Find the sale price after any percentage discount. See how much you save instantly.
Black Friday: 20-50% off most items
End of season: 30-70% off clothing and accessories
Back to school: 10-25% off electronics and supplies
Flash sales: 15-40% off, limited time
When stacking a 20% then 10% discount, you do NOT get 30% off. First take 20% off: $100 → $80. Then 10% off $80 → $72. That is effectively 28% off the original price.
To calculate a discount, multiply the original price by the discount percentage as a decimal, then subtract from the original price. For example, 30% off a $80 item: $80 × 0.30 = $24 discount, so the sale price is $80 − $24 = $56. Alternatively, multiply the original price by (1 − discount/100): $80 × 0.70 = $56.
When stacking multiple discounts, apply them sequentially — not by adding the percentages. A 20% discount followed by an additional 10% off does NOT equal 30% off. Instead: $100 × 0.80 = $80, then $80 × 0.90 = $72. The combined effect is 28% off, not 30%.
To find the original price from a sale price, divide the sale price by (1 − discount/100). If something costs $56 after a 30% discount: $56 ÷ 0.70 = $80 original price.
Compare the percentage discount to the dollar amount to determine which deal is better. On a $50 item, 20% off ($10 savings) may be worse than a flat $15 coupon. Always do the math before assuming one deal is better than another.
Watch for inflated "original prices." Some retailers raise prices before a sale to make the discount appear larger. Compare prices across multiple stores and use price tracking tools to see historical pricing.
Stack discounts strategically: apply percentage discounts first (they reduce the base), then use fixed-amount coupons on the reduced price. Many stores allow combining a sale price with a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon for triple savings.