Fabulous Financials

I received a book, titled “Good Deals & Smart Steals” written by the experts of Good Housekeeping Research Institute. The back cover summarizes the book as follows:

“Whether you want to cut back on expenses or simply love a great bargain, Good Deals & Smart Steals will show you how to get what you want for less – without sacrificing quality. Reap big rewards while living well with hundreds of money saving tips…”

The book is meant to be a guide that shows you “how to save money on everything” and targeted to consumers who are on a tight budget, want to cut back on expenses, or those who simply love a bargain. I’m a snug fit into the latter group so I decided to give it a look-see. As a savvy bargain shopper, I didn’t find anything earth-shattering or new, but I did tab a few pages of interesting tidbits to share.  From the people at Good Housekeeping, here are a few shopping strategies:

Stacking

Get a lower price buy combining coupons, rebates, sales, and other discounts at the same time. For ex: join the store’s mailer list to receive coupons, shop on ‘one day only’ sales, research to see if the item has a rebate, then use a cash back credit card or website (ebates.com), and save on shipping by ordering online and shipping to the store.

Retail Store Shopping Tips

• Find deals with an online shopper that shops over 250 designers/stores for you.  You can tailor the search to your preference of item(s), store, brand name, size, price, % off, etc. and receive email alerts (daily or weekly) when the “shopper” finds items that meet your criteria. I use this site and I love it, so email me for a referral link.
• Always review the clearance page of your favorite online retailers.
• Always ask for a price adjustment if the price changes a few days later.
• Find bargains with pricegrabber.com and nexttag.com - both offers coupons, rebates, email price alerts, and price histories to show you how much the item has been discounted already.

Online Shopping

• Pay with a credit card. Your debit card doesn’t protect you if the website goes under. With a cc, you may get your money back.
• Only shop at secure sites. Look for the locked padlock.
• Always do a Google search when something needs repair or isn’t working properly. You may be able to fix it yourself or find that a small piece needs replacing, rather than the entire item.

Bargain Shopping

• Buy cleaning supplies and package goods from dollar stores. Their low operating costs and shelves filled with overstocked items keep prices low:
  • dollargeneral.com
  • dollartree.com
  • familydollar.com
• Don’t forget the $1 spot at Target. The items are changed every 6-8 weeks, so keep an eye out.
• When shopping wholesale, buy in bulk with a friend.
• Shop yard sales and flea markets early in the morning before items are picked over or late in the day when prices have dropped. Search for off season items.
• Get rid of things you don’t want or get things you need at these places:
  • Freecylce.org
  • Earth911.org

Shopping at Auctions

• Items to be cautious about when buying from an online auction:
  • Makeup - bacteria
  • Designer bags – not the real thing
  • Cribs and bike helmets – safety issues
  • Laptops – prices already low
  • DVD players and other electronics – may not work
• Federal government agencies auction seized items:
  • pages.ebay.com/promo/ups.html
  • ustreas.gov/auctions
  • usdoj.gov/marshals
  • usa.gov/shopping

Good Deals Around the House

• Compact fluorescent bulbs are more expensive but they last 10x longer and are 4x more efficient than regular incandescent bulbs.
• Buy carpet remnants and have them bound to make your own area rug.
• Check out government auctions for seized or abandoned furniture at government-auctions-guide.com
• Buy quality furniture that will last, it’s less expensive in the long run.
• If the item you want has a scratch or small imperfection, always ask for a discount.
• Free furniture can be found on freecylce.com or craigslist.org.
• When shopping for bed linens, don’t spend a lot on high thread count, the type of cotton used is more important than thread count: better cottons are Egyptian, supima, and pima – all are good quality and will last.
• Never buy a used mattress, you don’t know the quality you are getting.
• The best all purpose cleaner to clean stains, scuffs and surfaces: baking soda.
• Ask your electric/gas company for an energy audit, often for free. Your carrier can check seals around doors and windows, inspect appliances, and let you know what can be fixed to save on utility.
• Ask your water company for a free water use audit to help detect leaks.
• Use a caulk gun to fill cracks and gaps around your house.

Caring for Pets

• Never miss a wellness pet check up – preventative care saves money.
• Visit pets911.com to find a clinic that may be cheaper than a vet.
• Other cost savings topics are where to buy pet Rx, when to get pet insurance, types of pet food, and when/where to buy pet toys.

Big Ticket Items

• When to repair or replace appliances? When the estimated repair bill is 40-50% the cost of buying a new one, including delivery and installation.
• When buying a new washing machine, stick to white. The fancy color adds to the price, not the quality. Front load uses less water, detergent, and energy than top load washers. If buying a top load, search for one without an agitator because they use less water and less detergent.
• When buying a new dryer, stick to the basics. The bells and whistles don’t add much to the drying quality. Always use the auto drying option.
• Shop for TVs in the spring and buy last year’s model on sale before the new ones begin to fill the shelves. Don’t pay for fancy features if you don’t plan to use them (i.e. surround sound, built in dvd, etc.).
• Other tips include buying DVD players, stereo receivers and mp3 players, as well as computers and printers. Did you know laptops use less power than desktops?
• How to dispose of old computers:
  • Trade it in for a new one: dell, hp, and gateway has a trade option
  • Recycle it, dell or hp will come to your house to get it
  • Sell it, computer stores buy old computers
  • Donate it to charity

Food

• Save Money:
  • Clip coupons
  • Plan your meals
  • Shop with a list
  • Become a member of your favorite store and use the savings card
• Smart Shopping:
  • Compare unit price, not just total price
  • Stock up on non-perishables when on sale
  • Buy fruits and veggies in season
  • Buy family packs of meat and separate into serving sizes
  • To help remember which products are on sale, put them together on the checkout counter so you can track the prices as they are being scanned
  • Give up bottled water, drink tap
  • Make your own tea
  • Prepare a meatless meal 1x per wk
  • Buy frozen concentrate OJ, it lasts longer than ready to serve b/c oxygen destroys the vitamin C
  • Buy frozen veggies in bag, they last longer than frozen veggies in box
• Saving When Dining Out:
  • drink tap
  • eat dessert at home
  • order an appetizer as a meal
  • order a meal and take half home for leftovers
  • buy discount certificates at restaurant.com
• The book also provides a list of budget friendly, money saving meals.

Fashion Savings Tips

• Visit unclaimedbaggage.com for a small selection of goods unclaimed at the airport.
• Shop at Plato’s Closet for your teen, they specialize in gently used trendy brands.
• Shop at salvation army, goodwill, and consignment shops to find nice clothes at a fraction of the price. Shop during a ‘bag sale’ when you can fill an entire shopping bag for a set amount.
• Learn the delivery schedule of your favorite retailers. Shop when seasons are changing. Shop off season for boots and sandals.
• Become familiar with the price of your favorite designer, outlet stores aren’t always a good deal

Makeup

• Use a q-tip to replace fancy makeup brushes
• The book explains how to repair broken lipstick

Other Cost Saving Topics

• How to make your ell phone battery last longer
• How to get out of your cell phone contract
• How to save on Rx and insurance plans
• How to save on entertainment and holiday supplies/events

Travel

• Hotel brokers can save up to 70% - usahotelguide.com
• Hostels are an inexpensive alternative – hiusa.org
• Search the internet for bargain airefare (kayak.com), sign up for email alerts so you’ll know when a price drops (farecompare.com).
• The best time to book a flight is Wednesday at 1am. Prices rise on Friday and head down on Wednesday at midnight.
• Always check the airline website before booking on a travel search engine.
• Find cruise bargains and helpful reviews at cruiseonly.com
• Travel to Orlando in early summer when temps are still pleasant and Disney is affordable
• Take a European vacation in April, May, or Sept – nice weather, fewer tourists, and lower fares.  Plus, Europeans vacay in Aug.
• Travel to Caribbean in May, its warm, rates are cheaper than winter, hurricane season doesn’t begin until June.
• Find last minute rentals and travel deals:
  • homeaway.com
  • homeexchange.com
  • intervac.com
  • lastminuteusvacations.com
  • search classifieds
  • call a local agent
  • vrbo.com – rental by owner site helps find a vacay home or condo
  • mobissimo.com
  • sidestep.com

Save Money on Cars, you’ll find tips on…

• buying a car (new or used)
• leasing a car
• finding the cheapest gas
• service maintenance (including “winterizing” your car)
• car insurance (deductibles, when to ask for discounts, when to drop comp/collision coverage, etc.)

This book is filled with conventional savings tips and cost cutting strategies. I wouldn’t call it a ‘must have’ for your home library, but it’s worth a scan (be prepared to jot down notes) if you find it in your local library.