Discount Calculator
Calculate sale prices, discounts, and savings instantly. Perfect for shopping, sales, and pricing decisions.
Enter the original price and discount percentage to see how much you'll pay.
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What is a Discount?
A discount is simply a reduction in the original price of something. When a store says "20% off," they're saying you pay 80% of the original price.
Think of it this way: if a $100 item is 20% off, you're getting $20 taken off the price, so you pay $80.
The basic formula is:
- Sale Price = Original Price × (1 - Discount%/100)
How to Calculate Discounts
There are three common discount scenarios:
1. Finding the Sale Price You know the original price and discount percentage.
- Original: $80, Discount: 25%
- Discount amount: $80 × 0.25 = $20
- Sale price: $80 - $20 = $60
2. Finding the Discount Percentage You see both the original and sale price.
- Original: $80, Sale: $60
- Savings: $80 - $60 = $20
- Discount: ($20 ÷ $80) × 100 = 25%
3. Finding the Original Price You see the sale price and discount percentage.
- Sale: $60, Discount: 25%
- Original: $60 ÷ (1 - 0.25) = $60 ÷ 0.75 = $80
When comparing deals, always calculate the price per unit or the actual discount percentage - not just the dollar amount saved. A $10 discount on a $20 item (50% off) is a better deal than $10 off a $100 item (10% off).
Common Discount Scenarios
Retail Sales
- 10% off: You pay 90% of the price
- 20% off: You pay 80% of the price
- 25% off: You pay 75% of the price (1/4 off)
- 33% off: You pay 67% of the price (1/3 off)
- 50% off: You pay 50% of the price (half price)
- 75% off: You pay 25% of the price (1/4 of original)
Quick Mental Math Tips
- 10% off: Just move the decimal one place left ($150 → $15 off)
- 20% off: Calculate 10%, then double it ($150 → $15 → $30 off)
- 25% off: Divide by 4 ($100 → $25 off)
- 50% off: Divide by 2 ($80 → $40 off)
Understanding Stacked Discounts
Sometimes you see "Extra 20% off sale prices!" This is called a stacked discount.
Example:
- Original price: $100
- First discount: 30% off → $70
- Extra discount: 20% off the sale price → $70 × 0.80 = $56
Stacked discounts don't add up the way you might think! A 30% discount plus an extra 20% is NOT 50% off. In our example, the total discount is actually 44% ($100 to $56).
The formula for stacked discounts: Final Price = Original × (1 - First%) × (1 - Second%)
Is It Really a Good Deal?
Before jumping on a "great deal," ask yourself:
1. Do I actually need this? A 50% discount on something you don't need is still 50% wasted money.
2. What's the price per use? A $200 jacket worn 100 times = $2 per use A $50 jacket worn 5 times = $10 per use
3. Is the "original price" real? Some stores inflate original prices before sales. Check price history on sites like CamelCamelCamel (for Amazon) or just pay attention to prices before sales.
4. Compare across stores A "40% off" price might still be higher than the regular price at another store.
The Psychology of Discounts
Stores use discounts strategically. Here's what to watch for:
🧠 The Anchoring Effect
Seeing "$200 $300" makes $200 feel like a bargain, even if $200 is a fair price.
🧠 Odd Pricing $9.99 feels significantly cheaper than $10.00 even though it's just 1 cent less.
🧠 Limited Time Pressure "Sale ends tonight!" creates urgency that can lead to impulse purchases.
🧠 Bundle Discounts "Buy 2, get 1 free" sounds great, but you might not have needed 3 items.
Smart Shopping Tips
1. Set a budget before looking at sales Decide what you're willing to spend before you see the discounts.
2. Calculate the real savings Use this calculator to know exactly what you're saving.
3. Wait for major sales Black Friday, end-of-season sales, and Prime Day often have the deepest discounts.
4. Use price tracking tools Browser extensions can show you price history and alert you to genuine deals.
5. Consider the full cost Factor in shipping, taxes, and whether you'll actually use the item.
6. Sleep on big purchases If it's not urgent, wait 24 hours. If you still want it tomorrow, it's probably a good buy.