There is no denying how expensive things are these days. Get as many years as possible from what costs tons to replace. Make 10 mistakes by tapping or clicking and the appliance will stop.
Some wallet leaks are more subtle. Keeping technology connected all the time can cost you a lot. Tap or click here for the most important energy suckers.
When it comes to holiday gifts, everyone is looking for a bargain. Instead of jumping from site to site and hoping to find the best deals, let the techs do the work.
1. Easy way to find coupons
A single Google search for “coupon code” will show you how tedious and time consuming it can be to find coupons that actually work. Honey is a browser extension that looks up coupon codes for over 30,000 online retailers. Works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and Opera.
Honey connects to the coupon database and matches expiry dates with current promotions. If a matching coupon is found, it will be automatically applied at checkout. I use it myself and have saved a ton over the years.
Download Honey here.
2. Shop smart on Amazon
If you shop frequently on Amazon, chances are you have a Prime account. Here are some of my favorite perks included with the subscription. Either way, here are 3 easy ways to save.
• When shopping, look for coupon checkboxes near product prices. Click to apply the virtual coupon.
• Select a later ship date to receive credit for future orders or media at checkout. Select a delivery date to see incentives available for non-rush deliveries.
• Amazon Warehouse sells returned and lightly used items at heavily discounted prices. Enjoy free shipping with Prime benefits and a great return policy. Tap or click here to check out our products in Amazon Warehouse.
I have more technical smarts to share. Tap or click to see more ways to save on Amazon.
3. Sign up for an app or mailing list
Perhaps your favorite store has its own app. Along with coupons and offers for loyal shoppers, you’ll find some sales or promotional discounts you won’t hear anywhere else.
The same is true if you sign up for your favorite store’s email newsletter or follow them on social media.
Stay on social media while you’re logged into Facebook or Twitter and check out these quick guides.
4. Use a cashback app
There are many apps out there that let you pay for things you’ve already purchased. Some pay with gift cards that can be used anywhere, while others pay with points or specific credit towards future purchases.
A popular option is Ibotta, which offers cash back in-store and online for purchases from retailers and travel sites such as Home Depot, Best Buy, Walmart, Kohl’s, Hotels.com and Priceline.
You can shop using the Ibotta browser extension or app for online purchases. Tap or click here for direct download. Must be $20 or more to withdraw accumulated savings. You can also transfer money to your PayPal account or gift cards purchased with his Ibotta app.
Tap or click to discover 10 apps that cost you money for doing very little.
5. Set up Google Alerts
Google Alerts allows you to track keywords across the internet and get alerted when they are mentioned. For example, you can set it to track “AirPods sales.” You’ll receive an alert in your inbox every time it’s mentioned.
• Go to Google.com/alerts and log in.
• select keyword track and choose show options.
• Choose how often you want to receive alerts, sources, and more.
• select Create an alert For finishing.
Alerts are a great free tool from Google. But my favorite is Google Voice. Tap or click here to make your life easier with a toll-free number from Google.
6. Track prices to see if the deal is worth it
Apps and extensions that get coupon codes are great too, but CamelCamelCamel goes one step further. It tracks prices on Amazon over time, so you can see if the advertised special price is worth it.
Let’s say you see an expensive pair of noise-cancelling headphones. You can check price changes using the CamelCamelCamel website or browser extension. That way, you won’t pay more than what might be sold later.
Tap or click here for direct download links and other tricks to get the most out of this handy tool.
maintain technical knowledge
My favorite podcast is “Kim Komando Today”. This is his solid 30-minute show with tech news, tips, and tech questions from across the country. Search where you can get podcasts. For your reference, click the link below for recent episodes.
Podcast picks:Facebook’s Slow Death, Twitter Rivals, and Free Background Checks
This 30-minute podcast has a steep drop in Meta. Is this the beginning of the end for Facebook? Plus, take a look at all the changes to Twitter and its newest rival, Mastodon. We’ll also show you how to find the best seat on the plane, get reminders from your smart his assistant, and do free background his checks.
Check out my podcast “Kim Komando Today” on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast player.
Listen to the podcast here or wherever you can get the podcast. Try searching for my surname “Commando”.
Learn about all the latest technology at The Kim Command Show, the nation’s largest weekend radio talk show. Kim answers the phone and offers advice on his digital lifestyle today, from smartphones and tablets to his privacy and data hacking online. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.
