Using the Amazon Wish List Feature to Save Money

At the moment, there are three things that I am hoping to buy soon. The first two are books and the third is a top-of-the-line bread machine. Before I make any of these purchases, though, I want to make sure that I get the lowest prices possible. One way I am doing this is by taking advantage of the wish list feature on Amazon.com. How can the wish list feature help me save money on my wants? Well, it is simple. After doing my research, I found that Amazon.com had the lowest prices on the three items I would like … Continue reading →

Whew, I Almost Bought That! A Tip to Avoid Impulse Buying

I’ve got to stop checking my Facebook news feed, not because I have been spending too much time being distracted (although that is probably somewhat true), but because I keep seeing all of these special offers, such as the Amazon.com Lightening Deals (“liking” your favorite store pages is one way to see exclusive deals this holiday season). Yesterday I almost grabbed one. I actually added it to my cart. With one click, Amazon would have happily wrapped the thing up in the smiley box and send it straight to my door. It was a popular video game that I knew … Continue reading →

Shipping Your Christmas Gifts for Free

I love shopping online for Christmas gift because it is so convenient. I can do my research, shop at different stores, find all of the deals and never have to deal with cranky kids and crowded stores. Well, at least if the kids get cranky, I can give them a snack and send them down to the playroom, something I can’t so when I shop at the actual retail stores. There is one thing that I don’t like about buying Christmas gifts online and that is the shipping costs that may be associated with them. Of course there are ways … Continue reading →

Groupon’s New VIP Program

You know about Groupon, the daily deals site that helps you save money by offering coupons or deals on your favorite places while encouraging you to try new business with, yes, more deals. You sign up with Groupon and then check you email box for offers. You might get $40 worth of food at your favorite restaurant for only $20. Or perhaps you can get your hair cut at a new salon for 60 percent off. There are some issues with Groupon. You may miss out on a deal, especially if you aren’t checkin your email every fifteen minutes, such … Continue reading →

Beware of Sneaky Up-Sell Practices

Sears made the news after a well-known consumer advocate spotted a sneaky up-sell policy that has been in place this holiday season, potentially causing hundreds of consumer to overpay up to $550 on their appliances. Edgar Dworksy went on to Sears.com to purchase a refrigerator and take advantage of the Black Friday Deals. Unfortunately, after putting the item in his online cart, Sears added another item: a $469 service contract that Dworsky never authorized. If he wasn’t such a careful consumer, he might have gone ahead and checked out, completing the transaction with the added charge. How many of us, … Continue reading →

Free Amazon Prime Trail Membership

In a recent article, Tips for buying at Amazon.com, I mentioned that I sometimes purchase the Amazon Prime membership. Amazon Prime membership allows you to get free two day shipping, no matter how small your purchase is. Considering that the yearly subscription is $79.00, if you are a regular Amazon shopper and hate waiting for packages, it might be worth it to get the free trial. There freebies with Amazon Prime are: One day (overnight) shipping for $3.99 Free standard shipping No more worrying about shipping charges at all (unless you purchase from a private Amazon vendor) see the disclaimer … Continue reading →

Tips for Shopping at Amazon.com

Amazon.com is a frugal person’s paradise, especially when you are in the market for school books or Christmas presents. Their second-hand market is comparable to Ebay prices and if a sale does not go the way you think it should, Amazon.com is glad to run interference… unlike eBay. When there is an item I need to buy and did not pay full price I find that my search often ends at Amazon. From vitamins, to hair oils, to homeschool supplies, and electronics. I have even purchased dressy clothes and formal wear. You can’t go wrong with Amazon.com if you know … Continue reading →

Dust Free Thrift Store Shopping

Considering how good deals are at thrift stores, you would think I would shop there, but alas, my dust allergy keeps me away. I do manage to go in anyway a few times a year as I can’t help but purchase books there anyway, it is definitely worth to pain. But when I do, I have to deal with a rash that forms across my jaw (where I touch my face alot) and I also have do suffer through a couple of days of coughing and sneezing. This is why I tend to avoid the thrift store and shop at … Continue reading →

Tips for Craigslist 2

Last time I spoke a little bit about Craigslist and how it is a great resource for buying items for less than the normal retail cost. We did wind up buying a large wooden swingset this past weekend, thanks to Craigslist, and we have purchased several other items in the past this way. We have also sold some items on Craigslist, and it has been pretty worthwhile. Here are more tips for Craigslist, this time will concentrate on using it to get rid of your unwanted items. Put up good inventory and be honest. While it has been my experience … Continue reading →

How to Get the Best Price When Shopping Online

If you do a lot of online shopping, or even any online shopping, you’ll definitely want to pay attention to this post. Did you know that you may not be getting the absolutely best price on your products? Forget coupons and coupons codes, although those certainly help to bring prices down. Instead, I am talking about a practice called “Dynamic Pricing,” in which who you are may affect what price you are being given on a product. Hotels and travel agents have been practicing dynamic pricing for years. Certain customers get certain rates, while other get the average or even … Continue reading →