How to Calculate a Discount and Sale Price
Updated June 2026
Find the sale price & savings.
"30% off" sounds great, but what do you actually pay? Here's how to find the savings, the sale price, and even the original price.
The savings
Savings = Price × (Percent off ÷ 100)
Example: 30% off a $80 jacket = 80 × 0.30 = $24 saved.
The sale price
Sale price = Price − Savings
So the jacket costs 80 − 24 = $56. Shortcut: pay (100 − 30) = 70% of the price → 80 × 0.70 = $56.
Stacked discounts
"30% off, then an extra 20%" is not 50% off. Apply them one at a time: $80 → $56 (30% off) → $44.80 (another 20% off). Stacked percentages always come out higher than adding them up.
Finding the original price
Original = Sale price ÷ (1 − Percent off ÷ 100)
If you paid $56 after 30% off: 56 ÷ 0.70 = $80 original.
Find the sale price & savings.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate 20% off?
Multiply the price by 0.20 to get the savings, or by 0.80 to get the price you pay directly.
Are two stacked discounts the same as adding them?
No. 30% then 20% off equals 44% off total, not 50% — each discount applies to the already-reduced price.