Better online shopping to save money

TAKE TO THE STREETS Some of the sweetest online savings happen, as the kids say, IRL (in real life). Madhok recommends using the phone apps for Amazon or ShopSavvy to snap a photo of an

item's bar code and automatically compare prices among thousands of brick-and-mortar shops. The apps even have coupons that you can show on your phone at checkout, Madhok says. At

places like T.J.Maxx and Nordstrom Rack, you can buy online and return in-store if an order doesn't work out, thereby saving shipping fees. Target's Cartwheel app offers extra

savings on top of in-store sales and manufacturer's discounts. To really go high-tech, get the Shopkick app to earn Kicks, which are like frequent-flier miles for shoppers just for

walking into a store. There's no need to check in. A device inside the location emits a signal that gets picked up by your phone. Says Madhok, "It's like a scavenger hunt

where you get rewards for trying on clothes or scanning a bar code. You can then redeem your Kicks for gift cards." CHECK TWICE BEFORE CHECKOUT A few final reminders: Never shop on

unfamiliar sites (the ones listed here are reliable). Do not shop online using public Wi-Fi or an unsecured connection. Don't shop on any site if the URL doesn't start with

"https." "The 's' means the site is secured, and your financial information is less likely to be compromised by sites set up fraudulently to grab your money,"

Woroch says. Coupon Sherpa is a treasure trove of coupon codes that brings big savings just by entering a few keystrokes. And did you know that Kohl's, Victoria's Secret, Jo-Ann

Fabrics and Crafts, and a few other retailers allow more than one promo code per order? That's savings. FreeShipping.com eliminates delivery charges at more than a thousand online

retailers, including big names like Kohl's, Target and JC Penney. But this may be the smoothest tech move of all: talking to an actual human. "I often open up live chats with

customer service to ask about available discounts or offers not advertised on the site," Woroch says. "Typically, these reps are eager to help in some way, whether it's

handing out coupon codes or unexpected services." Take the day Woroch needed a dress for a wedding but was short on time. The designer's site had it for a great price, but a

third-party retailer offered free overnight shipping. "I opened up a chat with one of the sales reps and asked if they could match the price of the designer, and they did! Just by

asking, I was able to get the dress at the price I wanted in time for the big day." _DAVID HOCHMAN is a writer living in Los Angeles._