How to use the spend more save more calculator
- Enter the subtotal of your basket.
- List the discount tiers, one per line, as a threshold and a percent or dollar amount off.
- Enter the share of any extra items that you would have bought anyway.
- Read the cost of each tier compared with staying where you are, and the best move.
Formula
Extra spend for a tier = threshold - subtotal, when the threshold is higher
You pay = new subtotal - the discount of the best tier reached
Net change = you pay at the tier - you pay now - share you would buy anyway x extra spend
A negative net change means the tier leaves you better off. A positive one means it costs you more than it saves.
An $80 basket with a 15% discount at $100
You need $20 more to reach $100. The discount takes 15% off, so you pay $85 instead of the $80 you pay now: $5 more at the till for $20 more goods. If none of the extra goods are things you would buy anyway, the tier costs you $5 and is not worth it.
If you would have bought all of the extra items soon, the extra spend is not a loss. The net change becomes $5 - $20 = -$15, a saving of $15. With a second tier of 20% off at $150, you would pay $120, which is $40 more than now, and the net change for that tier is $40 - $70 = -$30 if all the extras are wanted.
The trap in a discount tier
A discount of 15% sounds like a bargain, but it applies to a bigger basket. If you add $20 of items to save 15% of $100, you save $15 and spend $20 more than before, so your bill rises by $5. A tier only saves money when the extra goods are things you really need, or when the discount is large compared with the top-up you must make.
The share of extra spend you would buy anyway is the honest part of the comparison. Be careful when you set it, because items that are cheap but not needed are the easiest way to overspend.
Related checks
Shipping, tax and returns are not part of this comparison. A free shipping minimum is a similar threshold, which the Free Shipping Threshold Calculator handles. For a single discount see the Discount Calculator, to compare a coupon with a percent-off offer the Coupon vs Percent Off Calculator, and to compare the price of the extra items the Unit Price Calculator.
Assumptions and limits
- Only the best tier already reached applies, and discounts do not add together.
- A dollar discount is never more than the basket.
- The figures shown are examples. Use the tiers from your own cart.
- Tax, shipping and returns are not included.
Frequently asked questions
What does the share I would buy anyway do?
It takes that share of the extra spend off the net cost, because you would have paid for those items later. Zero treats every extra dollar as a loss.
What does Stay at mean in the result?
No tier makes you better off after the extra spend, so the best move is to keep your basket as it is.
Can a tier I already reached be listed?
Yes. It shows no extra spend, and the table compares it with the other tiers you have not reached.
How do I enter a dollar amount off?
Write the threshold, a comma, then a dollar sign and the amount, for example 100, $12.