Category: Shopping

I sometimes have said that you can blame Ralph Nader for all the mistrust people have in big business today. Those seeds were sewn a long time ago when Mr. Nader was a major factor in protecting consumer rights (you can check it out here if you’re too young to remember!). But whether you recall his consumer activism days or not, there were and still are some very good reasons to have mistrust even today. Advertisers often use misleading ads to separate you from your hard-earned cash.

We’ve all heard and seen those retail ads on TV and radio, in newspapers and magazines, or in our e-mail inboxes that make unbelievable claims and promises. Think phrases such as “it’s totally risk-free” or “thousands already saved on this amazing offer”. You know what I am talking about here. That too-good-to-be-true ad copy that frequently grabs your attention and makes claims that fundamentally and even deliberately mislead you! Continue reading

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Today was a pretty good day. In fact, any day when I save more than I spend, and spend almost nothing on top of it, is a good day. I make a lot of notes and save a lot of info every day that I can use to help save money on shopping and then I strike! Think of it like it is war and you will have a better understanding of how it makes me feel to win the money battle that we all have to fight. So when I tell you that today, I saved $148.21, I hope you get the same feeling that I have when we are winning the war!

Shopping, Like Any Battle, Starts With a Good Plan

As I said, I am always looking for deals, coupons, and specials that can help me save my money on the things I use. In retirement, it’s ultra-important and I have to admit I have the free time to check out all the possibilities. I haven’t exactly calculated how much impact all of my dedication has saved me for the entire year, but I can tell you that I have saved double-digits regularly on my monthly expenses because of it. If you can do even a little planning and fact finding, you will save like that too! Continue reading

I have been writing about back to school shopping for years now around this time of the summer and it is a subject that about a gazillion other bloggers chime in on too, so it must be a biggie! The challenge or chore of it all is a headache for some and a burden for others, but it doesn’t have to be that way if you choose to follow a bit of advice. Here is my very best effort at making the experience not only a money saving one, but as stress free and even as much fun as possible.

If your child is in his or her middle school years, you are probably a real veteran at BTS shopping and perhaps you think you have this routine “knocked” and you’re all set. But, and it’s a pretty big but, every year there are new players and rules to consider so it can’t hurt to review all of it before you venture out to actually do it! Plus, if your child is off to college for the first time, it’s on a whole different level.
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To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. – Ecclesiastes 3:1

You don’t need to be a Bible student to know that when it comes to shopping, seasonality is a big factor in the art of saving money and finding the very best deals. 4th of July sales are the perfect example of that situation and offer some of the best opportunities if you know what to look for and you have a real need! You already know that buying only based on your wants isn’t always a good move and buying a “bargain” that you might never actually use is downright foolish!

But, if your Independence Day plans include hitting up the malls or shopping online, get ready for what can be some of the best sales and celebrations of the year. Smartening up on what to buy (and not to buy) during the July and the summer sales and clearances will make the summer more fun and the outdoor party season much more enjoyable for you and your family! Continue reading

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I do love a deal. There, I said it, but by now it’s really not a secret, is it? If you are like me, a typical “bargain hunting” shopper, you probably have signed up for emails from some of your favorite online retailers like Staples, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl’s, and Walmart, etc. They are constantly sending offers like coupons and discounts on their latest promotions that you probably love just like I do. It can be a great way to find some online bargains, so long as you only use them when you need them.

Logically you think if you need clothes, check out the deals at Kohl’s, copy paper then look at Staples, and new cookware or a bathroom scale, Bed Bath & Beyond, right? But did you know the magical part of buying and selling online is that all of these retailers sell stuff you’d never guess they have and sometimes they are shockingly good deals! You’d never expect to get these bargains at these sites and that’s why today I am sharing with you some really surprising things that I have discovered! Continue reading

L.L. Bean has long been known for its lifetime return policy, which it ended just this past February. But don’t despair. The company is still offering an amazing policy that most people are pretty happy about! The store now offers a still-generous one-year window for returns.

L.L. Bean ended its legendary lifetime return policy to clamp down on customers who were taking advantage and using it to replace heavily worn products.

“Increasingly, a small, but growing number of customers have been interpreting our guarantee well beyond its original intent. Some view it as a lifetime product replacement program, expecting refunds for even heavily worn products used over many years,” the company wrote announcing the policy changes to customers.

I spent so many years (over 39!) in the retail environment that I can personally verify that some people out there do abuse return policies to the point that it has to be “built” into the retail price these days to cover for what stores must throw away that was returned for bogus reasons. Continue reading