Discount Calculator

How It Works

1. 1

   Enter the original price

   Type the item's original price. Choose between percentage discount (% off) or dollar discount ($ off) mode.

2. 2

   Set the discount amount

   Enter the discount percentage or dollar amount. The calculator instantly shows savings and final price.

3. 3

   Compare deals

   Switch between modes to compare different discount offers. See the effective savings percentage.

How Discounts Are Calculated

Discounts are the most common price adjustment consumers encounter. A percentage discount is calculated by multiplying the original price by the discount rate: 25% off $80 means $80 × 0.25 = $20 savings, final price $60. The 'Rule of 100' from marketing psychology suggests that percentage discounts feel larger for items under $100, while dollar amounts feel larger for items over $100. Our calculator supports both percentage-off and dollar-off modes, instantly showing the discount amount, final price, and effective savings percentage. This makes it useful for comparing deals across stores and evaluating coupon values.

Common pitfalls

• Stacked discounts do not add. 30% off followed by 20% off is not 50%. The math is 0.7 x 0.8 = 0.56, a 44% total discount. A $100 item ends at $56, not $50.

• 'Up to X% off' is a ceiling, not the storewide rate. A sale advertised as 'up to 70% off' usually means one item in the back is 70% off and the rest are 10-20%. Read the tag, not the banner.

• BOGO 50% off equals 25% off the total only when you buy exactly two equal items. Buy one at $100, second at $50 is $150 for $200 of merchandise. If you only needed the first item, you paid full price.

• Returns refund the price you paid, not the current price. Return a $50 item bought on a 50% sale during a 70% markdown and the refund is $50, not the new sale price. Some stores issue store credit at a different rate at clerk discretion.

• Coupon stacking rules vary by retailer. Target and CVS publish formal policies (one manufacturer coupon plus one store coupon per item); many grocery chains have no written rule and enforce one-per-transaction. Check before the register.

Frequently Asked Questions

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