Weekend sales are heating up with pre-Black Friday offers!
Veteran’s Day Freebies and deals are coming next week! There are 34 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebookpage. “Like” us today!
Free perfume - Get a freebie sample of Oscar de la Renta perfume when you fill out a simple request form on its site. No Facebook needed!
Free 25 prints - Get 25 free photo prints at Walgreens with coupon code FREE4X6. Expires Nov. 5, 2011. Get in store pick up to avoid shipping fees.
This weekend! Free museums - On the first full weekend of every month, Bank of America card holders get into dozens of museums across the country for free. The next one is Nov. 5-6, 2011.
Behold, the gyrobowl! Credit: BuyGyrobowl.com
I have lost the right to call myself the Bargain Babe.
To my horror, an item on my baby registry is being sold in a catalog I recently ridiculed for it’s high prices and absurd products – SkyMall!
How did this happen? At Babies R Us, my husband caught sight of the Gyrobowl, a small dish kept in balance by a gyroscope. In theory, the tot eating from it never spills her
Just updated the Black Friday 2011 deals and sales post with the low-down on Best Buy, Radio Shack, Half Price Books, the Marine Corps Exchange, and Toys R Us.
Plus, we added new coupons and Black Friday policies to Walmart, Target, BJ’s Warehouse, and Bath & Body Works.
Check out all the NEW! Black Friday 2011 deals and sales now!
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.
eric731 / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Just in time for the holidays, stores are promoting layway plans. I summarized the policies at 10 major retailers, and shared tips for saving money using layaway. All layaway purchases must be paid for in full before you can take them home.
Sears – This store offers two layaway plans.
A website in the UK created a cool infographic on how retailers trick you into spending more at the checkout stand. I agree with a lot of them! One of the cool things about the info graphic is that is includes real examples, like:
- Dell increased sales by $25 million by changing it’s slogan from “Learn More,” to “Help Me Choose.”
- Product videos at Zappos have increased shoe sales by 6-30% (Babies R Us does this too, and it totally works!)
- Speeding up load times from 6-9 seconds to 2 seconds bumped up Shopzilla’s revenue by 5-12%.
See the infographic on retailer tricks by clicking “more. ” And check out the 19 retailer tricks that Bobbi, Yazmin, and I brainstormed.
thinkretail / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
A while back I wrote about saving money by using a retail credit card with perks. This time I saved $90.38 on back to school shopping! I headed to outlets just outside L.A. with my high-school-bound sister and bought several clothing items she can combine with her existing wardrobe in September.
Outlet stores are great for saving money on clothes. Below I’ll share tips for how we got the most out of our outlet shopping experience. But first, let me share what we bought and the cost breakdown. We shopped at the GAP because I had a $10 off reward sent to me. We bought items that are not so trendy and took advantage of big outlet discounts.
Burrs & Berries / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Kids want to look good at school; parents surveyed by the National Retail Federation are committed to “spend where you need to, save where you can.” Here is how to meet both needs by saving money on back to school fashion. So what are this year’s fashion trends?
Tip: We post back to school deals at Staples, Office Depot, Office Max, and more every Thursday.
- Color-blocking- This trend is huge! You may have already seen someone giving it a try by wearing bold colors at the same time, above. If done right, it looks chic, but it can quickly go south. The trick is to stay within the color family. Try a bold pink dress with a bright red cardigan and black patent leather flats. The good thing about this trend is that (more…)
Feel confident in these 6 slimming swimsuits! Credit: pastanaut/Flickr
The quest for a flattering swim suit is never ending. At least, until you read this post, which contains a summary of the top six slimming swimsuits in the July 2011 issue of ShopSmart mag, published by Consumer Reports. Real women, not models, tested these suits. Note, the story only considered one-piece suits as they are more flattering than two-pieces, and the mag dissed tankinis for creating “instant muffin tops.” Doh! I just bought one!
Tip: Dark colors are more slimming than light colors, and all but one of the top suits is a solid color.
1. Land’s End All-over Control Slender Grecian Swimdress, $109
The suit took 1.5 inches off the waist and has a cute skirt that is very flattering on the hips.
2. Tommy Bahama Cat Island Shirred Bandeau One-Piece, $142
Ruching hides rolls and a darker stripe down the middle appears to elongate the torso. The suit trimmed about an inch of the hips and “appeared to lift her rear.”
3. TravelSmith Fantasizer
Tom Purves / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Your smart phone is about to get smarter as mobile payment apps replace swiping plastic, by enabling you to tap your phone and exchange your credit card information via a radio frequency field. But just how safe is this?
I first learned about mobile payment apps in a college personal finance class. My professor warned us to be careful about using these apps until laws catch up with technology. Let me explain.
Once upon a time
Bad shopper: Are you one? Credit: andrewarchy/Flickr
A recent study by SteelHouse/Synovate showed only a third of Americans seek out coupons and not even half read reviews before they buy. Yowza! We need to convert these shoppers to make savvy spending decisions. So what kind of shopper are you?
44%Â Â Â Â I read product reviews before I buy.
39%    I always shop with a purpose – I look online only when I’m searching for something in particular.
32%Â Â Â Â I check out coupon sites to get
I don’t plan to hit the Memorial Day sales, although I am in need of a present for a baby shower in two weeks. Instead, I’m going to garden (i.e. pull out weeds), and finish projects around the house.
A reader named Ellen emailed me this warning:
Hi Julia: I know you’ve addressed the subject of gift cards but I wanted to give you and your fans a warning: Watch out for gift cards to stores that have gone under! The other day I was in 7-11, which sells a variety of retail gift cards. Well, my eyes popped out when I saw a display for Circuit City! That retailer has been out of business for quite some time. I was going to alert the management but for some reason chickened out. However, next time I’m in there, I will definitely do so, if only as a duty to the customers.
jakerome/Flickr
As it turns out, Circuit City still operates an online electronics store under new ownership, so Ellen’s worry was unfounded. However, Ellen brings up a good point. In this ridiculously tough economy when market forces, natural disasters, and new spending habits are re-shaping the face of American and international businesses, it is wise to doublecheck that the company you want to do business with is still IN business.
The best thing to do is call the business and see if someone picks up the phone, especially if you are considering buying a gift card through a third party. If you are in a store and want to know if it is on the brink, look for these signs while shopping.
Another useful tool is a Wikipedia page of businesses that have failed. This list is not foolproof nor does it indicate that the company is not still operating in some form or fashion, like Circuit City. The list includes national and regional businesses, but not local ones. It is a good starting place if you are researching the solvency of a company you want to do business with.
Shward/Flickr
Consumer Reports put out a sales calender showing when is the best time to buy cars, clothes, furniture, and dozens of other consumer goods. The monthly list is based on data from industry surveys and publications, and consultations with CR’s in-house experts. Here is what’s on tap for best deals in April:
- Computers
- Digital cameras
- Lawn mowers
- Spring clothing
And here’s a sneak peak for May:
- Athletic apparel and shoes (good thing, I need a bike helmet, a yoga bra, and bike gloves!)
- Camping and outdoor gear
- Cordless phones
- Lawn mowers
- Small consumer electronics
This list doesn’t mean you should rush out and buy the items in these categories. You’ll still have to compare prices and think about which specific product meets your needs. But be on the lookout for sales on these items.
Get 50 free photos from CVS when you register on CVSPhoto.com.
Use this Piperlime coupon to get 20% off now through April 1, 2010 when you sign up for their email list.
Get 20-30% off at Coach Factory stores with this Coach coupon. Expires April 5, 2010.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
