Image source: Getty Images

The last leaves have fallen, the cold winds are blowing, and we’ve found ourselves firmly in the middle of the biggest shopping season of the year. It feels like I can’t blink without seeing another ad screaming, “Buy this!” or “Can’t-miss!”

Whether you’re planning to shop on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, or really any day of the year, you want to be sure you’re truly getting the best deal you can find so you can keep more cash in your checking account.

Follow this one step before completing any purchase so you can feel confident you’re getting the lowest price available.

Check for an online coupon code

Whenever I shop online, whether it’s for new clothes, home goods, or gifts, I always do a quick Google search to see if there are any coupons available for that vendor. Usually just typing in “[store name] promo code” or something similar is enough to bring up a ton of websites that list potential coupon codes and sales.

Not every code will be a winner; many can be inactive, expired, or not available to every customer. But I usually give a few codes a try and often get lucky. I’ve regularly found 10% or 20% discounts just by doing a quick online search.

No matter what you’re buying, you’ll earn even more rewards if you use a great credit card. Check out our list of the best cash back credit cards to earn rewards on your spending.

I also use the PayPal Honey extension on my web browser, which searches for coupon codes automatically, saving me a step. Any available coupon codes are automatically applied to my online shopping cart, and the biggest winner will be applied to my total.

The extension also lets me earn PayPal Rewards points on certain purchases from thousands of stores, which can be redeemed for cash back. I just checked, and I’ve cashed out almost $120 of rewards through this extension over the years, just for making the purchases I was already planning to make! And I’ve saved almost an equal amount from using coupons through the extension.

And Honey is just one of many coupon apps available for shoppers looking to get the best deals on their online purchases.

Ask about sales before buying in-store

Maybe you’re shopping in person instead of online. Well, we’re living in the future with tiny computers in our pockets, which means we have access to all the information we could need to make smart purchases.

Before you head to the cashier with your items, check whether there are any advertised sales on the store’s website for online purchases. If you ask politely at the register, there’s a good chance the cashier will honor an online sale in-store — it’s worked for me in the past. And as my grandma used to say, the worst they can say is no, so there’s no harm in trying.

If you don’t have a coupon code and can’t find an advertised sale, there’s one last move you can make: Ask a store employee if there are any upcoming sales you should know about. I’ve had stores offer me the discounted price on a purchase for an upcoming holiday sale that hadn’t started, simply because I asked.

Make the effort to avoid paying full price

Between travel expenses, holiday gifts, and all the delicious culinary treats, this is an especially expensive time of year. But no matter what you’re buying or when you’re shopping, following this one tip is a quick and easy way to save some money.

Every little bit of extra cash can go straight into your savings account to wait for a rainy day — or next year’s holiday season shopping spree.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet and PayPal. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2027 $42.50 calls on PayPal and short December 2024 $70 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.