How to save money on shopping during, after the holiday season

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Online tools can help shoppers save money now and even after the holiday season.

Even though Black Friday and Cyber Monday are behind us, there are still plenty of ways to find the best prices on holiday gifts.

Benjamin Cummings, associate professor in the financial planning program at Utah Valley University, is a strong advocate for using digital tools to stretch your holiday shopping budget.

Plus, taking the time to compare prices and research discounts helps you stay away from impulse buying and overspending on items you may not need.

“We want to be mindful about where we are spending our money, including our gift-giving,” Cummings said.

One simple starting point for bargain hunters is to use platforms like Google or Bing Shopping. These search engines allow you to compare prices across multiple retailers.

For example, during a recent test, Google Shopping displayed a range of prices for Beats Studio headphones, including $89 at Walmart, $99 at Target and $179 at Amazon.

“Depending on the version you are looking at, you might be able to save $90,” Cummings said.

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To maximize savings, shoppers can also use coupon extensions such as Honey, Rakuten or Ibotta. These browser tools automatically search for discount codes and coupons at checkout. Some even tracks price histories, helping users decide the best time to make a purchase.

During another test, the Honey extension revealed that the price of the headphones was the lowest it had been in months.

“This is probably the right time to buy,” Cummings said.

The extension also came in handy while shopping for dress shirts on a different website. When Cummings bought four shirts totaling $225, Honey identified additional coupon codes and saved him $52 during the checkout process.

While these tools can help save money, they do require some time and effort.

“As long as you’re willing to put in a little time, you can save quite a bit of money,” Cummings said.

By leveraging these resources, shoppers can make their holiday budgets go further while still checking off everyone on their gift list.

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