If you do any online shopping now or through out the year, Ebates is awesome. Just click on this link:
Sign up with an email address, then visit the store you want to shop at through there page. You will get up to 30% cash back for your purchase. How awesome is that? Some of the stores that participate are Gap, Walmart, Target, Ebay, and a lot more :) Oh and you get a free 5$ for signing up.
This a great way to find discounted gift cards at many stores.
Oh and don't forget to google discount codes and see what you can find. Usually you can at least get free shipping or save $5 this way
By KTfulcrum from Walkersville, MD
I want to share the tip of a program I actually really like, and which has allowed me to earn back money for purchases. It is Ebates, an encyclopedic portal to just about any and every online retailer you can possibly imagine. Need a fire extinguisher? Visit the Ebates site, find one you like and get $1 back for your trouble. Wish to cut down on the inevitable bathroom supply monthly cost? Purchase all shampooing and hygienic needs from drugstore.com, via the Ebates link, and receive not only a cash credit and free shipping from drugstore.com, but also the 2% cash back from Ebates itself.
I am not someone who traditionally shops online, but just by choosing to purchase a few bathroom supplies and a birthday gift through the Ebates portal, I have made back over $10. Absolutely no payment or membership fee required - quite the opposite - by signing up you receive a $10 Target gift card! If you are someone who already loves shopping online, you could easily make back 100s of dollars in a year. Though hardly a get-rich-quick proposition, it's always nice to make back some of what you put out there in the shopping universe.
By ahorrasi from Marshall, NC
I Do It Because I'm Bored
People eat when their bodies are passive, and they shop for the same reason. On-line shopping offers something that no store can ever present: 24/7 shopping without the need to leave the house. Ebay often is a strong lure for the boredom shopper. It's interesting to watch the auctions and keep tabs on selling prices for items. Yet, the prices are often low and thus luring to bidders. Plus, there's a strong addiction associated with eBay. The lure of watching an item, raising a bid, and winning is a game in itself which can prove quite costly. Like any on-line catalog, only search for what it is that you want to buy and avoid riding the cyber wave.
I Don't Ever Gain a Pound
There is one strong deterrent to even the most committed mall shopper. When a person's arms can carry no more bags it's time to go home or at least stop at the car. The extrinsic motivation behind shopping is that immediate reward. However, on-line purchases do just the opposite. I pay now and wait two weeks for the item to arrive. There is no reward for my efforts, and so I continue to search and purchase more and more. My hands are never full because I'm not buying anything tangible at the moment. Likewise, I'm paying electronically and not using real money.
The Whipped Toppings
Catalog shopping is great; however, on-line catalogs offer extra perks. There are sales bins, and often while ordering special sales flash upon the screen tempting fate. Some sites even create a personal shopper which lists items of interset. A great way to resist these sales gimmicks is to make a list of items that you want to purchase and only look at those items. It's like going to dinner without looking at the dessert menu; you can't be tempted by it if you don't see it.
I Forgot to Count the Calories
The delay between internet purchases and their delivery causes many people to forget what they bought. One teen purchased two pair of jeans which took two weeks to arrive. In the meantime she went to another on-line store and purchased another pair of jeans, forgetting about the first two pair. Keep a detailed list of all purchases near the computer so that double buying doesn't occur.
Although internet shopping is a blessing, it can also be a burden. Like any powerful tool, use it wisely. There is no difference between internet stores and retail stores; they all want people to spend money. Know the problems associated with internet purchasing problems and counterattack them. If it becomes too much to handle, avoid on-line buying completely.
By Fisher
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Earn Box Tops For Education With Online Shopping