By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
We all know that we should do research before making a major purchase. We know about comparison shopping, haggling, and looking for discounts. But do you know how to mentally prepare? Here are my 10 tips for shopping preparedness.
- Be well rested. If you have small children, it is possible that the idea of getting a good night’s sleep is but a vague memory and dream. If that is the case, take a nap prior to going shopping. If this is a big item you are purchasing, you may consider hiring a babysitter to watch the kids so that you definitely get a nap. I know it is hard, but shopping while exhausted is bad for your budget.
Today is the last day to win $500! Credit: Sister72/Flickr
This is your last chance to win the $500 back to school savings spree at Sears and Kmart, which each donated a $250 gift card for this giveaway. So far more than 300 fans have entered the contest. Whoo!
To win the $500, do two things:
- Join our BargainBabe.com deals email list (if you already receive a daily or weekly email from BargainBabe.com, just see the next bullet point).
- AND leave a comment with your strongest memory of school, whether it be the day you aced a test, overcame the school bully, or fell in love for the first time.
EXTRA ENTRIES (leave a comment for each extra entry so we can count you):
- Get an extra entry for tweeting: “I want to win a $500 back to school savings spree at @MySears and @KmartDealsnNews on the @bargainbabe blog http://bit.ly/qaNBor”
- Get an extra entry for an update on Facebook about the contest with this link: http://bit.ly/qaNBor
- Get an extra entry for following @Bargainbabe on Twitter
Comment, join our email list, tweet, and Facebook by Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. EST to be eligible to win!
This prize for this giveaway was donated by Kmart and Sears. I received no compensation to run this contest. Interested in sponsoring a giveaway? See my blog advertising page.
Beverly & Pack / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Stop throwing away your expired coupons! Instead send them to military families overseas to use for up to six months after the manufacturer’s expiration date.
You’ll be helping service men and women save money on groceries when they shop at their on base commissionaires. This is not time consuming, difficult, or costly since you’re already clipping coupons.
Organizations like
Split the cost of owning a horse on SplitStuff.com.
Cool new website alert! Reader Annette shared a new site called SplitStuff.com that her husband started and that is most active in the Los Angeles-Orange County area. It’s still very new, so there’s not a ton of activity, but the basic premise is pretty neat so I wanted to share it. Annette writes:
It’s for people who want to get together and buy in bulk to save money. I use SplitStuff mostly to get my produce from local farmers. My friends and I get bulk prices and we take (turns) making the pickup. Other people use it to organize childcare co-ops, get group discounts on classes, or even buy a lawnmower that will be used by three or four neighbors.
I saw splits for charter cruises,
Madmoiselle Lavender / Flickr
I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.
Save time, money and energy by making killer meals at home by following these 7 time-saving kitchen tips. (WiseBread)
Get vaccinated for free. Starting this year, your insurer must cover 100% of the cost of 10 vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CNN Money)
Get away on the cheap with these secrets for scoring cheap airline tickets. (Time)
Use your smartphone to book a hotel. Mobile hotel booking is now a possibility with a free app. (Hotel Tonight)
Payday may be the deadliest time of the month. (MainStreet)
Win a $100 Target gift card in the 11:30 am raffle on June 25 at Frugal Festival Food! Credit: Mattastic!/Flickr
Door prizes are first come first serve starting at 11 a.m. on June 25 at Frugal Festival Food! For a timeline of important Festival events, like the 11:30 a.m. $100 Target gift card raffle, go here.
I totally want to win the cookbook in today’s giveaway! Here’s your chance to win “Wildly Affordable Organic.”
The winners of “Gluten-free on a Shoestring” have been announced!
jmhita / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
A friend of mine told me to scratch up my iPhone to make it less appealing to thieves. (It was almost stolen once). Apparently, people are craven enough to steal, but not unless an item is shiny and new.
My friend, who rides an expensive bicycle everywhere, said people tend to overlook it because he has “roughened it up.” I suggested this tactic to my dad, who owns an electrical bicycle to save money on gas. He said he wouldn’t damage his bicycle because of the money he spent.
I agree with my dad. I wouldn’t go as far as defacement to keep something from being stolen. Would you?
akeg / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
More than a year ago, Bargain Babe wrote about a Consumer Reports finding that women pay as much as 50% more for similar products than men. Armed with a pen and notepad, I headed to my local drugstore to see if this was still the case. I compared 26 brands of deodorant, shave cream, face wash, bath wash, lotion, shampoo, razors, vitamins, and hair removal products. In some cases, like shave cream, there were very few brands that made products for men and women.
At first glance, prices for the men’s version of a product were similar as those for women or even higher. But when you calculate the cost per unit, women’s products were priced higher 11 times, compared to four for men’s.
Remember MyPersonalShopper.com? I blogged about the site months ago, but now MyPersonalShopper has been transformed into your very own personalized store. It’s a pretty cool twist on all the social deal sites.
In four quick steps, MyPersonalShopper is at your beck and call. Select which types of deals you are interested in, chose your five favorite retailers, chose five things you like to spend money on, then share your age, gender, zip code, and email.
Instead of getting daily emails bombarding you with deals (ahem, Groupon), MyPersonalShopper will send you just two emails a week, which is a reflection of their commitment to quality over quantity. Each email uses a special algorithm so the deals are tailored to your spending habits and needs.
Submit a tip on how to improve the site, and the best submission each week will win a $100. If you want the best deals tailored to your favorites, create an account at MyPersonalShopper today.
This is paid content. Interested in an ad? Read my Advertise page.
Charlie Brewer / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Earlier I wrote about three phone alternatives to a landline that can save you money and reader Lore suggested Gmail Voice. I am a Google fan and can’t believe I didn’t mention the company’s phone feature, which you can access through Gmail and Google Talk.
Google Talk is a free Windows and web-based application for instant messaging that also allows you to make calls to others with Google Talk only. Google Voice is a free Google Internet service that uses voice over internet protocol (VoIP) to enable users to make and receive calls for free. You don’t have to be at your computer and can call any number. In this post we’ll explore how using Google Voice can cut down your phone bill.
Google Voice is similar to Skype in that it enables you to make a call and video chat. To make calls you will need (more…)
biblicone / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
I know a lot of people who gave up their landline because they didn’t want to pay a monthly bill for a phone they were rarely using. Now, they solely rely on their cell phones.
If you’re looking to save money by giving up your land line, consider Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers like Vonage, Skype and magicJack. To use these services, you must have access to a computer with Internet and contrary to popular belief, some allow you to make emergency 911 calls. Below is a price comparison of their services and a description of how they work.
Vonage
A phone, high speed Internet and Vonage adapter is needed to use this service. Before purchasing the equipment, log onto their site to test whether the speed of your Internet connection is ideal. I have DSL and my Internet did not pass their Internet speed test. To receive or make incoming calls, your computer doesn’t have to be (more…)
What are the worst bills for your wallet? I identified five things that – if you can cut out – will save you about $4,000 over a year. By worst, I mean overpriced expenses you can easily avoid. What do you think are the worst bills?
Dottie Mae/Flickr
This post is brought to you by Savings Account Comparison, finding the best savings account online.
On the way home from a ski trip my friend Emily told me she saved $800 over two years without thinking. WHAT?!?
Emily signed up for a Bank of America program called Keep the Change. It puts aside the change rounded up to a dollar from every purchase she makes with her debit card. So if her groceries comes to, say $32.50, Bank of America takes $.50 from her checking and puts it into a special savings account. If she spends $12.03 on lunch, $.97 is deposited into her special account. If gas cost $28.46, she automatically saves $.54.
Each time she makes a purchase with (more…)
tomazstolfa / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
If the busted real estate bubble left you confused about whether its better to rent or buy a home, you are not alone. According to a recent USA Today story, the percent of people who believe that home ownership is part of the American dream has gone down from 77 percent in January to 72 percent in August.
It’s a confusing time in the market, the story says. On one hand, mortgage rates are at record lows, and in many cities, home prices have plummeted. But on the other hand, home foreclosures continue to rise, and the economy remains weak.
There are many free, online rent-to-buy calculators that can help people weigh their options. But heres a quick look at the pros and cons of renting or buying a home. (more…)
Steven Snodgrass/Flickr
A reader named Wanda wrote me with an amazing story.
I can’t thank-you enough, not for only giving all of us a chance to win gifts but most of all in saving us money. With your help we were able to save and buy a large mobile home with some land up-north to enjoy and we paid cash!!!!! So we have no mortgage. thank-you for everything you’re the greatest.
What a story! Wanda, you are incredibly inspiring. And while it’s nice to think I had some part in it, clearly YOU were dedicated, vigilant, and extremely determined. Congratulations!
Are you saving up for anything in particular? Do you have a success story to share? Email me.
I’d like to start saving a monthly amount to replace my Mini, which I plan on driving for three to five more years. It currently has 90,800 miles on it and I recently invested $1,400 on car repairs so I’m hoping it will run smoothly with these fixes and regular oil changes until 2013 or later. When my Mini is ready to retire, I want to be able to buy a new used car and pay for it in full. If Wanda can buy a new home in cash, I can save for a new-to-me car!
