Santa Claus on a Shoestring

Americans are expected to spend $2 billion online on toys this year. Trim your toy tab with these strategies.

Americans are expected to spend $2 billion online on toys this year. Trim your toy tab with these strategies:

Use e-coupons
Many online toy retailers offer discounts of 10% or more when you enter special codes at checkout. To find these codes, type the retailer's name and "coupon codes" into a search engine like google.com, says online shopping expert Hillary Mendelsohn, author of The Purple Book. Also try bargainboardwalk.com and couponmountain.com.

Scour the e-bins
Most big toy sites feature outlet sections that offer deep discounts. At kbtoys.com, for example, click on the "clearance" tab to find marked-down toys. You may have to type "clearance" into other toy sites' search engines, says Michael Miller, author of Bargain Hunter's Secrets to Online Shopping.

Nip the ship
You can get free shipping at some toy sites -- but only if you reach certain spending levels. Mendelsohn advises making a list of e-stores that carry the toys you want and comparing free shipping policies. Purchase popular toys only after calling to verify they're actually in stock, she warns.

Call your cards
Before you shop, call your credit card companies or visit their sites for a list of retailer discounts, says Miller. For instance, points accumulated in the American Express Membership Rewards program can be applied for savings on a range of bikes, musical instruments, stuffed animals and toys at the "Gifts for Kids" section of the card company's site.

From Reader's Digest - December 2004

 

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• Bargain Boardwalk
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• Coupon Mountain
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