Help me find the best holiday deals!
Our savings “elves” reveal the simple tricks that’ll guarantee you score the biggest bargains this season
Save more in store Zero in on real steals
Money-saving websites are a great way to find in-store bargains for Black Friday and throughout the holidays— trouble is, many list outdated offers that end up being a bust. That’s why savings pro Trae Bodge heads straight to Thekrazycouponlady.com and Slickdeals.com. Both vet and verify all their deals and dedicate entire pages to seasonal sales. Says Bodge, “I got $100 off a robotic vacuum in what is my favorite deal of the year!”
Price- compare on the go
Surprise: A lot of holiday deals are actually duds! Why? “Some bargains are just the same ‘sale’ price from last month,” reveals shopping expert Kyle James. That’s why he recommends the free Shopsavvy app—just download it, then use it to scan the barcode of an item while you’re in the store and it’ll comparison-shop for you, letting you know if you can get it for less elsewhere.
Nab surprising savings
For most people, drugstores don’t typically come to mind when they think of where to find Black Friday and holiday deals, but you can actually score some great bargains, especially for stocking stuffers, on everything from beauty products to high-quality chocolate, reveals savings pro Joanie Demer. “What’s more, CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are among the few retailers that allow you to use coupons on Black Friday, which means you can pair them with whatever holiday drugstore deal you see for even steeper savings.”
Snag bargains online Stack up mega markdowns
Sure, coupon codes help you cut costs— and Demer reveals some websites let you stack multiple codes on one purchase to save even more! Ones to try: Kohl’s (four coupons), Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy (five coupons), Amazon and Target (both unlimited). Where can you find “secret codes”? Says Demer, “Just sign up for store loyalty programs to gain access to exclusive discounts!”
Time it right
When it comes to small appliances, cameras, tools and TVS, Black Friday has some pretty unbeatable deals, says Demer. “However, Cyber Monday’s apparel savings usually beat Black Friday prices. For instance, 50% off everything at Gap, plus an additional 10% promo code is just one example of past deals. Cyber Monday also has some great airfare sales that aren’t around on Black Friday. We’ve seen $19 one-way flights on Frontier, frequent-flier specials on Delta and $59 one-way fares on Alaska and Southwest!”
Find “hidden” coupons
No coupon? No problem! Just click “live chat” while you’re shopping online, urges James. “A majority of chat operators have codes for free shipping or a certain percentage off available for those who politely ask,” he explains. “This is especially true around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when retailers desperately want you to complete your purchase. They’ll happily throw you a bone so you do just that!”