Got Chrome? Here’s How It Can Save You Big Money Shopping Online

Many of us love to shop online. It’s quick, convenient and you don’t have to leave your couch or get out of your pajamas. What’s not to love?

Now imagine if you could save big bucks shopping online without having to comparison shop or search for coupons or coupon codes, which can often be time-intensive.

If you use Google Chrome as your browser, there are some amazing Chrome “extensions” (small software programs that you can add to modify how your browser works) that do the work for you and may help you save money next time you shop online. (Note: You may want to consider reading this guide on internet safety before you give out any personal information, like a credit card number, online.)

These are four free extensions you can easily add to your browser that can help you save when you shop online.

1. Honey

By far one of the most popular money-saving extensions available, Honey automatically finds and applies coupon codes when you shop online. If you shop at a Honey-supported online store — like eBay, Wal-Mart or Target — you can earn “HoneyGold,” which can be redeemed for cash or a gift card. This extension is also available for Mozilla Firefox.

2. Pricescout

Not only does Pricescout automatically check for coupons, it also comparison-shops at more than 21,000 stores to make sure you’re getting the best deal available. According to the Pricescount extension description, “you don’t have to click anything and you no longer need to open a new tab and go to a price comparison site” once you have it installed.

3. The Camelizer

It can be frustrating to purchase an item and then see that the price drops later, but that’s the name of the game when you shop online. But, with the Camelizer, it’s simple to see the price history of a product from one of their supported retailers so you know if you’re clicking “buy” at the right time. You can set up price drop alerts through The Camelizer as well. This extension is also available for Mozilla Firefox.

4. Fakespot

I routinely read product reviews before I make a purchase, but sometimes it can be difficult to determine if a review is coming from a real consumer or if it’s a paid review. This is where Fakespot shines. According to the Fakespot website, this extension “analyzes reviews intelligently and calculates a grade based on the authenticity of reviews.” It’s also available for Mozilla Firefox.

[Editor’s Note: Even if you find a good deal online, it’s important to keep your budget in mind so you don’t land yourself in credit card debt just to get a bargain. You can see how online shopping is affecting your financial goals, like building good credit scores, for free each month on Credit.com.]