Posted by admin on December 15, 2008 · Leave a Comment
The current economy is meaning big savings for consumers. This has a lot of people watching the stores for ads and sale days, and waiting to buy the items they want on sale. This is a great idea, but watch out, because the stores know that you are looking to save money, and they are all juggling their sales so quickly, while altering their prices, that a savings may not really be a savings at all.
Let me sight an example. Recently I received an e-mail from a popular clothing store that usually charges a lot for their clothing. The sale e-mail said it was 30% off of everything, including clearance stuff, which we all know is unheard of. Also, shipping was free over $100.00 so I took advantage of the sale and placed an order for some great items. One of the things I bought was boys shirts, which were on sale for 2 for $30.00 and then I got an additional 30% off, which made these shirts about $10 a piece. I placed my order and not 24 hours later, I received an e-mail telling me that they now had everything 50% off, so I really thought I had been had. I went back online to look at these shirts that I had purchased the day before, and they were now priced at $34.50 per shirt and so with 50% they would cost me $17.25 per shirt, a good $7 more than I had spent. I was relieved, but this just goes to show you that a sale, may or may not really be a sale.
It is important to shop around and even re-shop the same stores over and over again to insure that the deal you are getting is really a deal. Realize the consumers are looking for the deals, and so the stores may make you think that you are getting one, even when you aren’t. Shop wisely and you will see that there really are some great deals out there, but don’t be fooled by the make-believe deals that some stores are putting out.
Filed under spending · Tagged with big savings, consumers, current economy, deals, economy, on sale, prices, sale, sales, save money, savings, shop, shop around, shop wisely, stores
Posted by admin on October 13, 2008 · Leave a Comment
I have always loved the holidays. Always a fun and exciting time of year filled with hustle and bustle. Some years, though, have been more difficult than others. Many years, we didn’t really have enough money for Christmas gifts, and it put a lot of added stress on us. The years had more and didn’t have to go into hock to make a Merry Christmas were also a lot nicer. I didn’t have to worry about what I would get everyone, I could relax and shop early and get whatever I idea came into my head for that special person. On years when I didn’t have enough money I would stress and by the time Christmas day would roll around, I would be completely broke and miserable knowing that I spent money that I didn’t have to get through it. This year, I think that with the economy where it is, we all need to take a few steps back and really look at how much money we are spending on Christmas. There is nothing fun about buying gifts and then stressing about how to pay for them. I know I wouldn’t want to think that anyone was getting stressed about a present that they bought me and really couldn’t afford, the gifts are not that important but the people are. It is a great time of year to acknowledge people, but you have to make practical choices and shop for the deals. There are a lot of good bargains out there and a lot of really creative ways to give exciting gifts without spending too much money. This year, let’s all be smart and limit our spending of dollars and just spend time with the ones we love instead. It is more important than ever to realize that the material stuff is just stuff. Let’s not buy into the madness that the local businesses perpetuate, let’s take a step back and just enjoy the holidays and not go broke in the process, after all you don’t want to end up in the same financial state as our government do you?
Filed under cutting back, Debt · Tagged with acknowledge people, afford, bargains, broke, bustle, Christmas, Christmas day, couldn't afford, deals, dollars, enjoy the holidays, enough money, exciting gifts, exciting time of year, financial state, gifts, good bargains, government, holidays, hustle, limit our spending, Merry Christmas, money, money for Christmas, present, shop early, shop for the deals, spending on Christmas, spending too much, spent money, stress, stressed