How to Save Money While Shopping Online in India

How to Save Money While Shopping Online in India.
Before we start, let me tell you a story. I bought a Macbook Pro last year for less than INR 50k. How?
Well, I bought it on Amazon during the Diwali sale. Its price was 57 thousand rupees (usually 60 thousand rupees). Plus there was a Rs 2,000 gift card and there was an SBI debit card offer that gave me another 1,500 cashback. Finally, I used Cashkaro to get another Rs 3800 cashback.
Thus, I saved 7.5 thousand rupees.
Now most of you can think; it’s a theft deal. However, it is not. I could have bought it even cheaper if I hadn’t made a major mistake. What was it? Hold on and you will find out.

Save money shopping online in India

# 1. Search before shopping

Whether offline or online, a little research always leads to a better deal. Knowing the right tools makes it easier and more fun.
For example, use comparison sites like junglee to compare prices across different sites. You can also set price alerts. However, since it is owned by Amazon, the results are often biased.
Therefore, I suggest that you use a browser extension like Makhhichoose. It’s free and available for both Chrome and Firefox. Each time you visit a product page, this extension automatically retrieves prices for the same product from other websites. However, remember that they are using an affiliate link.
And if you’re like me, always looking for the best deals, then try freekaamaal or indiafreestuff. They update their websites multiple times a day showing the best deals and coupon codes. A good place to look for top-up coupons.

# 2. Find Coupons

Except for Flipkart and Amazon (rare), almost all other ecommerce sites offer coupon codes.
If there is room to enter a coupon code, chances are good that you will receive one. A simple Google search for coupons can easily save 1-20%. Coupondunia or couponraja is a good place to start.
For domains, hosting or most digital product retail is popular.
RELATED: LifeProTip: Get Exclusive Discounts Without Completing a Checkout

# 3. Use cashback sites

Many websites offer refunds for specific bank debit / credit cards. So if you spot them, use them. If not, wait for the sale, it comes from time to time.
Sites like Cashkaro give you 5-10% cashback for every purchase you make through them. It may not sound like much, but it adds up over time. Hey, every money saving is all money earned.

In addition, some stores will pay out solid cashback if you use an alternative payment system like Paytm or PayUmoney. So watch out for this.

# 4. Credit Cards

Credit cards are tricky; they often lead to excessive costs. But if used wisely, you can save a lot of money.
Online retailers often offer some products with zero EMI (or cashback) using credit cards. So if you don’t have a credit card, take one. It is also better to use an installment plan as it reduces the burden on your monthly budget. However, do not miss the installment plan, otherwise your bank will charge insane interest.

# 5. Finally Wait Wait …

Remember, I said I could have gotten the MBP much cheaper!
I made the mistake of buying earlier. Two days later I order my MBP, Flipkart has launched billions in sales, and you know what! The same MBP was sold for 49.5 thousand rubles. Surely one could get more discount for this (screenshot)
So the moral of this story is: always wait if you can. Until you get an exceptional deal, there is no harm in waiting. Online shopping is like the stock market; wait longer, you better do.
Output
Next time you shop online, look for the lowest price. If there is room to apply coupons, google it, chances are good that you will find them. Also buying through cashback sites. Finally, look for offers in payment methods such as cards or cashback from Paytm / PayUMoney, etc.
With these simple tips, you can easily save 10-20%. Always remember, there is always a way to get more discounts, all you have to do is research. Also, if possible, wait for sales. They come every 2-3 months.
Finally, in my personal experience, online shopping is addictive. So stay away from this. Always buy what you need, not what you need. With that, happy shopping!
Also Read: How Much Money Can You Make With the Flipkart Affiliate Program

Update # 6 Free Shipping to Amazon

To be eligible for free shipping on Amazon, you need to have a minimum basket value of Rs 500, but if your total order is below that threshold, you will have to pay the shipping cost, which is Rs 40. It’s not so hot. But there is an easy way to avoid this.
Just order a cheap beauty product or book from Amazon and your shipping is free. I have been using this neat little ride for six months now and it was working fine at the time of the update of this post i.e. January 2016.

# 7 Paying invoices with Paytm

Paytm is well known for its generous cashback offerings. However, I still don’t feel confident enough to order any physical product from them. Had a rather bad experience with their salesperson in the past.
However, they are my top choice for paying regular bills like electricity, broadband, DTH, etc. Why? Well, they have a lesser known coupon page where they post a coupon code for every type of account funding and bill payment. This will save you a little extra money every month. Obviously use this coupon code in conjunction with Cashkaro to save more.