I often talk about checking prices. Even when a tag says one thing, what can it hurt to check it and just see if what it says is really correct? For instance, my husband and I were shopping, and I found a hat for him that was on clearance. The tag said it was $8, which seemed like a good deal.
My husband looked around and found a display of men's hats, one stack of which was of the exact same hat as the one which was on clearance. Those hats were on sale, but were "Buy one for $25, and get one half off."
So he thought about getting the one for $8, but first I wanted to check the price. It was actually ONLY $3.50! Why it was priced so low is unknown, but it was just like the expensive ones and is a cool hat, especially for next to nothing.
We were on a mini-vacation this week, and there's a favorite thrift store we like and try to visit when we're in the area. While I was checking out the book section, my hubby was over looking at men's shoes. He called me over and I thought he was going to show me something he had found for himself. But when I got there, he showed me a great pair of hiking boots in MY size. Who knew I could wear men's shoes!
They are brand new boots and still had the tags. They are perfect for hiking and are waterproof and have Thinsulate insulation, but are fairly light to wear. They are very nice boots! He looked them up on the internet and they normally cost anywhere between $89-$119. But they were only $30!!! SCORE!
You just never know what you're going to find. It''s so much fun!
I wear a lot of hats and like to buy pretty hat boxes to keep them in. But let's face it, new boxes can be expensive. So I often buy them after holidays when they are drastically reduced. Consequently, a lot of my hat boxes have snowmen or snowflakes on them (which is actually okay with me!). But my husband doesn't understand what the draw is and thinks it's a waste of money, which also makes me want to spend less.
We went to the local Goodwill store this week looking for something else, and I found this pretty flowered box. It doesn't even look used and is perfect for my closet. It wasn't priced, but the cashier gave it to me for only $1.99! YAY!!!
I have written before about movie reward cards. They are great because you earn points for every dollar you spend and then get free refreshments and movie tickets. But I also just received an email from the theater company offering an additional perk of a free screening of a movie before it was even released to the public. They are working with a company called gofobo, which is instrumental in coordinating the movies and all the attendees.
I received tickets again this week for another free movie, which is one I've seen advertised and that I am very excited to see, It's still difficult not to spend money while at the theater since popcorn is synonymous with movies. But I found that if you eat before going to the movie, you can resist the temptation.
It's a good idea to get in the habit of checking your receipts. I often get overcharged, especially at a particular restaurant...they offer a special, but then charge you full price unless you question it.
We recently went to another favorite, the Olive Garden, and they have updated their service to include small table kiosks where you can call a server, order and even pay right at your table. They also offer games that you can play while you're waiting. I like the food,atmosphere and prices there a lot; however, I did play two games while waiting, and then when the bill came, there was a charge on our bill for them. Only problem was that it never said they cost money!
Of course, I asked about it, and the server took the charge off our bill. But I can only imagine how many people don't even notice they've been charged extra for something there on their table that they didn't even ask for in the first place. Crazy. So keep an eye out for hidden charges, and don't be afraid to ask about them if you find any.
My husband and I ate out the other evening after we had seen a movie. As with many restaurants, bread came with the salad course of dinner. It is always good, so we asked for more. Then, as soon as the server brought another loaf, our main courses were delivered too, so we didn't really need the extra bread. But we took it home with us, otherwise they would have just thrown it away.
The next morning, we made delicious french toast with it. So it made for another whole meal. It's always worth asking for more since it's often included with your meal, and if you will really use it.
So Santa has been taking lessons from Lady Frugality! He brought me a nice, new, cozy bedspread for Christmas, having gotten a great deal on it. Then to top it off, he even gave me some Kohl's cash that he got with it! :) Way to go, and thank you, Santa!!!
With the holidays quickly approaching, now is the time that you can find some incredible sales...IF you're willing to fight the crowds and traffic, that is. You can find great prices and if you take time to check them, you might even get a bigger surprise.
I found a couple items that I liked which did not have sale tags. But I decided to take a chance and check them anyway. They were ALL marked WAY down! For instance, one pair of jeans was marked down from $34.99 to 90% off...so they were only $3.49!!
I had two coupons, one for $10 free money and one for 30% off my total purchase. So my husband and I ended up getting THREE PAIRS OF JEANS, ONE EXERCISE SHIRT AND A PRINTED T-SHIRT, ALL for ONLY $12.38! Crazy savings! So it truly is worth the time it takes to check prices.
As much as I love to shop, it makes me terribly sad that stores everywhere have begun offering Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving. I remember when holidays were actually days of celebration and rest. Now things are actually worse and even more frenzied than other days of the year.
But one good thing is that many stores are offering most of their deals online now too, beginning Thanksgiving evening if not before. So there's really no need to exhaust yourself going out shopping and having to fight the crowds. The traffic is better too, since more people are shopping from home.
It's great to save money, but unless there is an item you must have at an extraordinary discount, is it really worth leaving your family and friends to go out on Thanksgiving to shop?
I am so thankful for all my blessings and am thrilled to be able to say that I don't need a thing. Often better deals are found online for Cyber Monday anyway if there is really something specific you want.
As you know, I love to shop anyway. There's nothing more fun than finding a real bargain. But sometimes, you have to look for these things. If you're in a hurry or you don't enjoy shopping, you might as well forget it. You may still find deals, but it won't be as satisfying as getting something for practically nothing.
A great example is this blouse I found. Yes, it was my size! It was on clearance already, stuffed in with a lot of other items. But you can see it was originally $48, marked down by 90% to only $4.80! I also had a coupon which took another 20% off, so the total with tax was ONLY $4.70!!!
I wear a lot of hats and like to buy pretty hat boxes to keep them in. But let's face it, new boxes can be expensive. So I often buy them after holidays when they are drastically reduced. Consequently, a lot of my hat boxes have snowmen or snowflakes on them (which is actually okay with me!). But my husband doesn't understand what the draw is and thinks it's a waste of money, which also makes me want to spend less.
I have written before about movie reward cards. They are great because you earn points for every dollar you spend and then get free refreshments and movie tickets. But I also just received an email from the theater company offering an additional perk of a free screening of a movie before it was even released to the public. They are working with a company called gofobo, which is instrumental in coordinating the movies and all the attendees.
It's a good idea to get in the habit of checking your receipts. I often get overcharged, especially at a particular restaurant...they offer a special, but then charge you full price unless you question it.
The next morning, we made delicious french toast with it. So it made for another whole meal. It's always worth asking for more since it's often included with your meal, and if you will really use it.
I found a couple items that I liked which did not have sale tags. But I decided to take a chance and check them anyway. They were ALL marked WAY down! For instance, one pair of jeans was marked down from $34.99 to 90% off...so they were only $3.49!!
As you know, I love to shop anyway. There's nothing more fun than finding a real bargain. But sometimes, you have to look for these things. If you're in a hurry or you don't enjoy shopping, you might as well forget it. You may still find deals, but it won't be as satisfying as getting something for practically nothing.