The price you see first is almost never the best price. I learned that the hard way, buying things at full price that dropped by thirty percent a week later.

Getting the best price online is not luck. It is a five minute routine I run on anything over twenty dollars.

Search the exact product name

Do not search the brand and hope. Search the full product name and model number. The exact match brings up every seller, and you can compare prices in one glance.

Check a price history site

Prices bounce up and down constantly. A price history tool shows the trend and tells you if today’s price is a deal or a trap. If the price is near its high, wait. If it is near the low, buy.

Compare across three sites

The first result is often the most advertised, not the cheapest. Open three tabs and compare the same product. Include shipping in the comparison, a lower price with high shipping is not a deal.

Look for a coupon before checkout

Before you pay, search the store name plus coupon code. Retailers hide discounts in plain sight, and a code search often finds a five or ten percent off that was not on the page.

Leave it in the cart for a day

This sounds silly, but it works. Add the item to your cart and wait. Many stores email a discount to shoppers who almost bought something. I have saved twenty percent just by waiting a day.

Buy the older model

When a new version comes out, the previous one drops fast. If the upgrade is small, the older model is the smart buy. The same product does the same job for less.

The five minute routine saves me money on almost every order now. The trick is patience and a couple of tabs, not a coupon app or a secret website.