Parcel planning · Coupons
Compare the final cost of offers
"Save 15%" and "save $30" are not comparable until both are converted into the same thing: what leaves your account. That takes three columns and about a minute per offer.
On this page
Three columns to compare
Pre-discount total is the sum of your verified rows, before any code. Spend to qualify is what you must add to clear a threshold, not what the offer is worth. Post-discount total is the amount you would actually pay, including shipping, minus only the discounts you have confirmed apply.
Keep the three values separate in the file. Collapsing them into a single "best price" cell hides the part that changes your behavior: the middle column.
Fixed amount versus percentage
| Line | Fixed $30 off | 15% off |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-discount total | $300.00 | $300.00 |
| Discount applied | $30.00 | $45.00 |
| Post-discount items | $270.00 | $255.00 |
| Shipping (same estimate) | $28.00 | $28.00 |
| Total | $298.00 | $283.00 |
At this cart value the percentage offer wins by $15.00. Change the cart to $120.00 and the same percentage yields $18.00 while the fixed offer stays at $30.00 — so the fixed offer wins. There is no universally better type; the crossover point is arithmetic, not opinion.
Verify caps before you calculate. Many percentage offers have a maximum discount amount, which changes the crossover entirely.
Threshold spend is a purchase
If an offer requires $250.00 and your verified rows total $210.00, you would add $40.00 of goods to receive a discount. Whether that is worth it depends on the goods, not the discount.
- List the $40.00 as an actual purchase in the items block, not as a saving.
- Check whether the added items change parcel weight or dimensions enough to raise shipping.
- Note whether the threshold is measured before or after other discounts.
Do not write "net save" in the sheet. Write "spent $40.00 to unlock a $30.00 discount" and let the two numbers stay visible.
Shipping discounts and stacking
A shipping discount reduces the shipping block, not the items block. Adding it to an item discount produces a total that looks better than anything you will be charged. Keep one row for item-level discounts and another for shipping-level discounts, then sum them at the bottom.
Stacking eligibility must come from the offer's own terms. If the page does not state that two offers combine, record them as mutually exclusive until you see the checkout total confirm otherwise. A checkout total is the strongest evidence available, and it still deserves a dated note.
Coupon conditions themselves belong in the conditions record, and the resulting amounts belong in the budget structure. At review time, the quarterly refresh is where expired offers get removed instead of quietly inflating old totals.
One closing habit: when the order is placed, replace the estimate column with the charged amount and keep both. The difference between the two is your real discount, and it is frequently smaller than the headline figure.
Back to hipobuy spreadsheet