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Save Big on Everything From Groceries to Clothing With These Smart Money-Saving Tips

Cut costs and stretch your dollars with these simple savings tips

By Editorial Staff Updated: January 20, 2025

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Savings secret!

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You’ll save cash simply by writing a list of items and deciding how much you want to spend before you visit the grocery store, department store or favorite local shop. A recent study shows we pay higher prices and buy more unplanned items at stores when they’re in malls, which boast beautiful decor, wonderful aromas and upbeat music. The cheery, inviting atmosphere makes shopping feel exciting, which shifts our focus away from being practical to being spontaneous. The good news: By preparing ahead of time, you can still enjoy the surroundings while also hunting for deals.

Here’s an easy trick to cut the cost of almost everything: Head to websites that resell discounted gift cards now. Every January, people who receive unwanted gift cards for the holidays trade them in at reseller sites, creating a flood of inventory that drives down prices. You’ll find an impressive variety available for everything from stores and restaurants to movie tickets and airfare. Just a few recent deals include 43 percent off Krispy Kreme, 30 percent off Jiffy Lube, 29 percent off Lands’ End, 25 percent off IHOP, 25 percent off Pet Supermarket, 20 percent off Fandango, 18 percent off Southwest Airlines and 14 percent off Netflix. Find the best bargains on discounted gift cards at CardBear.com, which compares offers from popular resellers, like GCX and Card Depot, so you can jump on the best deal for you.
Slash travel costs by $100+

If you’re among the 131 million of us hitting the road around the holidays (and year-round), you know hotel and airfare costs quickly add up. Unfortunately, using a credit card with an existing balance could cost you another $100 or more in interest alone, even if you pay all your current travel charges in the following billing cycle. This happens because interest accrues daily on the entire balance, including new purchases, until you pay it off. To avoid the added expense, open a PayPal account and book your travel through one of the many companies who accept this form of payment, such as American Airlines, Delta, Expedia.com and Hotels.com. Then at checkout, choose “Pay in 4,” which allows you to spread up to $1,500 over four equal payments with no interest. This way, you’ll get more time to pay it off without adding unnecessary costs.
Compare and save on shipping

Planning to mail anything? Check the shipping prices from delivery companies in your area. Fortunately, you can compare costs fast right from home: Simply enter your box’s dimensions, weight and mailing address at USPS (postcalc.USPS.com), UPS (wwwapps.UPS.com/ctc/request) and FedEx (FedEx.com/en-us/online/rating.html). You’ll instantly get a list of options with arrival times and prices, making it easy to find the least-expensive one. Bonus savings: If you’re a member of AAA or AARP, you’ll get 5 percent off shipping at UPS, which translates to about $1 to $2 less per box.
Slash your grocery bill with mega supermarket deals

Coupons aren’t the only way to save big at the supermarket: A new study from the data research company Numerator shows that sales, cash back, buy-one-get-one, rewards points and other grocery store deals have doubled since 2021. Walmart, for example, recently introduced “Walmart cash” that gives you rebates of $1, $2, even $5, when making certain purchases, which you can then apply to future shopping trips. The reason for the welcome surge in coupon-free mega-deals? Grocery stores are competing with a growing number of brick-and-mortar chains and online retailers, so they’re working harder to earn your loyalty by giving you more ways to save.
Save on winter clothes by ‘zooming in’

We spend a whopping two to four times as much on apparel during cold weather months. That’s because staying warm requires so many extra layers. Thankfully, before you plunk down cash for a new coat, pair of boots or other wintry gear, you can find out if there’s a lower price somewhere else. When you’re at the store, open the Google app on your smartphone. Then snap a picture of the item with the Google Lens feature by tapping the camera icon in the search bar. Or, when shopping online through the Google app, tap the photo of the product on your phone or right-click the photo on your computer, then select “search image with Google Lens” or “visual search.” You’ll see the same item, as well as similar options, sold at other stores along with their prices, making it easy to pinpoint the biggest savings.
Nab hidden perks and coupons

Before shopping online, you probably search for coupon codes and discounts at deal websites, like CouponCabin.com and CouponFollow.com, and with browser extensions, like Honey and Rakuten. Now there’s an easy step you can take after placing your order to save in the future: Just check your email inbox within 24 to 48 hours of your purchase. You might think follow-up emails from retailers simply include confirmations or promotions for upcoming sales, but they could also include a coupon for free shipping or a percentage off your next purchase. In fact, there’s a growing trend among retailers to send valuable “thank-you” bonuses to customers—especially if you’re a member of their free loyalty programs—to encourage you to shop again.
Snag a refund for an internet blip

Experienced an outage of your internet, cable or satellite dish service? Fortunately, many providers happily refund you or credit your bill for the hours or days you couldn’t log on or watch TV. But this compensation isn’t automatic. You have to call and ask for it. Just be sure to hop on it: Some companies give you as little as 72 hours from the outage to submit your claim.
Cut the cost of crafting supplies

Heads-up, artists! Whether you’re making a seasonal scarecrow or festive wreath, you can save a bundle on supplies with discounts from craft stores. For example, Michaels gives folks 55 years and older 10 percent off their entire purchase, including sales items, both in-store and online. Teachers, active military members and veterans enjoy 15 percent off. And Joann provides a discount card that gives 15 percent off all purchases every day for teachers, healthcare workers—including hospital volunteers—active military members and veterans. These stores also offer coupons on their websites plus discounts when you sign up to receive email newsletters and text alerts. For bonus savings, head to Dollar Tree to find craft supplies for as little as $1.25.
Slash the cost of gas easily

Whether you’re driving to your in-laws’ house a few hours away or running quick errands around town over the weekend, you can save a lot of money on fuel with a simple trick: Just download the free Google Maps app to your smartphone. Then select a destination, tap the three dots next to “Your location,” choose “Options” and hit “Prefer fuel-efficient routes.” Now, every time you use Google Maps to plot a route, the app will display a leaf icon to show you the path that uses up to 15 percent less gas because of lighter traffic and better road conditions.

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