Discounts and shopping
Sale prices, stacked coupons, cashback and unit prices, worked out before you reach the till.
Discounts and shoppingHow to calculate a discount: sale price and savings
To find a sale price, multiply the original price by 1 minus the discount. Two methods, mental shortcuts for common discounts, and how to check what you'll pay.
Discounts and shoppingHow to work out the discount percentage from the original and sale price
Subtract the sale price from the original, divide by the original, and multiply by 100. Worked price-tag examples and the mistake that makes discounts look bigger.
Discounts and shoppingStacked discounts: why 20% off plus 10% off isn't 30% off
Two discounts in a row multiply rather than add: 20% off then 10% off is 28% off. The formula for the combined discount, a lookup table, and whether order matters.
Discounts and shoppingPercent off vs dollar off: which coupon saves more?
A percentage coupon beats a fixed-dollar coupon once your total passes a break-even point. How to find it, plus minimum spends and combining both.
Discounts and shoppingBuy one, get one free and other multibuy deals as a percentage
Buy one get one free is 50% off, buy two get one free is 33.3% off, and half-price second item is 25% off. How to convert any multibuy deal into a percentage.
Discounts and shoppingHow to find the original price from a sale price
Divide the sale price by the share you paid. If $63 is the price after 30% off, the original was 63 ÷ 0.70 = $90. Why adding 30% back gives the wrong answer.
Discounts and shoppingCashback vs discount: comparing percentage rewards
A 10% discount and 10% cashback look identical, but they rarely are. How delays, store credit, sales tax and spending caps change what a cashback offer is worth.
Discounts and shoppingUnit price comparisons: how much cheaper is the bigger pack?
Divide each price by its quantity, then compare the unit prices as a percentage. A worked example with three pack sizes, including one where buying bigger costs more.
Discounts and shoppingDiscount first or tax first? Calculating the final price at the till
With a percentage discount and a percentage sales tax, the final price is the same whichever you apply first. Fixed-dollar coupons are different. Worked examples at the till.
Discounts and shoppingAnnual vs monthly plans: what percentage do you really save?
Compare an annual plan with twelve monthly payments to get the real percentage saved, convert months-free offers, and find the month where annual starts paying off.