Here's a little-known hack for nabbing holiday deals

Ti_ser | iStock/360 | Getty Images Feeling confident that you got the best deal on holiday purchases may be a little easier this year—if you start paying attention today. Why Oct. 30?

Several big players in the credit card industry—including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and Citibank—offer price matching as a perk to cardholders. In most programs, if you spot a lower

advertised price within 60 days of purchasing the item with that card, the issuer will refund you the difference. For purchases from Thursday on, that's a period that covers the gamut

of seasonal promotions, including both Black Friday week and a few post-Christmas sales. Read MoreAre you ready for the holiday sales rush? "It's a great benefit, because

regret's a horrible feeling," said Kevin Yuann, director of credit cards at NerdWallet.com. "No one likes to wake up the next day and realize something they just bought got

cheaper." Using the programs, a smart shopper could knock out their list with the first good deals they see, and file claims later for any better deals that come along—saving themselves

time and stretching their holiday budget. Citibank says under its Price Rewind program, which automatically tracks purchases that cardholders register, 1 in 4 purchases over $100 nabs a

price break. The average savings: $85. Some price-matching programs may even let shoppers enjoy Thanksgiving uninterrupted and sleep in on Black Friday. Both Discover and Citibank told

CNBC.com that their price-matching programs will cover many (but not all) Black Friday sales. A Discover spokeswoman said, "Sales that are advertised as occurring only until a specific

time and doorbusters are both eligible for Price Protection." Read MoreSavings tricks to bulk up your emergency fund Citibank's stance is new, as a result of a program overhaul

earlier this fall that also raised caps on price-match offers and eliminated the minimum price drop to file a claim. "Black Friday ... the day after Christmas, all those sales are now

eligible," said Ralph Andretta, head of product management at Citi Cards. MasterCard and Visa did not respond to requests for comment about how their programs would apply during Black

Friday and other holiday sales. Of course, there's plenty of fine print for shoppers to assess before they rely on cards' price protection to reap holiday savings. "The

challenge with it is, a lot of purchases aren't covered," said Yuann. "That would be something you'd want to know," he said. Read MoreHot toys your kids will want

this year Purchases made on debit cards and corporate cards usually aren't eligible. Issuers exclude certain items (such as jewelry or customized goods), purchase sources (like

international retailers and online auctions) and kinds of deals (like goods that come with free bonus items, going-out-of-business sales). They may also only match prices found at specific

online and bricks-and-mortar retailers. Citibank's program, for example, generally excludes items requiring a service contract, said Andretta. So a Black Friday cellphone doorbuster

wouldn't qualify, unless the deal didn't come bundled with a wireless plan. Cardholders should also pay attention to program caps, especially if there are several big-ticket items

on your list. MasterCard's program allows up to four claims per year, and a maximum $250 refund per claim. Discover and Citibank allow unlimited claims but have annual refund caps of

$2,500 and $1,200, respectively. Their per-claim refund maximums are $500 and $300, respectively. (Visa did not provide current information.) Read MoreRising credit card debt may dampen

holiday budgets Most programs require proof of the lower price in the form of a dated advertisement. You'll also need to hang on to your original receipt or register the purchase with

the issuer, and submit the price-match claim within a set period of buying the item or spotting the cheaper deal. Discover offers the longest window, giving cardholders up to 90 days after

purchase. The onus is generally on the consumer to find the cheaper price, so be sure to save weekly newspaper circulars and set up price-drop alerts on a site like CamelCamelCamel.com

(which tracks Amazon, specifically), TrackIf.com or Cartbound.com. Even with Citibank's program, which does the searching for you, it can pay to track prices on your own. Terms warn

that the program "does not guarantee that it tracks all retailers or that it will find the lowest advertised price." Andretta said consumers can submit their own claim if they find

a better price than the bank does.