Save When You Shop

Buy gift cards for up to 30 percent off their face value at plasticjungle.com, giftcardrescue.com and giftcardsagain.com, where the cards are sold by gift-getters who don’t want them.

Group-coupon websites prove there’s power in numbers. Provide your e-mail and city and you’ll get a daily local offer. If a set number of people sign up, you get the deal. Sites include groupon.com, socialbuy.com, scoopst.com and angieslist.com.

See plays for free by volunteering as an usher. Many theaters will let you see the show if you help with the paying patrons. Check with your local theater, and wear comfortable shoes—you may end up standing for the performance.

Owner’s manuals are often missing when you buy bargain electronic devices or appliances at online auctions or garage sales. Manufacturers may charge for the manuals, but you can get many for free at retrevo.com, manualsonline.com or usersmanualguide.com.

Get rewards for online shopping from ebates.com. You register and then click to visit any of about 1,000 partner retailers. You can collect a reward of from 1 to (very occasionally) 40 percent of your purchase amount. The money arrives as a check or a credit to your PayPal account.

Promotional codes can get you discounts of up to 50 percent when you check out at online shopping sites. Though some codes are for returning loyal customers, others are up for grabs—you just have to know where to find them. Try these websites: retailmenot.com, couponchief.com, currentcodes.com and freeshipping.org.

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