By Katherine Tanney

Remember your first online purchase? You felt pretty crafty, not paying sales tax to that out-of-state retailer. But that’s old news. Going to your computer to purchase Oprah’s latest book recommendation or a fabulous fleece jacket you discovered at Shopperati is second nature to you now — so much so that you missed the opportunity to get 10% off and have it shipped for free.

That is why you need to read this before spending another dollar online.

Finding the best deals

We love the Internet because it’s interactive. We’re in the driver’s seat, choosing which links to follow, when to open or close a particular page, and what we’ll “bookmark” for a return visit. That means the ads that might help us don’t necessarily find us; we must find them. That’s where Deal Hunting comes in. An online shopper’s best friend, the site lists tons of special offers available online and offers a “Deal Watch Alert” e-mail service that clues you into can’t-miss sales and discounts.

Here is just one of the deals Shopperati found on a recent visit to the site: a $4.95 Cost-to-Build Report from Houseplans.com, which sells plans for everything from small homes and cabins to mansions (regular cost: $29.95).

Deal Hunting also offers insider tips for saving. For example, we learned that items on sale at REI.com can be shipped to your local brick and mortar location at no charge to you (for you to pick up in your car), saving you expensive shipping fees.

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