This is a guest post by Alex, BargainBabe.com’s intern.
Recently we asked readers to fill out a short survey about BargainBabe.com. We got dozens of responses and thought you’d be interested to know how your answers matched up to everyone else’s.
- 85.2 percent of readers visit the site three or more times a week, and almost half of all readers visit once or more a day
- 56.3 percent rated the blog posts as Amazing, while another 40 percent said they were Average
- A whopping 83.3 percent come to BargainBabe.com for the coupons and discounts
- 72.6 percent were ‘Very Likely’ to tell your friends and family about BargainBabe.com. Great to hear, we hope they like it too!
On an open-ended question about how we can improve BargainBabe.com, 41 readers left suggestions, including:
If I could access it from work. I followed the babe from the Daily News which I could access from work.
Those pesky work filters. Many workplace networks put a block on all blogs and social media sites. BargainBabe.com doesn’t have a lot of pull with big corporate, but I still have a solution for you. If you use Google Reader, you should be able to read BargainBabe without issue. Just click the ‘Add a Subscription’ button at the top left of the page, and search for Bargain Babe.
Bring back some of the things you used to have when you worked for the daily news… like lincoln lunches and best deals around LA for holiday items (christmas trees, ham, turkeys etc)
Done. Lincoln Lunches have recently resurfaced and are featured on our sister site BargainBabeLa.com. And if you’re looking for the hottest deals in LA, you’ll find plenty while you’re there. New deals are posted daily. As for holiday items, can’t we wait until after Halloween?
I am still getting use to the new site. I had the Daily News one down. If it popped up as easily as the old Daily News, my ADAness would not kick in so quickly and I would stay and search longer.
The thing is, many readers of BargainBabe are just passing through. We want them to have a wealth of content right there and ready, so the front page always loads the last 15 blog posts. That’s a lot of content since they all have pictures. For the returning reader, this is way more than you need. Most of the stuff on the front page you already read in the last week right? For the new reader, we want you to really see the full spectrum of what BargainBabe is all about.
So that’s why BargainBabe.com might run a bit slow for you. As a solution I tried out this plugin for Firefox that blocks the display of images. It does seem to speed things up a little bit, but without images everything tends to lose its luster.
For those of you who missed the quick 5-question survey last week, click the monkey below to leave your two cents!
WalletPop has a fun video testing which dish washing method uses the least amount of water. The tester cleans dishes in a soapy basin, in a sink with running water, and in her dishwasher. The results surprised me!
Thanks, Scott!
Southwest’s fare sale has one way flights starting at $49. Sale ends Thur, Aug. 27, 2009.
Virgin America just announced their fall fare sale, with some routes $100 less than the nearest rival. A number of cross country routes from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Boston and New York are $109 each way. Wow!
Book immediately for the best flying times and prices.
Get a free drink on your birthday at Starbucks when you register your Gold card online.
Get 80 percent off gift certificates at Restaurant.com when you use code TASTE, good through Aug. 31, 2009. A $25 certificate is usually $10 on the site, with this code it makes them $2 each. Caveats: redeeming the certs can be tricky so read the fine print.
Get 20 percent off beauty items at CVS for a limited time, including make up, fragrances, skin care and more.
Get 30 percent off photobook orders over $100 at MyPublisher or 15 percent off orders over $50 with code AUGSAVE30. Expires Aug. 27, 2009.
Get free shipping on Big Lots’ Deal of the Day using code FSDD. Ends Aug. 29, 2009. Today’s deal of the day is an 8-piece tailgating set for $40, including two folding camping chairs, a side table with two embedded drink holders, a cooler and four insulated drink cozies.
If you are looking to buy an electronic gadget, computer or printer, check the coupons and deals at CheapStingyBargains.com before you buy. The site is constantly updated with as many as 100 new deals per day. Holy cow!
CheapStingyBargains.com has a special focus on Dell coupons and HP coupons, but features products and discounts from all kinds of brands and merchants like Wal-Mart, NewEgg and Amazon. The site’s Forum page has thousands of tips contributed by readers so you can find even more discounts there.
CheapStingyBargains also features deals on non-electronic items like pots, watches and magazines. If you sign up for their email newsletter by Sept. 1 and read it at least one a week you are automatically entered to win a $1,000 HP laptop.
Keep CheapStingyBargains in mind if you are in the market for back to school computers or when Christmas rolls around in a few months.
This is paid content. Interested in buying a sponsored post? Read my Advertise page.
A new friend shared a little known fact about shopping at Costco. Members can purchase Costco cash cards and give them to non-members. Recipients can get a free one-day membership to use the cash card on gas or warehouse items. The cards are also good online.
Cash cards make great gifts and they are useful for employees, students living away from home, and friends who are dying to buy 20 pounds of strawberries.
Costco’s page on cash cards lacks details but it may be possible for the recipient to re-load a card as long as they leave some money on it. It also looks like recipients can buy goods for more than the card is worth as long as they can pay for the remainder in cash.
It is unclear if a non-member who receives a Costco cash card is limited to a certain number of uses per year. I suppose if they start recognizing you, you’ll need to pony up $50 and get a membership. Otherwise, the usage guidelines are somewhat open to interpretation.
Thanks, Kim!
This week’s reader comment of the week comes from Jake, who was rather ticked off that I gushed about Hubby’s nearly free exchange of a broken Roomba vacuum cleaner for a brand spanking new one at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Jake’s take on Hubby’s actions:
This seems criminal to me. This isn’t far off from shoplifting. And it certainly is lying and cheating. This isn’t anything to be proud of in my opinion.
What is interesting is that the disagreement – was Hubby in the right or wrong to exchange the Roomba – comes down to interpreting the store’s return policy. Bed, Bath and Beyond has one of the most open-ended return policies I’ve ever seen. From their site:
Merchandise returns get you down? Not at Bed Bath & Beyond; we make it free and easy! You may return a purchase for a refund, merchandise credit, or exchange to any of our stores nationwide or to our returns processing center.
There is only one mention of needing a reason to return an item in the BB&B return policy. The store is bending over backwards to please shoppers. In other words, BB&B is a retail pushover. Again, from their site:
Please remember to bring the original packing invoice and the credit card used for purchase. Without the original packing invoice and your credit card, you may receive an exchange or merchandise credit.
This leeway means customers have a LOT of discretion in how to interpret the store’s return policy. Hubby interprets the policy to be that if he is not satisfied with a purchase he can return it. Jake has a more limited interpretation, though he did not specify his exact parameters.
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We started three coupon trains recently on BargainBabe.com, including one in Los Angeles (read my earlier post about coupon trains). I was skeptical that the benefits – saving money – would outweigh the time required to clip coupons, mail them onto the next person on the train, and remember to use the ones I pulled from the envelope sent to me.
My skepticism turns to delight when I received my first envelope – packed, just packed with coupons!!!
I took out six coupons totaling $5.75 and sent the rest onto the next person in the train with a few new coupons. The picture at right does not do justice to all the coupons I received in my train.
I put extra postage on the envelope to make sure it makes it to its next destination, but even with the $1.26 worth of stamps, I’ve come out ahead. The time required was minimal – clipping coupons only took a few minutes.
Want to join a coupon train? Just find a few friends who want to share coupons in the mail.
I’m taking the day off to fly up to Portland for a wedding. See you all Monday!
~Julia
aka Bargain Babe
I have a rough tush. That’s my explanation for why every six months my bike seat disintegrates. I ride about 6 miles a week on my beater bike so the damage is beyond normal wear and tear. It could be that I leave my bike out in the rain and buy cheap seats to start with. No matter, my bike seat, above, is an embarrassment to bikers everywhere.
But rather than buy another $35 seat, I decided to cover the remnants of my current seat in duct tape.
My friends did not like this plan. One offered to buy me a seat so I wouldn’t a have to sit on duct tape. Here’s how one conversation went.
Friend: “Your seat is crap. Why don’t you get a new one?”
Me: “I don’t want to pay $35 for a seat that is going to fall apart in six months. I’m going to cover it in duct tape. It’ll last forever!”
Friend: “I know you’re frugal, but aren’t you taking this Bargain Babe thing too far?”
Me: “If the duct tape doesn’t work, I’ll buy a new bike seat.”
Friend, realizing I am stubborn: “Go for it!”
Recently I fulfilled my frugal dream of covering my bike seat in duct tape, which I am been talking about for at least 6 weeks. The process took all of 15 minutes.
It is not pink, which I had considered after reader Naomi pointed out duct tape comes in a rainbow of colors. But the black tape (actually it is Gorilla Tape) blends in and will save me from additional scorn.
Haven’t taken her out for a ride, but will keep you posted. In the meantime, here are pictures.
Do you have a story to tell about saving money? Email me and it could lead to a blog post!
Get up to $100 when you start saving for Christmas using Sears’ Christmas Club card. The same program exists at Kmart.
Here’s how it works. Sign up for the card by Oct. 31, 2009 and add money to the card as you like. Sears will give you 3 percent of the balance as of Nov 11, 2009, up to $100. The bonus is added to the card on Nov. 25, so you have plenty of time to use it before the holidays.
If you plan to do a lot of your holiday shopping at Sears or Kmart, this is a win-win situation to get free money on what is basically a gift card.
Caveats: you cannot get the money back that you put on the card if you do not spend it at the store.
I bet other retailers will follow suit. But will the people?
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The premise behind BeatThat! is simple: the site boasts the best electronic deals on the web and they pay members for spotting them. Some BeatThat! members make hundreds or even a thousand dollars a month. Woah!
BeatThat! pays $.50 to $3 per deal, depending on which store is selling the item and how much lower the price is compared to pre-existing deals. In other words, the better the deal you find, the more they pay you. The deals you submit can be from anywhere – Bing.com, FatWallet, eBay, or Wal-Mart. All the deals have to be for brand new products. No refurbs, returns, or used items.
When I last checked, BeatThat! had a $250 Tom Tom GPS navigator, a 42-inch plasma TV screen for $890, and a LexMark printer for $80. The site requires you to register an email and name in order to submit a deal, or vote on a deal, or comment on one. That seems fair enough. You can also join their email list if you want to hear about their deals but are not ready to share one.
This is paid content. Interested in buying a sponsored post? Read my Advertise page.
The Credit Card Act takes effect tomorrow. So how will that affect you? Some of the most important changes…
Creditors must give 45 day advance notice if they are going to raise the interest rate and they cannot raise the interest rate on existing or outstanding balances.
Payments go toward your most expensive balances first.
You have a minimum of 21 days from the day your statement is mailed to pay.
There are no extra fees if you pay your bill by phone, mail, or online.
And that’s just the start! To read a quick list of all the changes, check out this explainer on BillShrink.com, a site that helps consumers find low-cost cell phone plans and credit cards.
The fabric and craft store Jo Ann’s has three good coupons available, one for online only, one for in stores only, and one that can be used in both places.
Get 50 percent off one regular-priced item online through Aug. 23 with code EFD235.
Through Aug. 29 get 40 percent off one regular-priced item in stores or online. Some caveats.
Get 60 percent off your custom framing order in stores through Aug. 29, 2009.
Print the in store coupons here. Find a JoAnn’s near you.
My friend Stacey of San Diego Bargain Mama recently challenged me to a fashion showdown. We decided to invite all our readers to join us! Here are the rules:
1. Contestants can spend no more than $50, though it’s ok to use shoes we already own.
2. We can go to thrift stores, outlets, or pay retail. (Fat chance on that last one!)
3. Contestants have two weeks to get the BEST outfit, as voted on by you.
4. Contestants will submit a photo of their final outfit by Sept. 1. Include where you bought each item and what you paid for it.
5. Stacey and I will post the photos on Sept. 2 and open the polls so you can vote on your favorite outfit!
Who’s in?
