Is that sale really as good as it looks?
You find something marked 25% off, there’s another 10% coupon, and now you’re doing math in the store aisle. Let’s work out the real price, including tax and shipping.
I’ll also compare it with one simple discount, because bigger-looking percentages don’t always win.
Try your own deal
Start with the list price and change anything you need. Every field is editable.
Why 25% off plus another 10% isn’t 35% off
The second discount applies to what is left after the first one. If a $100 item is marked 25% off, it drops to $75. Take another 10% off that amount and the item becomes $67.50. Your actual savings are $32.50, or 32.5%, not 35%.
A dollar coupon may come off after percentage offers, before them, or not at all. Stores also restrict which items qualify. Check the actual coupon terms rather than treating a sale banner as a final price.
The little expenses that change a good deal
Sometimes shipping and tax erase most of the savings. That’s why this calculator includes both. It assumes sales tax applies to the reduced merchandise cost and not to shipping. That can be different where you live, and many stores have exceptions.
Ask whether a coupon requires a minimum purchase, whether discounts can be combined, and whether a return uses the original or discounted price.
What about buy one, get one half off?
For two equal-price items, BOGO 50% off means one full price and one at half price. Across both items, that’s a 25% overall merchandise discount. Different-priced items may be handled differently, so compare the register total.