A report has found that Friday is the optimal day for online shoppers to secure a discount.

• A recent report found that Fridays see the highest number of online shopping discounts.
• To maximize the benefits of deals while avoiding the dangers of overspending.

Indispensable as ever, coupons have evolved beyond Sunday circulars.

With the availability of online codes, browser extensions, and money-saving apps, finding significant discounts has become easier than ever. However, the quality of the deals still varies depending on the day.

A recent study by SimplyCodes found that Friday is the most advantageous day for consumers to save money while shopping online, based on an evaluation of coupon release patterns in marketing emails from 30,000 merchants between March and July.

As payday nears, there is a significant increase in coupon usage, particularly for women's clothing, skin care, and alcohol, according to SimplyCodes.

On Friday, the number of coupons released increases by 19%, making it the day with the highest percentage of coupon releases.

Beware of 'spaving'

The abundance of couponing opportunities, including "limited-time deals," "buy one, get one free," and free shipping, is almost overwhelming.

If you're not cautious, the allure of a great bargain can result in excessive spending and high-interest credit card debt, according to consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch.

The practice of overspending to save more in the long run is a common mistake.

Before making a purchase, Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst at DealNews.com, advises considering whether the deal is truly worth it.

Using a coupon code to lower the shipping cost to $1.99 may be more cost-effective than adding more items to your cart to reach a free shipping threshold, especially if you're already ordering items that are on sale and far from the threshold.

If you're stocking up and have a coupon for 25% off your total purchase, it may not be worth getting free shipping if the overall savings on your items make the shipping costs negligible, she added.

How to make the most of a deal, without spaving

Signing up for a store e-newsletter and mobile alerts or following brands and stores on social media can help you get a coupon for in-store or online savings, advised Woroch.

Using a price-tracking browser extension, such as CamelCamelCamel or Keepa, can help you monitor price changes and notify you when prices decrease.

Some stores allow the use of multiple coupons on the same order, including discounts, free shipping, or a free gift with purchase, according to Woroch.

Using a deal aggregator like CouponCabin.com or RetailMeNot, you can easily search for coupons by store name and quickly find deals.

The "rent-first" lifestyle is gaining popularity.

Woroch advised against overspending.

"To avoid impulse shopping, consider deleting shopping apps and unsubscribing from store newsletters," she advised.

Look for coupons only when needed with a browser plug-in like SideKick, which scans for applicable codes, advised Woroch.