You shouldn’t have to decide between giving the perfect eco-friendly gifts and honoring the planet–and you don’t! However, if you’re early in your journey to be more mindful about your purchases, it probably feels a little overwhelming. First is the challenge of finding just the right eco-friendly gifts and then the nearly-constant battle of knowing you can find a similar, albeit earth-damaging, item cheaper somewhere else. While prices are typically higher for quality, sustainably-made merchandise, conscientious purchasing has myriad environmental and humanitarian benefits, giving power to your dollar beyond the gift you’re currently considering.
Having said that, we’re all about saving a few bucks here and there. We understand money is hard to come by and escapes our grasp too quickly. Top Eco Deals is all about making the money-saving process easier for you. But when you’re shopping on your own there are some things to keep in mind to maximize savings on eco-friendly gifts.
Hunt for your Eco-friendly Gifts Early
The best money-saving approach is to start your shopping early. In fact, watch for deals throughout the year. There are several reasons for this. The primary one is that many times the items you find aren’t readily available through Amazon two-day shipping, and that’s likely not the platform you’d prefer to support anyway.
In reality, it can take weeks to receive some items, especially those that are handmade. Shopping in the off season allows you to find great deals without the time crunch, which only serves to pile on stress. Even as the holidays approach, however, know that even several weeks out you can take advantage of deals and still receive gifts on time.
If you do miss the window directly with the vendor, check in with Amazon. Even though we prefer to order direct, Amazon has its place as the world’s largest marketplace and offers benefits that still allow you to support your favorite merchant. For example, say you’re considering a pair of Conscious Step socks or a monthly gift subscription. Ordering from Conscious Step may take eight days to arrive while Amazon may be able to get it to you faster with Amazon Prime two-day shipping. The prices are the same on both sites in this case.
Another hint here while we’re on the topic is that sometimes the price is higher or even lower on Amazon for the same product you can order directly from the company so compare your options (or rely on Top Eco Deals to do it for you).
Sign up for Money-Saving Emails
Many websites offer special discounts in exchange for your email address. A hint here–create an email account specifically for this type of junk mail. Gmail is a good choice since you can have several different accounts and you can access it from any device, anywhere you are. While shopping online, you will likely see a popup asking for your email address. If you don’t see a popup, look for an email signup along the top or bottom of the website. There may also be a promotions tab that summarizes sales and offers promo codes. Use the opportunity to submit your “junk” email address. Their reward is obtaining your email address so they can solicit your business. Your reward is, more often than not, a discount code that is typically sent immediately.
Delay your Eco-friendly Gift Purchase
In addition, many websites will send you a discount if you keep items in your shopping cart for a few hours or days. If the site allows you to add items without a time expiration, load your items and wait a few days. The website spies are watching and waiting so they’ll send you a reminder about those items in your cart. Often they’ll also send you a discount code to motivate you to return and complete your purchase.
If you are a PayPal user, you may also receive coupons after viewing an item. For example, I had some potential eco-friendly gifts for consideration in my cart at Well Earth Goods. A few hours later I also had an offer in my inbox from PayPal for $5 off a purchase at Well Earth Goods if I use PayPal at checkout. See our most recent post for how to get 10% off at Well Earth Goods here.
Always Look for Money-Saving Promo Codes
Never make an online purchase without doing a search for coupon codes. Start at Top Eco Deals as we continue to grow our coupon database. Then do a browser search for “company name promo code”.
Use a Little Honey to Save Money
Honey is another easy way to garner instant savings. Sign up and add the extension to your search bar. When shopping online, if Honey has a discount code option it will turn yellow. There’s even a popup to make it more obvious, but it doesn’t annoy you while you shop. Instead, it appears at checkout as a reminder. Honey is the most efficient way to search for promo codes without any hassle. We’ve saved hundreds by using its comprehensive and easy format. Plus you will accumulate Honey Gold coins that you can later trade in for gift cards.
Get a Kickback
There are several reliable kickback programs that make the process easy and automated. Rakuten is one of our favorites. Simply sign up. When shopping online, start at the Rakuten site and type in the company name at the top. They will show you available promo and discount codes. By linking through Rakuten, you can earn a percentage back on your purchase. The company then sends you a check or Paypal deposit quarterly. Over the years, I’ve received over $700 back through the Rakuten program so trust me when I say those little savings add up. The list of associated businesses isn’t comprehensive in the sustainability-related realm, so it may or may not include merchants for your eco-friendly gifts, but you can also use it when booking a hotel or a flight with your favorite companies.
Another kickback option is MyPoints. It works a little differently in that you still click through the site to make a purchase. However, your reward comes in points you can redeem for gift cards. The merchant selection for the gift cards is fairly comprehensive from clothing stores to restaurants to travel businesses. The points are easy to redeem. I’ve given several hundred dollars worth of gifts from the points I’ve earned on MyPoints. You can sign up here.
Happy shopping, and as always, hit us up at TopEcoDeals@gmail.com if you’re looking for a particular type of gift and we’ll see how we can help!
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