For many of us, the latter weeks of the year are when we do the bulk of our online spending. Whether you’re thrusting yourself into the madness of the Black Friday sales, making a last-minute dash to grab holiday gifts, or planning a trip to see friends and family, there’s a good chance that you’re not getting as much value for your money as you could be.
Like it or not, price discrimination does exist. Websites are tracking your activities and will use your data against you, charging what they believe you’re willing to pay. Thankfully, with the help of a virtual private network, you can circumvent this kind of issue and avail of the best possible prices to make your money go further.
Here are some key ways that you can use a VPN to get more bang for your buck.
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Hotel reservations
Booking a hotel can be a completely different experience when using a VPN. Hotels and price comparison websites for accommodation often base their prices on your location, among other factors. This means that you may be getting a raw deal based on where you’re searching from.
Search the hotel where you want to book, then connect to your PIA VPN and search a second time, and there is a good chance that the price will vary. Moreover, some sites offer location-based discounts, which means that your VPN could net you a saving on two counts when booking accommodation.
For best results, it’s best to clear cookies and use private browsing as well.
Air Travel
One could be forgiven for assuming that prices are universal when traveling internationally, but the truth is that they’re not. Airline fares can fluctuate wildly depending on a wide variety of variables, chief among them being customer interest.
When planning your air travel, you might like to double-check and triple-check all of the details before making payments, as many do. However, companies can see when you’re doing this and they will raise their prices to meet your perceived interest.
Private Internet Access VPN is a game changer in this instance because it allows you to visit these websites as many times as you like without them catching on. Just remember to clear cookies and log out of any accounts you might have!
Additionally, PIA VPN can help you to get even better deals than might otherwise be available to you. Airlines often charge less for tickets in countries with lower average incomes, for instance, so using your VPN to spoof your location can help you to get the same ticket for a much lower price.
Retail shopping
Many of the biggest online retailers use pricing practices that you likely haven’t even noticed, dynamic pricing being one. This is when companies change their prices based on variables such as time or demand, which means that the price you can get now might not be the same in an hour or two. The main trouble with dynamic pricing is that it takes user data into account, so it’s bad luck for you if you happen to visit while prices are up.
Using a PIA VPN can help you to remain anonymous when you visit such sites, meaning that you can check back repeatedly and potentially benefit from a price drop.
Similarly, in cases where sites offer one-time-only incentives or offers, a VPN may be able to help you conceal your identity and avail of such offers more than once.
Choosing your VPN
When choosing a VPN, you’ll want to consider a variety of factors, such as speed and subscription price, for instance. However, when specifically aiming to save money online, your main concerns should be security, privacy, server locations, and transparency.
A VPN that performs well in all of the above is Private Internet Access, or PIA VPN. PIA is a premium VPN which boasts fast speeds and highly competitive pricing and has servers in over 84 countries worldwide. That means that with PIA, you have access to a wide variety of locations from which to check online prices.
Most importantly, however, PIA is secure and transparent. It is an open-source application that uses WireGuard® and OpenVPN protocols, so it provides high security. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, it maintains an independently-verified no-log policy. That means it doesn’t collect any data that you send across a network, giving you anonymity in the truest sense.
Above all else, VPN users want security, anonymity, and transparency, especially when making online purchases. PIA VPN provides all three in spades, making it an easy option to recommend.
Conclusion
The world of e-commerce has become extremely opaque and difficult for consumers to navigate effectively. With online stores tracking your online activities, it is increasingly difficult to avail of the most competitive prices. However, a VPN can help you to level the playing field.
By using a virtual private network that combines security, transparency, and true anonymity, you can fly under the radar of e-commerce websites, protecting your personal privacy while you take advantage of the best deals on offer.
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