I can’t pay full price for anything. It’s just not in my Dutch DNA. I’m constantly looking for the latest “hack” that allows me to save 5%, 10%, or even more on anything I was going to buy anyway. In my years of being a shrewd customer, I’ve discovered the following ways to get amazing deals online.

Add Items to Your Cart but Don’t Check Out

This works just like real life. You know, when you go to the store, fill up your cart, and then stand there debating with yourself about whether you want to buy the items or not. After a couple hours of the frozen foods melting, the store manager will offer you a deal. Online, if you leave items in your cart for a couple days, you will likely get an email with a promo code or other discount. Give it a try!

Always Do a Search for Promo Codes

We covered this in our Amazon promo codes article, but for some reason, not everyone who reads Brains Report feels the need to read every single review and blog post. Anyway, about 80 percent of the time I perform a search for promo codes on the Googles, I find some deep discounts. You are especially likely to find promo codes for non-Amazon sites because they are trying to compete with that juggernaut.

Check out TopCashback

A friend (Thanks, Kathy!) introduced me to TopCashback, and I’m going to be that friend for you. Basically, whenever you are going to buy something online, first go to TopCashback. Much of the time, they will get you a discount on your purchase or give you a rebate. I’ve used it with Zaycon, Groupon, Amazon, and other sites that end in “-on.” If you want to check it out, follow this link because it will earn you $6 (and I’ll get $10).

Visit Amazon’s “Today’s Deals” Section

Don’t tell my family, but I like to do most of my Christmas shopping using Amazon’s “Today’s Deals” section. I especially like their Lightning Deals. I rarely buy stuff for myself through Today’s Deals because I am incredibly particular about what products I purchase, and they don’t usually have what I want on sale. My satisfaction is pretty important.

Sign up for Email Alerts and Newsletters

Companies will stop at nothing to get you to sign up for their newsletters. As we covered in our birthday deals article, you are often required to join a mailing list in order to take advantage of birthday discounts. This also holds true for everyday purchases. If you don’t want to get emails, then create a burner email account for these situations.

Buy with Gift Cards

On websites like Gift Card Granny, you can save big money by buying gift cards before you make a purchase online (or even in person). For example, as I write this, you can buy a $100 Amazon gift card for $90. If you shop a lot on Amazon, then it just makes sense to go this route to save a little extra.

Shop Using a VPN

There are several reasons why you might want to use a virtual protected network (VPN) for surfing the web, but it’s especially helpful when shopping. If your IP is in a hoity-toity rich person area, vendors may charge more for certain products because they know you’ll pay it. Also, some sites offer you a special deal if they think you’re a first-time visitor.

Subscribe to Blogs that Notify You about Deals

Well, this wasn’t meant to be self-serving, but while we’re talking about it, I should point out that you can subscribe to the Brains Report blog on the right near the top on a PC or at the bottom on your mobile device in the box that says “Subscribe to Blog via Email.” You will then get all sorts of tips and tricks that help you stretch your money further. And, of course, I’m not the only blog in the game. If you find others that provide you similar value, subscribe to them and get the freshest deals.

Do you have some ideas for getting great deals on the internet? Let’s help each other out: share below!