There's a simple 3-step process you can use to determine if you're overpaying for anything

**Step 1: Check for price consistency across different retailers**<br><br>If you're buying something online, check how much it costs on Amazon, Walmart, eBay, etc., to see if any of the retailers are charging more than others. You can use tools like CamelCamelCamel or Keepa to track price histories on Amazon.<br><br>If you're shopping in person, look for discounts or promotions at other stores that sell the same product.<br><br>**Step 2: Look for discounts and coupons that can save you even more money**<br><br>Sign up for retailers' email newsletters and follow them on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest deals and offers. Use coupon websites like RetailMeNot, Coupons.com, or Groupon to find promo codes or discounts for online purchases.<br><br>If you're shopping in-store, ask store employees if they offer any loyalty programs or rewards that can help you save money.<br><br>**Step 3: Use cashback apps to earn rewards or credits on your purchase**<br><br>Cashback apps like Rakuten (formerly known as eBay), TopCashback, or Ibotta offer a percentage of your purchase back as cash or credit. You can use these rewards to purchase future items or withdraw them as cash via PayPal.<br><br>For example, if you buy a $100 item through Rakuten and get 5% cashback, you'll earn $5 in rewards that you can use towards your next purchase.<br><br>Here's an example of how you can use this process to save money:<br><br>Let's say you're planning to buy a new laptop from Dell for $1,300.<br><br>**Step 1: Check for price consistency**<br><br>You search for "Dell laptops" on Google and find that Amazon offers the same laptop for $1,200, while Best Buy has it for $1,150. You also notice that Dell is running a 10% off coupon code that can save you an additional $130.<br><br>**Step 2: Look for discounts and coupons**<br><br>You sign up for Dell's email newsletter and get a 15% off discount code. You also find a coupon on RetailMeNot that offers an extra 5% off your purchase. You combine these discounts with the 10% off coupon code to get a total discount of 30%.<br><br>With the discounts, your total price drops to $1,150 - $130 (10% off) - $195 (15% off email newsletter) - $60 (5% off coupon) = $765.<br><br>**Step 3: Use cashback apps**<br><br>You purchase the laptop through Rakuten and get 5% cashback, earning $38 in rewards. You can use these rewards to purchase future items or withdraw them as cash via PayPal.<br><br>By following these three steps, you've saved $545 ($765 x .71) on your purchase and earned an additional $38 in rewards through Rakuten.