Better Living: 3 Sites for Serious Savings
August 2016
You should save when you shop online.
This month, you’ve no doubt had your fill of shopping online – or at least your fill of conversations about it. Amazon had its biggest one-day-only shopping event ever just for subscribers to its Prime service on July 12th, and it created quite a buzz in the retail world. If you missed it, don’t panic – at all. The deals were good, but we’re always on the lookout for a great deal. Here are some of the places we’ve found where you can save real money (like 25-75%) all year round. Bookmark this; it’s the genuine article. We’re not affiliated with any of these sites — we just think they’re awesome!
Woot!
Woot! started out offering just one deal a day. Now it’s a full-fledged shopping site with a constantly rotating array of products in 10 categories/departments. You might want to skip the Side Deals section until you’re accustomed to using the site.
Things to know:
- NO RETURNS except for damaged or defective items.
- Shipping for your whole cart is $5. All the time. Regardless of what you buy.
- Great deals sell out fast. If you want something, hit that “buy now” button.
Entertainment
To save with Entertainment, you buy your membership online, then save at brick-and-mortar stores. Order the coupon book, and you’ll get a physical book packed with coupons for local restaurants, retailers, and services. The app and digital membership let you cut out the paper…or skip cutting the paper…depending on how you look at it.
Things to know:
- You can browse local savings before you buy. It’s totally local!
- Books are valid for one calendar year, so buy early. The entire book expires December 31st.
- Physical coupon books are likely to sell out – another reason to buy in January.
Steep & Cheap
Okay, outdoor-gear enthusiasts. If you’re into deep discounts and brick-and-mortar shopping, don’t miss another REI garage sale in your tri-county (tri-state?) area. But in between those events, keep an eye on Steep & Cheap, The Clymb, and Sierra Trading Post (in that order).
Things to know:
- There’s always a very limited “Current Steal,” and it’s usually a deep discount.
- They offer the option to delay and combine shipping in case you buy more stuff in a few days.
- You can return gear, so long as it’s new.