It’s safe to say that everyone loves a good deal, and considering that we are still recovering from the effects of the last big economic downturn, it’s smart to be on the lookout for the best bargains. With the cost of living rising and most of our salaries failing to keep pace, hunting for great deals has become a daily practice for many. Fortunately, over the past decade or so many resources have surfaced to make our search faster and easier. Nowadays, you can find a bargain for pretty much anything from technology to home decor and fitness memberships to meals. How can you capitalize on the best deals out there? Read on to find out.

Deal Sites

If you want to score deals, start with a number of bargain-hunting websites that do the searching for you. Deal sites each use their own algorithm or search mechanism to explore the Internet for discounted items and compile them all in one place, saving you time you’d have to spend searching. Below are some of the top deal sites along with descriptions of what each has to offer.

● DODtracker.com is a simple but useful site that tracks deals in real time. It lists hundreds of items from deal-a-day websites that offer one deal at a time, as well as “daily deal” offers from other online retailers including Amazon. It shows the website, the item (including an image), the price, percent of discount, number in stock, and how long the deal has been posted and when it’s due to end. You can sort information by any heading, and use tabs at the top of the page to specify a category.

● Dealnews.com has a team of people who hunt for deals by scouring over 2,000 online retailers throughout the day and update the site with new bargains over 200 times each day. This was originally a network of sites that have all been absorbed and compiled into one site where you can find deals on computers, cell phones, and accessories; televisions and audio equipment; clothes; home decor; and even automotive items. Dealnews also has lots of deals that are exclusive to their site.

● Yipit.com is one of the newer deal sites out there. This site aggregates and filters local deals from sites like Groupon, LivingSocial, Goldstar, HomeRun, Gilt City, and Amazon Local, to name a few (they have over 800). When you sign up, you select the categories you are interested in, like dining, fitness, spa services, museums, and shows, just to name a few examples, in addition to specialty categories like items for kids and pets. It’s easy to use and well organized, linking to the deal’s mother site for you to make your purchase. It also features a comprehensive search function to help you look for anything that’s highly specific. Yipit also features links to Yelp reviews for those items that have reviews logged on Yelp, so you can do a quick review before you make your purchase.

● Woot! Purchased by Amazon, this site was originally known for finding the best deals on tech gear. The site soon added wine, tools, gardening, clothing, and many other products. The interface is very user friendly and includes a featured “daily deal,” as well as offering gift ideas near the bottom of the site. Offers are ranked according to users “upvoting” or “downvoting,” and users can leave comments with their ratings. Woot! also has an app for iOS7 so you can browse deals easily on your iPhone or iPad.

Other Tips to Get Great Deals

● Shop with Online Coupons. Before finalizing any online purchase, do a Google search for coupon codes for the site you’re shopping on. Retailmenot.com is my favorite online coupon code site. Often you’ll be able to find codes for free shipping or a percentage off your purchase, and sometimes you can even score free merchandise! Each code is listed with the success rate of its use over a specified period of time.

● Gift Card Deals. These are websites where you can purchase gift cards at discounted prices. CardCash.com and GiftCardGranny.com are two such sites. For instance, purchase a $50 gift card for $40, instantly saving $10. Then, compound your savings with a coupon code found using the tip above. These sites will also buy your unwanted gift cards for 80 to 90 percent of their face value, so if you got a birthday or holiday gift card that wasn’t up your alley, you can get it taken off your hands.

What are your favorite ways to get deals online? Share with us below in the comments!