How to find good deals online: Tips on making the most of tools
All examples below are illustrative only. Actual coupon codes, rewards rates, and cash-back percentages vary by retailer and item and aren’t guaranteed
Merchant sale dates, pricing, products, services, and policies are subject to change.
It’s easy to miss deals on regular online purchases. It can take some time (and know-how) to track down meaningful discounts.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how to find good deals online, with a short list of tools and habits you can use to make the process simpler.
Sleeping on an impulse to buy something you may not need can help you save money in the long run, but it can also mean letting coupons and promo codes expire or losing a limited-time offer. Advertised “discounts” also may not always be as deep as they first appear. Knowing where to look for bargains starts with knowing what a meaningful discount looks like.
Crossed-out prices are meant to show the math of a percent discount, but those two numbers don’t always tell the full story. The FTC’s Guides Against Deceptive Pricing say a former price provides a legitimate basis for a price comparison if it is “the actual, bona fide price at which the article was offered to the public on a regular basis for a reasonably substantial period of time.” The Guides add that a former price is “not necessarily fictitious merely because no sales at the advertised price were made,” provided the item was openly and actively offered at that price in the recent, regular course of the seller’s business.[1] If you aren’t sure how recently an item was offered at its listed former price, price history can give you more context.
Price history (not the discount advertised) can give you some insight into an item’s typical price. Many price-tracking apps may show you the lowest price over recent weeks, so you can get more information about whether it’s time to act on an advertised deal.
You don’t have to drastically change how you shop to save money. Here are a few online shopping habits that can work at many stores:
Watch the calendar: Prices tend to fluctuate as the seasons change, especially around winter holidays. Sales are also common around smaller holidays in the United States, like Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. Some categories tend to see deeper discounts during specific sales events, so keep an eye on your calendar year-round.
Check price history: Use an app to track recent price history, or PayPal Honey’s Droplist to monitor price changes in the coming weeks, to get a sense of an item’s typical price range.
Leave items in your cart: In some cases, if you keep your items in a shopping cart connected to an account or enter your email at checkout and then close the window, a shop may send a small coupon to encourage you to complete the transaction.
Factor in shipping costs: A lower item price doesn’t always mean a lower total price. When comparing prices between stores, factor in any shipping fees alongside the item price before you check out.
Use an extension to test codes: Coupon apps can test discount codes against the items in your cart, which can help save you time.
Stack savings: Combining a coupon, a cash back program, and a rewards credit card on a single order may unlock more opportunities to help you save.
Coupon browser extensions are one way to help find deals for online shopping without changing your shopping habits. Typically, all you need to do is install the extension in your browser of choice and let it work in the background.
When you add an item to your cart, the extension is activated at checkout; it pulls available codes for that store, then applies any relevant codes that work and discards the rest.
You could spend hours sifting through forums and social media for viable discount codes. But many codes shared online are expired, region-locked, or tied to a minimum cart total or a specific product. An extension may have more up-to-date information and can test coupons for you. PayPal Honey, for example, searches for codes across 30,000+ websites and stores, from Nike to Best Buy.[2]
App coverage isn’t universal. A favorite indie retailer may not be partnered with a coupon app, or may not offer codes that it can find and apply. Some tools may help you find other ways to save.
Deal-finding tools generally fall into three categories. Many tools combine more than one.
Coupon-testing extensions
These extensions test discount codes against your cart at checkout. PayPal Honey is an example that tests live codes for 30,000+ stores.[2] Coverage and results vary by extension, store, and item.
Price trackers and comparison tools
These tools watch an item’s price over time, or compare listings across sellers. PayPal Honey’s Droplist monitors prices and sends an alert when it detects a price drop, and its [3]Amazon price tracker compares product prices and shipping costs across sellers. Capital One Shopping is another tool in this category; Capital One describes it as searching for coupons, better prices, and rewards at over 100,000 online retailers .[4]
Cash Back and rewards programs
These programs return a portion of eligible spend after the purchase, rather than reducing the price upfront. PayPal Rewards lets you earn points to redeem for gift cards or apply directly to PayPal for eligible purchases, even when there’s no coupon available .[5] Rakuten is another program in this category; members may earn Cash Back on eligible purchases at 3,500+ partner stores.[6]
Price tracking works well when you’re not in a rush to buy. If you want to upgrade your computer setup, for example, you can add a monitor from a supported store to PayPal Honey’s Droplist and watch it for 30, 60, 90, or 120 days; if PayPal Honey detects a price drop, you’ll receive an email alert.[7] Droplist works on select stores, and PayPal Honey also shows price history for items on Amazon.
Capital One Shopping also compares prices at certain retailers while you browse and may notify you when a price drops.[8]
Price tracking works well when the price of a given item shifts enough over weeks or months to make a difference at checkout. Electronics, televisions, appliances, and other major purchases may see noticeable price swings throughout the year. If you can wait, you may be more likely to catch a price drop.
On the other hand, the cost of small daily-use items like toothpaste or a pack of socks doesn’t tend to budge much over time, so setting an alert likely won’t reveal much before you have to make the purchase anyway.
You may be able to combine coupons, rewards programs, and cash back cards to help increase your overall savings.
Let’s use the computer monitor example from earlier to explore what stacking savings may look like.
1. Automatic coupon codes at checkout
Once you’ve found a monitor you like, add it to your cart. Run a coupon extension and click the prompt on the shopping cart page. Suppose it finds a 15% off coupon and applies it to your cart. That takes a $300 gaming monitor down to $255.
2. Rewards on eligible purchases
Next, activate your rewards extension if necessary. (PayPal Honey automatically adds PayPal Rewards points on eligible orders after activation, for instance.)[5], [9]
In this example, suppose your purchase is eligible for 5% back in points. That’s another $12.75 in points, so your net cost drops to $242.25.
3. Cash back credit cards on top
Lastly, paying with a card that offers cash back rewards can help you receive another percentage of your spend back. Some store cards and general-purpose credit cards offer cash back on certain purchases; terms vary by issuer.
In our example, the card earns 3% cash back on the $255 actually charged, or $7.65. Counting the coupon, the points, and the cash back together, you’d come out about $65 ahead of the original $300 price.
Note: At some stores, rewards and coupon codes may not be combinable, and some programs set a minimum before you can redeem points. Check the details with that specific retailer before you complete your purchase.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to find deals. Many platforms are designed to help with the task, whether that’s price tracking or adding promo codes.
PayPal Honey works quietly in the background of your web browser while you shop. After activation, it tests eligible codes at checkout and applies coupons when they’re available and relevant. You can also track product prices with Droplist to help identify discounts when prices drop, and earn PayPal Rewards points on eligible purchases.[9]
Add PayPal Honey to your browser today and see the savings for yourself.
Can you use multiple savings tools at the same time?
tools may help you save more on a purchase. You might use a coupon extension for codes, a rebate or cash back app for money back, and a price-tracking tool to watch for a lower price. PayPal Honey includes all three types of features.
Can you use deal-finding tools on mobile shopping apps?
Some coupon apps offer mobile support. PayPal Honey has an iOS and Android app plus a mobile browser extension. Note, though, that PayPal Honey’s Android app doesn’t currently offer automatic coupons.[10] Purchases made inside other retailers’ apps aren’t always covered by deal-finding tools, either.
Does using a coupon extension slow down your browser?
It depends. Many coupon-finding browser extensions are relatively lightweight and don’t activate until you’re at checkout, so they’re less likely to slow down your browser while you’re scrolling than a heavier-duty extension like an ad blocker or VPN.
Do price drop alerts work for every online store?
No. Retailers must opt in to participate in price drop tracking. PayPal Honey’s Droplist covers 800+ major stores, but specific price drop coverage varies by item and site.
Is it safe to let a browser extension run at checkout?
Typically, but be mindful about what you download. It’s generally a good idea to stick with established tools from official browser extension and app stores, and review their data practices before you install anything, to avoid potentially encountering spam or scams.
Offers are subject to availability. Redeem points for rewards in the PayPal app. PayPal Rewards terms and merchant exclusions apply. Offers change often so refer to merchant site for the most accurate information. We may earn a commission when you make a purchase.
You must be 18+ years old to be a Honey member or user. The content of this blog is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal, tax, or financial advice; you should obtain your own independent advice before making any decisions. This blog is not endorsed by, maintained, authorized, or sponsored by any third-party brand. All product and company names are the registered trademarks of their original owners.
[1] Federal Trade Commission. (September, 2026). Guides Against Deceptive Pricing, 16 C.F.R. § 233.1.
[2] Honey. (September, 2026) Honey Overview.
[3] Honey. (September, 2026) Amazon Price tracker.
[4] Capital One. (March, 2026). Capital One Shopping: How It Works.
[5] Honey. (September, 2026).What Are PayPal Rewards?.
[6] Rakuten. (January, 2026). Rakuten Explained: How It Works + Every Way You Can Shop.
[7] Honey. (September, 2026). What Is Droplist?.
[8] Capital One. (March, 2026). Capital One Shopping: How It Works.
[9] PayPal Rewards Terms and exclusions apply.
[10] Honey. (September, 2026). PayPal Honey FAQ.