How one man saved $2,000 on holiday shopping
Planning ahead and keeping track of sales can save you a bundle.
Shoppers carry bags as they cross a pedestrian walkway near Macy's in Herald Square, in New York.
Bebeto Matthews/AP/File
We love hearing from our readers about how using our site has saved them money. So when we heard Ross Fanti, a real estate agent and Brad's Deals fan from Jacksonville, had decided to do ALL his holiday shopping through us, we were more than a little intrigued.
"For years, I was always the guy who would wait until the last minute and walk into a department store on Christmas Eve," said Fanti. "I'd have to fight through the crowds, wait 20 minutes for a parking spot, then run inside and grab the nearest overpriced box of perfume on display, just so I could get out of there."
But two years ago, he discovered Brad's Deals while scrolling through his Facebook newsfeed, and after buying up two cheap college sweatshirts from his alma mater (go Gators!), his shopping style changed forever. Fast forward to the 2016 holiday season, and Fanti decided to take his love of the deal to the next level: he was going to buy every single gift on his list using our site.
OK, so that's not REALLY that hard. We post the lowest prices on everything from home goods to footwear, and with our daily newsletters flooding into Fanti's mailbox, he was able to plan out his holiday shopping to the last second. "I knew what my family wanted for Christmas, and sure enough when I received my daily e-mail from Brad's Deals, one of those items or something very similar would always show up," said Fanti. "I even came come across some items that my family hadn’t asked for that I knew would make great gifts, which makes me look more thoughtful and scores me extra brownie points."
The crazy thing about Fanti's plan wasn't how he saved the money, but how much money he actually saved. We decided to break down all Fanti's holiday purchases and see how he managed to save over $2,000.
Ray Ban Sunglasses for his Mom -- $65
We've posted a number of different deals on Ray Bans throughout the past few months, but most of those deals averaged around $65 (plus free shipping) for a pair of stylish sunglasses that normally sell for $160. For a similar deal, check out these pair of Andy's Men Orange Flash Ray Bans for $65 (originally $160) shipped from Shnoop.
Fanti's total holiday savings: $95
A Sega Genesis for his sister and brother in law -- $40
These throwback portable game players are still on sale from $60 at Bed, Bath & Beyond, saving Fanti a good $20 on a present for his sister and brother in law.
Fanti's total holiday savings: $115
Star Wars T-Shirts for the whole family -- $2/each
Shirts.com is currently offering a deal on Star Wars t-shirts (usually $19.99) for as low as $1.99, plus a $10 off $50 coupon to use towards bigger purchases. A purchase of six shirts for the whole family cost Fanti $12 and saved him around $108!
Fanti's total holiday savings: $223
Pre-Lit Xmas Tree from Kohl's -- $94
This seven-foot tree normally sells for $249.99, but Fanti scooped it up for his home during Kohl's post-Black Friday sale for a cool $93.74, saving him $156. For an even bigger steal, snatch up this 6.5-foot pre-lit tree from Home Depot for $49.98!
Fanti's total holiday savings: $379
Kenmore French Door Fridge -- $949.99
Fanti and his wife wanted an appliance revamp as their gift to themselves this holiday season. They wisely decided to wait until Sears' Cyber Monday sale on appliances, which saved them $1,050 on this stainless steel Kenmore fridge. While it's no longer on sale for its Cyber Monday price, you can buy this fridge for $1,099.99 (just $150 more than what Fanti got it for), right now at Sears.
Fanti's total holiday savings: $1,429
Kenmore Front-Load Washer/Dryer -- $850
Another snag from the Sears' Cyber Monday sale, this top-of-the-line washer/dryer set from Kenmore usually sells for $1,880, but Fanti and his wife got it for just $850, saving them a whopping $1,030. If you want them for $600 off their original price, Sears is currently selling this set for $1,259.98.
Fanti's total holiday savings: $2,459