Allegedly, gas prices are going down, but it’s still expensive just driving to a store, so many Americans are pursuing cost cutting with the Internet. Web sales have just exploded in recent years, but there are a lot of people still hesitant to embrace them. Nostalgia keeps some shoppers in a physical store, but UPS shipping rates deter others, thinking they’ll just save money by picking up an item themselves. There are a lot of factors to consider, though, and the most feasible and inexpensive choice can be through shopping on the Internet.

If you frequent Amazon.com, you know how easily you can achieve cost cutting with shipping: just create an order of $25 or more. A lot of online retailers offer something along those lines, but even those that do not shouldn’t be disregarded as too expensive because of UPS shipping rates. We live in a very centralized world, and almost every medium-sized city has at least one of each major retailer. For a lot of people, the choice is between buying online or visiting the store down the street, but many specialty stores and products can be pretty far away. An hour-long drive to a store can cost well over twenty dollars, depending on your mileage. Additionally, there is the time saved to consider. It’s still very true that time is money, and even if you don’t have to leave your job to go shopping, you’re still spending time that could be used cleaning your attic or playing with your kids. A few clicks online can save you from a whole lot of time and stress spent at a crowded store, but with shipping discounts and gas prices figured in, you’re probably cost cutting too.