We all enjoy the convenience of replacing crowded parking lots and shopping malls with the click of a button, and sending our purchases directly to our doorsteps. Online shopping also gives us the chance to buy products we may not have access to in our hometown, which happens to be the culprit of my love for shopping online. Aside from the obvious convenience and accessibility of using the Internet, shopping online can save you a lot of money when you’re aware of its advantages!

1. COUPON CODES can save you a ton of money, and many people don’t use them!

Most online stores offer coupon codes somewhere on their homepage, but many shoppers don’t take advantage of the discounts. I am amazed at the amount of customers who purchase from my store and don’t enter the 10% discount code at checkout. Who doesn’t want to save money? I’m sure you do, which is why you need to pay attention to these offers. If you find something you like on a site that does not have a discount code displayed, search the site on RetailMeNot.com or FatWallet.com. These are awesome sites that allow you to search stores by name to find current coupon codes they’re offering, and most stores do offer them. You can also submit codes that you have found on your own if they’re not already listed.

2. COMPARE PRICES

When you find something you love online, take a second to check and see if you can get it somewhere cheaper. Chances are you can. The Google Shopping tab is an excellent tool to use for comparison shopping. Most of the stores that show up on the first few pages of Google’s search results are larger, more established stores. Smaller boutique-type stores may offer the same products at lower prices, but don’t have the luxury of showing up higher on the results list. Many small stores take the time to upload their products to the Google Shopping feed (a tedious process if I might say so myself), which allows you to search the product by name and find the best price. Google does not allow unsecured Websites to show up on the feed, so you know you’re safe. And don’t forget, if you find it cheaper elsewhere, check to see if the store also has a coupon code! Double score.

3. Find sites that offer DAILY DEALS for huge savings

Many stores are now offering Daily Deals to their online customers. They typically offer 20-50% savings, which can add up to hundreds of dollars depending on the purchase. Run a Google search with the name of a product you’ve been eyeing followed by “daily deal” or “deal of the day”. If any site happens to be offering a deal that day it should show up in the search results. This trick takes about 30 seconds and can potentially add to hundreds in savings.

4. Take advantage of GROUPON and LIVING SOCIAL discounts.

Before you go out to eat, to an event, or to do just about anything; why not check out Groupon beforehand? Sites like Groupon and Living Social feature discounts on things to do, eat, see and buy in your area. If you’re going to the movies, enter your area code and check for discounted tickets near you. Buy them online through Groupon and save time and money. There’s no point in paying full price for something that we smart people are using Groupons for!

5. Find sites that offer FREE SHIPPING

If you find a deal on a site that does not offer free shipping, make sure the amount you’re saving is more than the cost of shipping, otherwise there’s no point. Many online stores offer free shipping on purchases that reach a certain amount of money, but you can also find a wide variety of sites that offer free ground shipping on all orders. If you are an avid online shopper, you may want to consider purchasing a membership with a service like ShopRunner.com. Shop Runner offers unlimited 2-day shipping and returns for $79.00 per year. It only includes participating merchants, mostly big-name corporations, but it’s worth it if you buy from those stores often.