10 Budget-Smart Tips to Save Money
Posted by kim on November 10, 2009
Excepts from All You Magazine’s Life Guide (November 20, 2009 issue) by Gillian Aldrich
Go online to save money this season. You know shopping online is convenient, but you might be surprised at the many ways the Web can help you spend less. You just have to know the right sites to make shopping pay off. With this guide, you can have money and time left over to savor the season.
1. Make a Budget
Before you start shopping, decide what you can afford to spend. Then list all the people you purchase gifts for and assign a dollar amount to each. OrganizedChristmas.com has a free downloadable budget form that lets you track your holiday expenses (including nongift expenses, such as food and cards).
2. Make a Deal on a Gift Card
To nab an easy bargain, buy discounted gift cards for stores you frequent during the holidays. Check in regularly at PlasticJungle.com, where you can buy a verified gift card at a discount (up to 40% off). If you have an old care you don’t want, you can sell or swap it on the site as well. Personally, I’ve found some great gift card deals on Ebay.com.
3. Get Cash Back
You can shop through a rebate or cash-back site, such as Cashbaq.com or Ebates.com which refunds a percentage of your purchase.
4. Use Shopping Bots
Net bots, such as Bizrate.com, compare and sort prices, including taxes and shipping, on items from thousands of online merchants.
5. Get Coupons and Codes
Don’t click “buy” until you’ve searched for a discount coupon code or free shipping code. Also look for printable coupons that work in retail stores.
6. Receive the Latest Scoop
Sign up for your favorite store’s email newsletters and you’ll be ready to pounce the moment your item is marked down.
7. Buy on Layaway
With people unwilling to put more on their credit cards, this thrifty practice from the 1950s is making a comeback. Unlike credit cards, the idea of layaway is to pay off the merchandise in installments before you take it home. See something you like at Kmart but can’t afford it right now? Put a down payment on through Kmart’s layaway program, make biweekly payments in the store and take it home at the end of eight weeks. The only interest you’ll pay is a $5 fee. Sears has a similar program.
8. Send E-Cards
Used to laying out upward of $50 on your holiday cards? Send out free e-cards!
9. Shop Early
For the best online sales of the season, they suggest to do most of your shopping on Cyber Monday, November 30th. I personally suggest shopping online Black Friday to avoid the crowds, as most online stores will have the same sales that they have offline.
10. Pay with Cash
Don’t want to share your credit card number? eBillme is a payment system that allows you to shop online that various participating stores without using a credit card. Amazon.com also accepts payments directly from your bank well. And with a PayPal account you can buy at many websites.
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$73.48 Lowe's Gift Card (Merchandise Credit) US $65.06 (12 Bids) Auction Ends: Saturday Mar-20-2010 23:00:56 PDT | Watch this Item |
