In the current cost of living crisis, many are trying to save money where they can. Whether it’s buying cheaper food, cutting back on non-essentials, or resisting turning on the heating, drastic measures are needed to make ends meet for some people.
But for almost anyone with a disposable income, online shopping remains firmly on the agenda. However, with so many retailers clamoring for your attention, it can be hard to know if you’re actually getting a good price. Don’t assume, for example, that Amazon’s price is the cheapest.
Web browser extensions have been proven to help either by reducing the total cost of items or by making a more informed purchase.
As you browse, they’ll tell you what discount codes you can use and when there’s a lower price on the same product elsewhere.
Installing the extensions is simple: you can either click the buttons below to visit the extension’s website or access the extension library in your web browser. They are all free. The only catch is that they might not work on your phone’s browser. If so, you’ll need to use a laptop, PC, or Mac.
Honey
- Available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari and Opera
Probably the best known extension on this list and if you don’t have it installed you should., Honey is a simple way to save money online. It automatically tests a selection of discount codes on over 30,000 sites, many of which will offer you a useful discount.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Honey also offers cashback on select sites, as well as a built-in price tracker so you know when the best time to buy is.
Poached
- Available for Chrome, Firefox and Edge (Safari coming soon)
Pouch works much the same as Honey, although it’s only available in the UK. If you’re based there, it’s worth having both installed.
A smaller range of retailers are supported by Pouch, but the codes it tests are often different. At some retailers you can also earn Pouch Points – each point will earn you 1 pence towards your next purchase.
If you are in the United States, try using CouponBirds instead.
cut
- Available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari
Another coupon-based browser extension to consider is Coupert. It also tests codes at a variety of retailers (over 20,000 to be exact) and will appear automatically when you reach checkout.
There is also a generous cashback offer on many sites. The main Coupert extension is designed for US customers, but there is another if you are shopping from the UK.
The camelizer
- Available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and Safari
Have you ever wondered if that Amazon discount is as good as it looks? Or is it really the best time to make a major purchase?
In both of these scenarios, The Camelizer can help. It’s based on Amazon’s popular camelcamelcamel price tracker, allowing you to easily check the recent price performance of any product.
Besides a detailed chart, you will also find information on the lowest and highest prices ever recorded. It’s very convenient – there’s no need to open a separate browser tab and paste the link into the website.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
You can also receive email alerts when the price of certain products drops. If you don’t like The Camelizer, Keepa offers a very similar service.
Gixen
- Available for Chrome and Firefox
Have you ever won an auction on eBay, only to have someone else rush in at the last second and take it before you have time to do anything? It’s no coincidence, and they probably don’t do it manually.
Many experienced buyers use a tactic called “Sniping,” where they set up a third-party service to automatically bid just before an auction ends. Gixen is one such service, and it can help you avoid overpaying.
Once added to your browser, simply go to any eBay auction page and you will see the option to add it to Gixen. From there, you can choose your maximum bid and let it do the rest.
There’s also AuctionStealer if you’re looking for an alternative.
Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor acts as an all-in-one travel companion, covering accommodation, food, flights and more. But did you know that much of this functionality is available in the official browser extension?
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Along with quick access to major website categories, you can also search directly from the extension. But the money-saving feature comes in the form of a hotel price tracker, which lets you keep an eye on price trends and set alerts.
Ratepunk
- Available for Chrome and Firefox
However, if you’re looking for a more in-depth comparison of hotel prices, RatePunk is the way to go.
It compares rates on all major booking sites, including Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia and Agoda. If the hotel you’re looking for is cheaper elsewhere, RatePunk will let you know.
Rakuten Cash Back
- Available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari
A few of the other extensions on this list offer cashback, but Rakuten specializes in that. The company has over 500 partner stores, each of which gives you cash back when you shop through Rakuten.
Once registered, simply access the retailer as you normally would. A pop-up from the extension will appear, confirming that you will receive cashback.
A few percent cashback doesn’t sound like much, but if you spend a few hundred dollars/pounds, it will soon add up.
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8 Free Browser Extensions That Will Save You Money Online – Up News Info