You’ve found an incredible Black Friday deal. The price is low, your cursor is hovering over the “Buy Now” button, and you’re ready to check out. Stop right there!
The savviest shoppers know that the posted sale price is just the beginning. By strategically layering coupons, promo codes, and cashback offers, you can often save an additional 10%, 20%, or even 30% on top of already-discounted prices. This powerful strategy is called “stacking”.
This guide will teach you how to combine these money-saving tools to ensure you get the absolute lowest price possible this Black Friday.
The Art of “Stacking” Savings
Think of stacking like building a savings lasagna:
- First Layer: The base Black Friday sale price.
- Second Layer: A coupon code or promo code applied at checkout.
- Third Layer: Cashback earned from a shopping portal.
- Bonus Layer: Credit card rewards points or benefits.
Let’s break down each layer.
Layer 1: Finding Valid Coupon Codes
The key is finding a coupon that works on top of sale items. Many Black Friday exclusions apply, but it’s always worth a check.
- Browser Extensions are Your Best Friend: Install free tools like Honey, Capital One Shopping, or Rakuten. When you go to check out, these extensions will automatically search for and test every available promo code for that store, applying the best one for you. It takes the manual work out of code hunting.
- Check the Retailer’s Page: Sometimes, the best code is right on the website. Look for a “Promo Code” box at checkout and quickly search for “[Retailer Name] coupon code” to see if any site-wide codes (e.g., “10% off your order”) are active.
- Sign Up for Emails: Retailers often send a special discount code (e.g., 10-15% off) to new subscribers. Do this a few weeks before Black Friday for your favorite stores. Just use a dedicated email folder to avoid inbox chaos!
Pro Tip: If a code doesn’t work for a sale item, try contacting customer service via live chat. Politely ask if there are any active promotions you can use. Sometimes, they have the authority to offer a one-time discount.
Layer 2: Earning Cashback (The “Forgotten” Money)
Cashback websites pay you a percentage of your purchase price for shopping through their link. It’s essentially a commission they share with you.
How to Use Cashback Portals:
- Create Accounts: Before the big sales, sign up for the top cashback portals. The big players are:
- Rakuten (offers cashback or Amex points)
- TopCashback
- Swagbucks (offers cashback or gift cards)
- Start Your Shopping Journey There: Never go directly to a retailer’s website. First, log into your chosen cashback portal, search for the store (e.g., Target, Walmart, Macy’s), and click the “Activate” or “Shop Now” link. This click tracks your session.
- Shop as Normal: A new tab will open for the retailer. Complete your purchase exactly as you normally would.
- Get Paid: Within a few days, the pending cashback will appear in your portal account. Once it clears, you can withdraw it via PayPal, check, or gift card (often for a bonus).
The Golden Rule: Only one cashback portal can track your purchase per session. Make sure you only activate one! Also, always disable any ad-blockers when using these sites, as they can interfere with tracking.
How to Layer Them Together: A Step-by-Step Example
Let’s say you want to buy a $300 coffee maker on sale at Macy’s for $199 on Black Friday.
- Base Price: $199
- Find a Coupon: You log into Rakuten and see Macy’s is offering 8% cashback. You activate the offer.
- Apply a Code: You proceed to Macy’s site. At checkout, your Honey browser extension automatically finds and applies a code for “15% OFF Sale & Clearance Items” that you didn’t know about.
- New Subtotal: $199 – 15% = $169.15
- Cashback Tracks: You complete your purchase. Rakuten tracks the sale.
- Final Calculation:
- Final Purchase Price: $169.15 (after coupon)
- Cashback Earned: 8% of $169.15 = $13.53
- Your Effective Final Price: $169.15 – $13.53 = $155.62
You just saved an extra $43.38 on top of the Black Friday sale by spending two extra minutes! That’s the power of stacking.
Pro Tips & Warnings
- Check Exclusions: Always read the fine print. Some Black Friday doorbuster deals may be excluded from all coupons and cashback.
- Cashback vs. Coupons: Sometimes, activating a cashback offer will void the ability to use a coupon, and vice versa. The portal will usually warn you. It’s a trade-off, so do the math to see which saves you more.
- Stack with Credit Card Rewards: For the ultimate stack, use a credit card that offers additional cashback or points on online shopping or at that specific retailer.
- Price Adjustments: Some stores offer price adjustments if an item goes on sale shortly after you buy it. If you used a cashback portal, a price adjustment can sometimes void your cashback. Be sure to check the terms.
Your Black Friday Stacking Strategy
- Prepare Now: Install browser extensions (Honey, Capital One Shopping) and create accounts on cashback sites (Rakuten, TopCashback) well before Black Friday.
- Always Start Your Journey: Before clicking “buy,” always open a cashback portal first.
- Always Check for Codes: Let your browser extension do the work at checkout.
- Keep Records: Take screenshots of your order confirmation and cashback tracking number in case you need to file a claim with the cashback portal.
By mastering these techniques, you’ll transition from a casual shopper to a savvy deal-hunting pro.
Ready to put this into practice? Head over to our curated Black Friday Deals page to find the best starting points for your stacking journey! And for more foundational tips, don’t forget our guide on How to Find the Best Black Friday Deals Without Getting Scammed.
Before stacking coupons, make sure you know how to avoid fake deals and scams.
Want to shop early and save more? Try our Early Black Friday Insider Hacks.
These tricks also work on beauty brands like LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm.
Stay connected with the latest Black Friday news and deals — follow us on YouTube for real-time deal updates and shopping guides.
You can also explore our collections and shopping ideas on Pinterest — perfect for saving your favorite deals and gift ideas.
