How to Use Top Deal Sites and Price Trackers for Big Savings on Holiday Gifts

Holiday shopping can easily lead to overspending, but bargain websites and price trackers can help. These platforms and tools track prices, send notifications, and collect discounts, promo codes, and cashback offers that make it easier to save on everything from trendy clothing to tech gadgets.

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Here’s how to use it to maximize your savings and avoid overspending this holiday season.

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Set a deal alert

“When I’m getting ready to buy something expensive, like Airpods or a new appliance, I always set a deal alert on Slickdeals,” says Trae Bodge, smart shopping expert at Freelancer. “I get a notification when the item goes on sale, so I don’t waste time looking for deals.”

SlickDeals isn’t the only top deal website that allows users to set up alerts. DealNews, Brad’s Deals and RetailMeNot all offer the same thing.

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Use a browser plugin

“Due to dynamic pricing and the roller coaster nature of retail sales, it is important to know whether a price is historically high or low,” Bodge said. “I suggest installing the PayPal Honey browser plugin. Once installed, you’ll learn whether a price is historically high or low, so you can decide if now is a good time to move. Camelcamelcamel does this specifically for Amazon.”

Choose deal sites that offer cashback

Destiny Chatman, consumer expert at TopCashback, the nation’s most generous cashback site, said if you want to save big on your holiday shopping at major retailers, you should turn to cashback offering sites like TopCashback for help.

And she had another tip: “Consider using a cash-back credit card for these purchases to really maximize your savings,” she said.

Find offers for targeted community discussion forums

“Reddit’s r/Deals and r/Frugal features are community discussion forums where users share the best deals they’ve found,” Chatman said. “These forums will help you find hacks and strategies as well as great deals.”

Sign up for the Deal Site newsletter

Mafe Aclado, general manager of Coupon Snake, recommended describing deal-focused newsletters available on top deal websites.

For example, Clarkdeals allows its users to subscribe to its newsletter on the homepage of its website. And when users subscribe to the DealNews newsletter, they’ll receive a daily email with a roundup of the hottest deals chosen by editors.

Visit deal site websites

Setting up deal alerts and signing up for newsletters aren’t the only ways to get the latest information from top deal sites. Also, take time to visit their websites. DealNews, for example, has an Early Black Friday Deals tab that allows for quick scanning to find interesting discounts. Clarkdeals has Sizzlin’ Deals and Top 10 This Week sections to browse.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How to Use Top Deal Sites and Price Trackers for Big Savings on Holiday Gifts