Have you ever gone out and cringed at the price of an item only to buy it anyways, just because you had to have it? With the holidays coming up, you’re probably going to find that you need last minute accessories for some of your gifts. There are a number of items that will cost a small fortune when purchased in-store that can be bought for mere pennies online!
Charging Cables
Opening a new electronic item only to realize that it came with just one charger (or worse- none!), well.. it just plain stinks! You quickly run out to the electronics store or department store to buy one. Often, these are $20-$30! Most chargers can be bought for less than $5 online. Check stores such as MonoPrice.com, EverydaySource.com, use my affiliate link at Amazon.com
, and even Ebay!
Screen Protectors
You don’t want that new electronic to have a scratched screen, which is bound to happen within the first 24 hours of use if you don’t spend at least $20 on screen protectors, right? WRONG! Most screen protectors can be bought on Amazon for less than $1 each. You’ll find that many are available in 2 or 3 packs for as low as 43¢.
HDMI and Ethernet Cables
A 6 foot Ethernet or HDMI cable will run over $15 in stores. You can purchase HDMI Cables for less than $3 at MonoPrice.com, Amazon.com, and Ebay.
Cell Phone and Tablet Cases
The same cases that will run you $50+ at the cell phone store are often $15 or less on Amazon- and that’s for the name brand ones such as Otterbox! If you prefer fashion over protection, there are literally thousands of available designs for under $2, and most have free shipping.
Printer Ink
Buying ink online is much cheaper than purchasing in-store, and you are often able to find a variety of brands that are compatible with your printer. For example, Brother LC75 cartridges run around $15 each in stores (it takes 5 different ones to operate). A box of 20 on Amazon runs less than $13. You should also check out 123Inkjets.com and 4inkjets.com
Paper Products
Say what?!?! Stores such as Staples.com and Amazon (through their free Subscribe & Save program) offer some amazing deals on items such as toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, and cleaning products. Always look for a coupon! Amazon lists coupons directly on the item page and Staples sends out emails every Monday. Staples offers free next day shipping for rewards members (hey, that’s free too!) And Amazon offers free shipping with Subscribe & Save orders.
Batteries
Batteries are so expensive! Watch Toysrus.com and Amazon.com for great deals on mega packs. Amazon often offers 28-40 packs of Duracell batteries for under $12.
Toys
Before buying a toy in-store, check with Amazon. Most stores are actually matching Amazon’s pricing! All you need to do is show the cashier the item on your phone at stores such as Toys R Us, Best Buy, and Target to get the Amazon price. The best part? You can still take advantage of coupons and store promotions.
Diapers and Wipes
If you have small children at home, the amount you spend on diapers would probably pay the payment on a luxury car. Diapers.com and Toys R Us often run good deals online. Amazon also has a special program called Amazon Mom (only for members of Amazon Prime) which entitles you to special discounts and you save 20% off of all your diaper purchases. They will often run additional coupons or promotions, too!
Don’t be stuck paying full price for these items this holiday season! A little bit of preparation goes a long ways.
