Online shopping offers an almost magical level of convenience. Just grab your phone, tap a few buttons, and within a couple days (or hours) a package arrives at your door. But it's all too easy to rack up a credit card bill higher than the stack of cardboard boxes in the recycling bin. If you feel like you're spending more money online, you're not alone. Americans spent a record $1.2 trillion online in 2024, accounting for nearly one-quarter of all retail sales.1
Still, we may think the best deals are online. After all, the early days of dynamic pricing—retail sites price-matching competitors or making frequent price changes based on demand—did result in lower prices.2 But price fluctuations can now hurt buyers. Prices are numbers we simply don't "know" anymore (except for maybe a gallon of gas). While grocery shoppers 15 years ago probably knew a gallon of milk should cost about $2.50, many of us today can't ballpark what our frequent purchases should cost. And that can be a big problem for any budget when a purchase is just a couple clicks away.
To learn how you can shop online without busting your money goals, check out these 10 tips.
1. Stay focused on your needs
Online sellers want you to pay before you have a chance to think about it, so they make the experience seamless and enjoyable, with beautiful graphics, flashy sale banners, and one-click-to-buy features. Just as you might go into a store with a list in hand to avoid browsing, keep a visual cue close by of what you're planning to purchase—try a sticky note on your computer or phone. And remember to H.A.L.T.: Don't buy something if you're hungry, angry, lonely, or tired to avoid impulse purchases you might regret.