Re-check carts, Google exact model names across retailers (including smaller ones), and sort by biggest percent-off to mine “quiet Cyber Week” leftovers
Use abandoned carts, email sign-ups, and Free Shipping Day (Dec. 14) to trigger extra coupons, free shipping, and one big stacked order
Set a firm walk-away price, let price tools track it, and stay flexible on brands (store brands, dupes, lookalikes) to grab the best deal
Have you noticed that retailers are throwing everything at you this holiday season to try and get your money? Fake “limited-time” discounts, celebrity denim campaigns, and shiny new flagship stores. None of which are going to save you any money, quite the opposite actually.
Now that your Black Friday hangover is finally wearing off, here are some highly clever real-life ways to save money on the rest of your Christmas shopping.
Work the “quiet Cyber Week” leftovers
Retailers blew all their fireworks on Cyber Week… but a ton of those prices are still quietly hanging around with way less hype.
Here’s how to find the leftovers and save:
- I always recommend going back to your online carts and wish lists and re-check prices instead of starting from scratch. You’ll often find the same pricing or better.
- Google the exact product name and compare at 2–3 big rivals (Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, Target, Best Buy). You’ll see a lot of “still Cyber-ish” pricing hiding under boring “online deal” labels.
- When in doubt, sort by “biggest % off” on sale pages. Leftover doorbusters float to the top even after the banners are gone.
Pro tip: Check out smaller retailers too. Just last night, on Ace Hardware’s website, I found a Blackstone Grill I’ve been wanting for $100 less than any other store. I found it by doing a Google search for the exact model that I wanted. I did a quick price check on Amazon to verify, and the Ace Hardware price was $50 less than Amazon has ever sold the grill for. I paid for it immediately, chose store pickup to avoid shipping fees, and I’ll grab it from Ace this weekend.
Use the “abandoned cart” trick to shake loose better prices
Online retailers hate it when you leave stuff in your online cart and never complete the purchase. This is especially true in December when they’re chasing every last sale.
Use this information to your advantage and try and get them to send you a discount to come back and complete your purchase.
Here’s how it works:
- Add any big stuff you’re eyeing for Christmas (TV, headphones, laptop, small appliance, toy sets) to your online cart while logged in, then sign-out completely and never complete the purchase. Many stores will nudge you to come back with a reminder email, often including a coupon, extra promotion, or free shipping offer.
- Also, before you buy, try toggling back and forth between delivery and in-store pickup. Some retailers quietly offer a lower price or extra discount for pickup because it’s cheaper for them than shipping.
- If you get a “come back” coupon in your inbox, use it on one big, planned order instead a few random add-ons. That way you get the most bang for your buck.
Think of it this way, you’re basically letting the retailer negotiate with you first, then saying “yes” only when the price is right.
Pro tip: Stores where I’ve personally had this work include Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, B&H Photo, and Newegg. Also, I recommend a ‘mix and match’ strategy. Meaning logout of some sites completely, stay logged-in on others, or sign-up for their email list first, then log out. Try different things in an effort to trip the "please, come back" automated email with a discount inside.
Treat Free Shipping Day as your real deadline, not Christmas Eve
Free Shipping Day, on December 14th this year, is basically the last realistic day to get gifts delivered by Christmas Eve without paying rush fees.
It’s the day when over 1,000 online retailers come together to offer free shipping with guaranteed delivery by December 24th.
Use this day to your advantage by doing the following:
- Build one big cart for that day: gifts that are heavy, bulky, or annoying to ship yourself (small appliances, toys, board games, bedding).
- Then stack any site-wide promos with any coupon codes you can find, PLUS the free shipping offer, and get a perfect storm of savings.
- After the 14th has passed, assume shipping costs are part of the price and shift to more of an in-store clearance and gift cards strategy. By shifting strategies you’ll save more than if you chase those “40% off” banners that get eaten by expedited shipping charges.
Set a “walk-away” price and make a few tools do the work
Between now and Christmas, your brain is the weak link. You’ll see the same item at eight different prices and forget which one was actually a solid price.
To help with this, I like to pick a 'walk-away price' for each big gift (like “I’ll only buy this tablet under $249” or “these headphones under $99”) and then let a few online tools do the watching:
- Set an Amazon price alert or use browser free extensions like Keepa, CamelCamelCamel, or Honey to ping you when something drops below your line.
- If it never hits your number by, say, Free Shipping Day, you either adjust or swap to a cheaper model.
- This keeps you from “panic-buying” at a meh price just because a timer is yelling at you.
Swap brands (not categories) where the deals are best
If you’re willing to switch labels and not be tied into a specific brand, December is a great month to find deals. Store brands and second-tier labels are where a lot of the real value is hiding this year.
Here are some smart ways to play it:
Keep the category but drop the brand flex. So instead of having the “Dyson or nothing” mindset, make the goal “a decent stick vac at 40% off or more.” Then filter your options by price + reviews and you’re going to save a ton of money.
Change your grocery mindset. When shopping for groceries and pantry gifts (coffee, snacks, chocolates, baking stuff), check the store-brand version right next to the name brand. Why? Here’s a hint…many are made by the name-brand manufacturer anyway.
Find cheaper ‘holiday décor dupes’ on Amazon. One of my favorite ways to shop on Amazon is to find the look I want, but at a major discount.
Instead of buying expensive décor items from Pottery Barn, Anthropologie or Crate & Barrel, I’ll just go to Amazon and search “Pottery Barn furniture” or “Anthropologie holiday décor.” The search results will give me the exact look I want, but from much cheaper manufacturers.