Discount Calculator
Sale Price
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You Save
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Discount
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You Save
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What is a Discount Calculator?
A discount calculator works in two directions: given a price and a discount percentage, it returns the sale price and how much you save. Or given an original price and a sale price, it tells you what percentage was taken off. Useful for shopping, sales, and pricing decisions.
How It Works
Example
A jacket is originally $120 and is on sale for 30% off.
- Savings: $120 x 0.30 = $36.00
- Sale price: $120 - $36 = $84.00
Tips
- For stacked discounts, do not add the percentages. Apply them one at a time: 20% off then 10% off a $100 item is $72, not $70.
- To quickly estimate 10% off, move the decimal one place left and subtract from the price.
- Watch for "up to X% off" wording. The highest discount may only apply to select items.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the original price from a discounted price?
Divide the sale price by (1 minus the discount rate as a decimal). If an item is $75 after a 25% discount: $75 / 0.75 = $100 original price.
Do stacked discounts add up?
No. A 20% discount followed by a 10% discount is not 30% off. Each discount applies to the already-reduced price, so the combined effect is less than the sum of both percentages.
What is a good discount percentage?
For regular retail sales, 10-30% is common. Clearance items often go 40-70% off. Anything advertised as over 70% off is worth verifying the original price, as it may have been inflated before the discount was applied.
How do I add tax to a discounted price?
Calculate the sale price first, then apply tax to that figure. If an item is $84 after a discount and sales tax is 8%: $84 x 1.08 = $90.72 total.