, colors, cameras, and anything you may desire. However, we don’t usually buy what we want because it’s a bit too expensive. But then again, there are ways to get our favorite products for less, especially when you’re shopping online. And we have to admit that shopping is always better when you can shave some bucks off the final price of your new device.
We want to believe that Pocketnow knows a thing or two about helping our readers score amazing savings, as we are always trying to help them get the best and latest tech for less. But we also wish to help you save on anything else you need. That’s why we decided to share some of the knowledge that helps us get you the best deals, so that you can also save on your new action figure, kitchenware, furniture, accessories, and more.
Be very clear on what you want and what you need
This may be the second hardest step on the list, and it’s placed right at the beginning since you can’t narrow down your choices if you’re not sure of what you want. For example, let’s say that you’ve constantly been checking out that sexy-looking Dell XPS 13 9310 that usually sells for $1,799. But you’re not willing to spend that much on a new laptop launched back in September 2020. Of course, you could perfectly wait for it to drop to the $1,000 mark since we’ve seen it get more than $600 savings occasionally. But we face a more critical question, do you really need it? Or can you live with another laptop that will deliver similar performance?
If you’re fixated on a product, then your best choice is to add it to your shopping cart and be ready to pull the trigger when you get a notification saying that a product in your cart has changed its price. However, I’d take it a step further and consider other options that will get me similar performance and nearly identical specs. But that will only work if you’re more interested in what goes on behind the curtains. Or Check for refurbished products that are always an excellent option to consider, as they’re usually backed up with some sort of guarantee to give you peace of mind.
Define budget
This is an easy step. Just make sure you have enough money saved up to buy your new product outright, or be sure that you can get some sort of special installment plan on your product, which will make it easier to pay over the course of some months, even though that defeats the whole purpose of looking for deals. Either way, make sure you have enough money at the end of the month to pay for your food and bills, which are more important than having the latest phone in your pocket.
Establishing your budget is another crucial aspect that will help you buy your products faster, as you are more likely to pull the trigger on a deal once it falls within the range of what your pocket can handle. However, you may still find out that you still ended up paying too much, which takes us to the next step.
Choose where to search
One of the best things about the web is that you can search for deals almost anywhere and everywhere, which may be a bit overwhelming for someone who’s not used to having tons of tabs open at the same time.
Of course, you can choose to take your shopping directly to Amazon.com, but remember that you also have B&H, Target, Best Buy, Adorama, eBay, and many more sites. And I strongly advise you to stick to these popular sites, which will have your back if something goes wrong.
At the same time, you should consider staying away from unverified sellers or deals that seem too good to be true. Trust your gut, as honesty isn’t a virtue you find in every soul.
We also advise you to check coupon sites and add browser extensions from Capital One Shopping, Slick Deals, Retail Me Not, Tada, and more to score more savings on everyday products.
Compare
This may be an unnecessary step if you’ve already decided on the device you will purchase. I mean, you will most likely opt for the lowest price tag since you will be getting the same product no matter where you buy it from. However, it would help if you also considered that some stores offer extended guarantees and other freebies to go with your purchase.
This step will usually have you compare pricing and shipping costs to get the best overall deal. However, you can also compare similar products, as you may not be looking for a specific product or brand.
Take headphones as an example. The market is flooded with tons of options to choose from, and you will eventually have to pay top dollar for more and better features. I bet that Apple fans will first check out Apple products, including the Apple AirPods Max, which are currently receiving a $100 discount. They feature ANC, Transparency Mode, Spatial Audio, 20 hours of battery life, and more for $449. However, you will also be able to get other premium headphones with ANC, even longer battery life, with price tags that don’t surpass the $350 mark, including options from Sony, Bose, Skullcandy, and more. And you may also want to test personally and compare these products or watch our reviews on Pocketnow’s YouTube Channel to see what device is best for your needs.
Patience
This is the most challenging step for those who want to save on a new product. However, being patient is one of the most effective ways to score huge savings, and there are several reasons why. For instance, you should always wait for special events, where you will be able to save on almost anything you can think of.
Personally, I’m waiting for Amazon Prime Day to buy some new gadgets for my new home, including smart LED bulbs, smart speakers, smart security cameras, and more. Still, savings extend to almost everything you can imagine. But you don’t have to wait for Amazon Prime Day to start saving, as you can also score savings during Black Friday, Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Independence Day, Christmas, and more. So, it’s always good to save up enough cash to be ready for these dates.
Savings are generally applied to products getting closer to a refresh or to previous iterations of new products that have been launched. The perfect example comes with the latest version of the Apple iPad Air, which made its predecessor receive up to $150 savings on its 256GB storage option, which would leave a still relevant iPad Air 4 selling for less than $600. Indeed, you may be missing out on the power and battery life offered by Apple’s M1 chip, but that doesn’t mean that the iPad Air 4 is a bad option to consider if you’re looking to save some money.
Enjoy
The last step comes as a reward for a job well done. And you can now enjoy using your new phone, tablet, laptop, guitar, or anything you purchased, knowing that you didn’t have to pay the total retail price. It’s a unique form of satisfaction that will make you smile every time you pick up your new product, and it will even make you enjoy buying stuff even more as you won’t have to experience regrets that come when you find out that you could’ve purchased your new device for less.
And if you don’t want to go through all the trouble, you can also choose to check our site to find some of the best deals on the market, as we are constantly searching for the best prices to help you save on the new tech you want.
