My list of shopping hack tools to get everything on sale or free
Keep this list handy for money-saving, mindful shopping - I constantly update it! Then, subscribe to learn how to use these shopping tools through anecdotes of how I apply them in real life.
Here’s a huge mega-list of tools I use for shopping online, and it’s constantly growing and changing.
Yes, some links are referral codes because as a solo entrepreneur and behavioral economics fiend, I know how important network effects are to the companies building these tools. If you and I both get a perk when you up, great! Take advantage of it if it’s useful, but the incentive for me is so trivial that I don’t want you to think that this newsletter is only referral codes, promos, or affiliate links. Because it’s not. It’s about showing you how to buy instead of what to buy.
What’s important is you’re learning how to use the shopping tools and have them ready to go. You can have all the tools in the toolbox, but you gotta know how to use them, which is what Consumer Misbehavior is all about.
By subscribing to Consumer Misbehavior, you’ll get a ton of tips and stories on how to shop. For premium and founding subscribers, you’ll get a personalized experience where I show you how to find the specific things that you’re looking to buy. I’ll talk a lot about my process, including the most efficient order of using the various tools listed below, all depending on what you’re shopping for.
As we begin this shopping journey together, here are three overall things to remember:
Know what you need or like
Search, search, search diligently
Check for price and alternatives
Then rinse and repeat. Ready? Super, here are the tools I think you might find useful:
Shopping
Reverse image search on Google Chrome
Honey Gold / PayPal Rewards (Chrome extension)
Klarna (Chrome extension)
Capital One Shopping (Chrome extension)
Ibotta (Chrome extension)
Restaurants
Facebook & Instagram ads → Facebook Messenger (look for a chatbot from the restaurant)
Grocery
Flights
Escape Houston, Escape Austin, Escape New York, etc. (Twitter notifications)
Hotels, Airbnb, home rentals, etc.
Travel Arrow (Chrome extension)
Events & experiences
Banking & credit cards
Freebies
Okay, you made it here, so now what? Obviously it’s not a shopping hack if you don’t know how to use them as one.
Up next will be play-by-play articles on shopping experiences I’ve had using these tools, such as when…
How I saved over $750 on ski boots the other week
How I got a free day and night in Vegas while saving $300 on a flight and 16 hours of my time
How all my house furniture came free after signing over someone’s lease
And more, including how I can find you the best prices for what you're looking for
Have something in mind you want me to shop for? Please share Consumer Misbehavior with friends and tell me what I should teach you how to buy next.