Bargainista’s Secret Guide Deals, Steals, Coupons and Freebies LaShanda Glover
Copyright, Legal Notice and Disclaimer: This publication is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws, and all rights are reserved, including resale rights: you are not allowed to give or sell this Guide to anyone else. If you received this publication from anyone other than, you've received a pirated copy. Please note that much of this publication is based on personal experience and anecdotal evidence. Although the author and publisher have made every reasonable attempt to achieve complete accuracy of the content in this Guide, they assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Also, you should use this information as you see fit, and at your own risk. Your particular situation may not be exactly suited to the examples illustrated here; in fact, it's likely that they won't be the same, and you should adjust your use of the information and recommendations accordingly. Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if we use one of these terms.
ŠLaShanda Glover 2011
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Introduction
Today’s economy has resulted in millions of people being either unemployed or underemployed. The cost of living is steadily increasing and that has adversely affected many in being able to adequately provide for their family. Therefore, you may be wondering how one can survive this situation. Many financial experts will advise individuals to cut back and eliminate unnecessary expenses and this should be a no brainer. However, by nature people love to enjoy things they want. No one wants to work or look for a job for hours every week and then cannot enjoy a meal outside the home or buy new clothing or enjoy some entertainment. The thought of deprivation usually results in rebellion and grossly overdoing it in these pleasures. Often a vicious cycle occurs, which involves spending more than we have for things we want and then feeling guilty and repeating it over and over again.
So how can you enjoy things such as new clothes, entertainment and dining out on limited funds? This requires skill and time that many do not invest wisely to accomplish this successfully. This eBook will break down how to enjoy things without breaking the budget. So sit back, enjoy the reading and take notes!
ŠLaShanda Glover 2011
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Table of Contents • • • • • • • • • •
Food for less Coupons the new money Dress sharp on the dime Party like a rock star for cheap Dining for cheap Safely Shopping online Become a fan, follower or subscriber for savings Shopping Secrets for deals and steals Resources Now do it!
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Food for Less Food is a necessity, but many will feel they must restrict themselves in their food selection and cannot enjoy food that they like. Also some will assume they have to be on public assistance to make all their purchases. There is a way to successfully buy all the food you need and food that you really enjoy as well. This does require time, effort and patience. The time comes into play because you need to do research before you shop. Research will reveal many things to help you shop and save the most money. Depending on the area that you live in, some areas have a great variety of stores to shop for groceries. Some of these will be on the high end and others will be more economical for the community. People short on funds may limit themselves shopping at stores that are more economical. However, research will help shoppers learn how to shop every store and save money all over the place. The first and most important way to do the research is to get the sales ads for every store in your area. Hopefully, you can get them delivered to you by mail for free or you can purchase a newspaper twice a week. The next step is carefully examining each sales ad. This will inform you of the items that are on sale for the week. Most essential items such as milk, bread, cheese and meat go on sale in cycles. Also due to competition many stores will have a sale on the same items at the same time with slight differences in prices, this will require choosing the best ŠLaShanda Glover 2011
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price. After examining each ad, compare the prices and make the best selection. Next you want to learn about the store’s coupon policy, customer loyalty programs and etc. Coupons will be covered a little later. Many stores have customer loyalty programs that offer rewards and savings and keep track of shopping behavior. It is very important to sign up for these cards. As a matter fact, some items cannot be purchased for the sale price without these cards. After obtaining the card learn about all the benefits. Always carry the card with you, to obtain all the sales and some that you may not even be aware of prior to the purchase. Also present the card to the cashier at the beginning of checking out to ensure getting all the savings. Most stores will ask for it, but some may forget and the items will ring up for the regular, causing a loss of savings. A new feature that I’ve learned about is going to the store’s internet site. Most stores’ websites now have a way for you to register your shopper’s card and view even more savings. Here’s an example of my experience*Disclaimer I live in the Illinois area, so some of these stores may not be in all areas. At Jewels-Osco, I was able to register my Preferred card that allowed me to also find coupons that I can use on my purchases in addition to the sale prices. An added bonus is a new feature of savings just for my card based on my shopping experiences. This means that when I purchase these items I’m getting a special price that will be revealed during checkout. For example, they are taking $1.50 off of Revlon Nail Polish for me every time with my Preferred Card, regardless of their ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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price. Last week, they had Revlon nail polish on sale for $3.35 and I saved $1.50 on that in addition to a coupon that I had. The deal was priceless! The next store in my area that provides great benefits is Dominick’s. I have the Fresh Values card with them. This works similar to the Jewel’s Preferred card. I also registered my card on their site to take advantage of a new program that also includes personalized deals just for me. Once again these are exclusive deals. The next store that has a program to benefit customers is Meijer’s. I just learned about this one as well. The program is called mPerks which involved submitting my cell phone number on their website. Once I did this, I received one text message for confirmation and then I was able to go through a specials list on the website and add them to my “account”. Then when I went shopping at checkout time, I selected the mPerks button (while using the Self-checkout) and put in my cell phone number and received my savings. The first time, I received $2 savings just for it being my first time. So you may be thinking, that seems like a lot of work and is it worth the time? Well imagine yourself at the store and seeing your bill for $70 and then it is magically reduced to $35! The magic is in employing the techniques described here. Honestly, prices will ring up for regular prices which will result in astronomical bills and the cashier will gladly take your money and send you on your way without missing a beat. Therefore, you have to do your homework to tap into these savings. After seeing the crazy total, you should be able to present your card with pride and seeing the subtractions to your bill and end up with an affordable bill with great food for your family. ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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Not that there is anything wrong with generic, you will learn by shopping the ads and specials, that you can purchase name brand food, nearly all the time. After doing your research before you go to the store, you next need to continue to do your research while shopping. This requires reading the shelf prices, looking at package information and sales ads that are placed throughout the store. This comes in handy for price comparison for non advertised deals. Sometimes you save in generic products and sometimes you don’t. Also looking at quantity and ounces in packages is important because you may be getting less for your money. Also analyze “buy one get one free” deals, sometimes these aren’t as great deals as they appear. Knowing the shelf prices is important because there will be times that items do not ring up correctly and this will increase your bill unexpectedly. Some stores have a policy that if the item rings up incorrectly, you get it free. This actually happened to me, I got 2 boxes of ice cream novelties and 2 bags of chips for $0.52 because the ice cream didn’t ring up correctly and I made the store clerk go and look at the shelf and according to policy, the ice cream was free for me. You also need to read special deals that are posted throughout the store for example, Jewels advertised a deal for General Mills cereal. The deal involved purchasing 4 boxes priced at 2 for $5 and then you get a $2 coupon to save on your next shopping trip and free milk up to $4.49. On top of this I had 2/$1 coupons to save on the cereal. The coupons stated that you save $1 on 2 boxes of cereal. So let’s do the math hereEach box of cereal cost $2.50 then I save $0.50 on each box which nets to $2 a box. This totals $8, sounds great but then it gets better, think ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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about the $2 coupon and the $4.49 milk, you’re gaining $6.49 and if you subtract that from the $8 you’re getting 4 boxes of cereal for $1.51, isn’t that awesome! You cannot purchase store brand cereal for these prices. In one of the following chapters I will break down coupons more thoroughly. However, before I do so, here’s another great shopping experience. Earlier, I spoke about checking out websites before shopping and this proved beneficial when I went to Meijer’s. I “clipped” coupons to add to my mperks account for savings. On the site, I can email my list of savings to myself or print them. In order to be economical, I sent an email, since I could read it on my Smartphone while shopping and save on ink. So I purchased items that were on my list and used any coupons that I had off on those items. Then at time of checkout, I pressed the button for mperks and entered my cell phone number and I received another $2 off and additional savings on the previously selected products. This allowed me to save an additional $4.50 even on sale items. Another great thing to do is to look out for price drop throughout the store; these savings can be awesome and unadvertised. Also every store usually has a rack or basket of items that are drastically reduced. The price reduction can be for various reasons, such as packaging damage, discontinued, seasonal, or nearing expiration. These items can be perfectly safe for you to purchase at a huge savings. So keep your eyes open when shopping near the back of stores or even ask one of the store’s clerks.
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Also get to know your store’s policy in regards to price matching. Nowadays, stores are in fierce competition for business; therefore, therefore they would rather reduce their price to match the competitor for you to make the purchase. It turns into a win-win win win situation, this is because they get your dollars and you save. The store wants to retain all business and rather than losing the whole sa sale le it is better to gain something! Also if you’re a savvy shopper and know the ads for all your local stores and plan to shop different places, this will save you time and gas. Instead of going to several stores, you may be able to do all the shopping in one store. I have found it very useful to carry several ads with me, for comparison and being prepared to ask for a price match. When getting your deals, if you run into difficulty do not hesitate to go beyond the cashier. I respect their efforts and their desire to keep their job, so I don’t argue with them, but rather ask for management if necessary. Stay calm and explain your position, often many employees will be aware of the deals or the company’s efforts to retain business and will easily comply.. If you find that you’re not satisfied at the register do not be afraid to go to the service desk, you can receive your savings after the transaction if there were problems during. I love shopping and I hope buy the time you finish this book; you will love it too or at least not dread it!
©LaShanda Glover 2011
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Coupons- The new Money! I am still a newbie but a fast learner in regards to coupons, but what I have done so far, I’m deeply in love and excited. It really feels like I’ve discovered new money. Fortunately coupons are now for higher values such as $0.75 and $ 1, so this can quickly add up. So let’s get started with how to be successful with coupons. So you may be wondering how to get coupons. Well the best and oldest way to do so is obtaining a Sunday edition Newspaper in your local area. This paper will contain ads for major stores in your area in addition to coupon booklets for major brands. Usually the paper doesn’t cost more than $2, however, after saving with coupons you will be able to absorb this small investment. You can purchase this paper on Saturday in some location such as in the Chicago land area. Also in my area and many others, you can purchase the paper at dollar stores for $1 and even my local Menards carries this paper for $1. I find that exciting. I also have my paper delivered to my house for $0.50, which is much lower than the $1.99 cover cost. I will explain that deal later in this chapter. ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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In addition to purchasing a paper, there are numerous other ways to get coupons. There are websites that specialize in coupons only such as www.coupons.com. This website requires filling out a short form that will request your name, address and email address and create a password. Now the purpose of each item is first your name allows them to greet and personalize the site when you log in each time. Also when you submit your address, the site will find coupons that pertain to your area. Another great site to use is www.couponsnetwork.com. This site has both printable coupons and “Catalina’s” which are special coupons. Catalina’s are coupons that print out after your purchase of specified items that provide savings for your future shopping trips. This is new knowledge to me, because I always wondered what triggered those coupons that print out making me feel like I won the lottery. Coupon Network will actually indicate how you can get these coupons and specify the store. For example, the site will indicate that if you buy 4 boxes of granola bars (brand specified) you will receive $2 off your next box of them. On the site you have to select this “coupon” and specify the store you will be shopping at and print the coupon and then take it to the store and make the purchase and scan that and it should print. There is support provided if you run into problems in completing this transaction. There are also regular coupons on the site that you can use like other coupons. Also the wording of “next shopping trip” does not require you to physically leave the store and wait until another time. You can actually separate your order to take advantage of the offer. Here’s how this works- going back to the earlier example, say you buy the 4 boxes and receive the coupon for the next box to be free, you simply leave your 5th box for the second order and maybe
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several other items and then apply the coupon to that order. Cashiers usually have no problem separating orders. There are now several magazines that also include coupons such as my personal favorite- “All You”. The magazine even states on the cover the amount of savings in coupons that are inside. I have even scored one as high as $5 dollars off Just My Size Clothing. The magazine usually costs around $3 but, the coupons inside will definitely offset the awesome savings inside. There are a few other family oriented magazines or geared toward women that will also include magazines. You can also go to the brand or specified product’s website that you are interested in and you may find coupons there. Stores are also now offering coupons on their website for you to select and print right at home. In addition to printable coupons, you can also obtain digital coupons which are either attached to a shopper card or possibly your cell phone. You may also receive coupon codes via text message on your cell phone. I almost forget to mention that sometimes coupons are available right in the store in various ways. The store CVS has both a shopper card and a coupon machine in the store. Therefore, make it a point to stop at the machine and scan your and coupons will print out. Also Walgreens has a monthly booklet that contains coupons that last for the full month. Coupon dispensers are sometimes located by certain food or items and you can take some for your purchase. Sometimes you can get coupons from sample stations. Often the person working the station is promoting a special item that is either on sale and located nearby or has coupons for the product. So take advantage of the treat and the savings. ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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Now after you get the coupons, what do you do? To be the most successful, it goes back to the research. Although you are saving money by using the coupon, you still want to capture the best overall price of the product. So the best way is to pair the coupon up with the best sale price. Here’s my recent experience, there were some Chips Ahoy cookies on sale for $2 each and I managed to have a $1 coupon and I was able to pair the sale with the coupon and get a pack of name brand cookies for $1, you can’t even get generic for this price! This doesn’t happen by chance but rather by research. Knowing where the sales are, helped me do this because I could have used the $1 off coupon anywhere but I would have paid more. For example, the cookies are typically $3 and then I would have saved $1 making the price $2 and really not getting a deal because they were on sale already somewhere else. So if it’s time for you to do your stock up grocery shopping, here’s what you do- get the ads for you local stores and then have your coupon inserts nearby. After that, make your list of essential items, then search through each ad, taking notes of the items that are on your list and on sale, check them off or make some sort of notation. Then go through your coupons and clip and pair them with the sales ad. If you don’t any have coupons for a specific item then try searching for the product on the internet to find one. You can go to any search engine and type in something like – “Chips Ahoy coupons” and there is a possibility of finding one. In addition to using the coupons that you have obtained via newspapers, magazine and websites you can look for “specific store only” coupons. These are coupons that will be for a specific store and ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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these can be paired up with the “manufacturer coupon”. I was so excited when I learned about this strategy. Here’s how it worksYour favorite store has coupons either in their sales ad or on the website that state- “redeemable here only” or something like that. The coupons that you get in the paper or anywhere else will state “manufacture coupon”. These two coupons together can be combined. Now I know you’re thinking or going to feel like you’re cheating or beating the system and sometimes, cashier might even make you feel that way when you hand them a stack of coupons. However, this is far from the truth, you must believe that for everything out there, there is something to gain. If you read the small print, the store will actually receive the money back in addition to some change over, most of them state $0.08, which may sound insignificant, but imagine if 1 million people gave you $0.08, it would add up nicely don’t you think?
In recap of coupons, make the small investment in newspapers, magazines and printing some to gain lots in savings. Don’t buy things you need for the sake of savings but try to get the best savings possible. Now there is the thing of extreme couponing and you will see people getting hundreds of dollars of food or etc for under $50, I will never guarantee that happening to you or me. However, I have managed to save a good percentage or a nice amount on things I truly need. I don’t recommend stockpiling trial size or items that you will never use for the sake of using coupons. Therefore, keep your expectations realistic and save where you can and this will help you stretch your budget. I forgot to mention that you want to be organized with your coupons; I have found that many serious couponers are purchasing binders to ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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keep track of the coupons. The binders are composed of pages that are commonly used for baseball cards and the slots are the perfect size for most coupons. If you’re not ready for that, simply divide your coupons up by store and use envelopes to keep track of them and then you will not get flustered during the checkout time when using your coupons. I also mentioned “price matching” earlier; this can be matched with coupons as well. You should be able to give the cashier the sales ad to see the price from the competitor and they should be able to modify their price to match the ad, and if you have coupons for the savings, don’t forget to present those as well. Important Tips for CouponsKeep in mind the expiration date, try to use the coupon prior to the date or you will lose the savings. Also try to keep the coupons neat so that the expiration date is legible and the barcode is in good shape. The coupon should be able to be scanned either by you or the cashier. Also read the coupon to know what products qualify. I always assumed only the pictured items were eligible but I have learned that sometimes the wording will indicate that “any variety” of the product may qualify. To better understand, let’s revisit my cereal deal. My coupons pictured Honey Cheerios and Lucky Charms, however in print it indicates that any variety of Cheerios would work and various other General Mills cereal that are not pictured also qualify. This is very important for you to buy the things you want for the best price. Also beware of fraudulent coupons, when printing coupons only, try to stick to reputable sites, such as the ones I mentioned previously. Another side note, some areas and retailers offer “Double Coupon days”; I have not being able to locate any near me, except for Kmart ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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occasionally. The stores will literally double the face value of the coupon, for example, if you have a $0.50 coupon it will double to $1; this is a great way to save. However, you must know the store’s doubling limits; some will include dollar amounts and/or the amount of coupons that can be used.
Have fun couponing!
ŠLaShanda Glover 2011
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Designer Dressing on the Dime Yes you can wear designer clothes for great prices! I know this from experience. I love clothes and own a fabulous extensive wardrobe. However, I do not pay full designer prices, nor am I caught up on wearing designer only clothing. I have designer clothes because I have found unbelievable prices. Here are a few of my shopping tricks• • • • •
Consignment Shops, Thrift Stores Resale shops Garage sales Outlet Malls.
I know that not everyone is comfortable with wearing “used” clothing. However, I have to let you in on a secret, the clothing isn’t always used! In my area, there are some major retailers that donate their clothes that haven’t sold with the tags still on them to thrift stores. Also most ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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stores have a policy that the donated clothes must be in good condition. Recently, no joke, I bought a pair of Nike Shox gym shoes for $20 at my local thrift store. The shoes still had the plastic ring on them that keep both shoes connected; the bottoms don’t look like they have ever made contact with the ground! Made me feel like I won the lottery, these shoes are normally around $100 new. I have obtained designer purses, sunglasses, jeans, shirts, sweaters and dressing from my local thrift store. These stores even have “sales”. Most stores have a color ticket system for this. The store I shopped has pink, blue, yellow, green and orange pricing tickets. Each day they select 3 colors to be an additional 50% off. Now you already know you’re saving at the thrift store but a sale is a sale, don’t you love saving even more? Then there the days that everything in the store is half off, talk about lines wrapped around the store. I have found so many designer items such as Coach, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Ed Hardy, Juicy, Nike, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Michael Kors, just to name a few. I have found that many higher income people buy great items but discard them easily. Some will donate clothes they have never worn due to season change, size change or just decided they don’t want it anymore. This becomes your windfall. I never purchase anything that looks “used”, the items I purchase are in great condition. Several years ago, I lost 70 pounds and needed a new wardrobe, the thrift stores and garage sales helped me build a great wardrobe in my new size. Thrift stores are also great for growing children, why spend lots of money when children outgrow things so fast or tear them up easily. Some thrift stores are even allowing items to be returned in exchanged for a store credit, can you beat that?
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Garage sales are also great places to find awesome deals. I have been so fortunate so many times that I cannot describe them all. Just recently I went to a garage sale on a quiet little street and I notice a lot of clothes hanging on a clothing line. I decided to browse through the clothes before you know it, I found an Old Navy Shirt, Abercrombie sweatshirt and several other cute shirts and a Columbia Jacket. I asked the lady how much everything would be, after adding a candy dish and an expensive cup, my total was $4, no lie! She even gave me the hangers, I nearly skipped back to my car with the goodies. On another occasion, I went to a garage sale pretty early in the morning and the woman had so many tank tops and cute shirts for $0.25 each, I nearly shut down her garage sale. I spent $20 after adding a TiVo box, and some 8lb free weights, so you can do the math! The key to scoring great deals at garage sales, involves timing and the willingness to negotiate. I have found that sometimes when you go on the second day of a sale and near the end, they will beg you to take it off their hands. The people hate having to haul everything back into their homes or to a store to donate the items; they would rather have you take it off their hands. Also don’t be afraid to ask for a lower price, the worst they can say is “no” and you leave and that’s it. Also I love shopping subdivision or community garage sales. This allows you to save gas and time because you can reach a lot of them on the same block or area very quickly usually by walking. Don’t be afraid to venture into a thrift store/resale shop or a garage sale, you never know what great gem you may find. I personally enjoy them and I think everyone should enjoy saving money on great finds!
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Outlet Malls are also great ways to save money on designer clothes. I have heard some reports stating that these items are irregulars or something is wrong. This in my opinion is a huge lie. I was able to buy my first brand new Coach purse for under $100. I have also purchased Coach Coats at the prices of $50 to $75. There were no imperfections or anything. I recently purchased Nike gym shoes for under $40. My mother purchases all her favorite perfumes such as Ester Lauder’s Knowing, Tresor for almost 20% to 40% cheaper than department stores. The great thing about Outlet Malls is that in addition to the discounted prices, they also have great sales promotions. Sometimes, I have walked into store and the clerks will inform me that everything in the store is 30%. Also you can search the term “Outlet Mall” for you area and find the website to get more information about your Outlet Mall. In my area, they ask you to sign up to be a VIP member, which is simply supplying my email address. I receive advance notifications of sales and I have also have access to coupons that are good for a number of stores. I’m also able to print off a coupon for a VIP coupon book that costs $5 to everyone else. So it pays to be treated “special” and save money.
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Party like a Rock star for Cheap!
When you’re low on funds sometimes you feel like a prisoner. You may feel that you can only work, eat, sleep and repeat. However, there are ways to enjoy some entertainment and stay in your budget. Everything gained requires a little work. The work for this is doing some research and being alert to freebies, contests and deals. The best option is the free route, and you’re probably wondering how you can score free entertainment. Well, there are many ways. First get to know your area, find the local park district and purchase the local newspaper or look for the free papers that are offered in some areas. These will often provide information about free activities that are held all year around for various seasons. In my area, some movie theaters offer free movies for children. Also matinees provide great savings for seeing movies. If you’re willing to go a little earlier in the day, you can usually pay less than half the regular price for an evening show. Also look in the local paper to find out about special promotions. In my local area, there is a radio station –WBIG 1280AM that provides certificates to local restaurants, entertainment and services for at least ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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40%. I have purchased 2 movie passes for $9 dollars that can be used at any time and this is like getting 1 ticket free. You can also rent a lot of movies now much quicker than ever before. This is a great way to see movies and you should review your movie viewing habits to choose the best money saving option. If you’re family loves this form of entertainment, shop around online for great subscription deals to movie rental sites. Often there is a great promotion for first time subscribers and you can take advantage of that. Also if after a trial period, the introductory price may change and you’re not comfortable with the new price, you can let the company know that. Sometimes they will meet you half way and give you a great deal to retain your business. If that doesn’t work, you can look online at some sites that often the movies for online streaming for a very low price or you can even purchase the DVD for a great price on sites like Amazon, EBay, Half.com and etc. If you’re interested in concerts and can’t afford them, there is a way that you can enjoy these as well. First be on the lookout for free concerts that are offered in your area. For example, in Chicago, there are usually free concerts in the summer during the Taste and various other festivals. Also radio stations are great resources for scoring free tickets. Usually there are contests for free tickets when concerts are first announced. Sometimes they could just for being the right caller. For several years I scored awesome concert tickets this way. While I was at work I would listen to the station and I would have my redial button ready and start dialing and hitting repeat until I got through. One year, I won 5th row tickets, I stayed up all night and tried every hour until I was the right caller. I know that sounds extreme but if you have young ones or you’re young at heart, you can get tickets that are ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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worth almost $100 or more this way for nothing. Also check out various radio stations websites to find out about special promotions. Sometimes there are contests for hearing the right song and then calling in. Nowadays there are many sites that offer daily deals on local events, restaurants and etc. Such sites as Groupon, Living Social, and Savemore are just to name a few. These sites are free to sign up and they post a daily deal for various things and usually the savings is at least 40% or more. You can sign up to receive email notification, or alerts to your Smartphone or simply visit the site each day to see the current deal.
ŠLaShanda Glover 2011
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Dining for Cheap Today there are so many options for dining out, whether it is sit down or fast food, there are ways to save money. In some situations dining out is almost cheaper than buying groceries depending on the size of the family. In order to save money, you need to be alert to deals, specials and coupons that may be offered by the restaurant. Some restaurants have lunch specials that will save you a ton of money. This always requires knowing the serving times in your restaurant. This is because although the menu states “lunch” special this can extend late into the afternoon and with the right timing can be an early dinner for you. It also helps to analyze the portions and the prices to make the best economical choice. Here’s an example- At McDonald’s the meals often include a sandwich, drink and fries. The price of the sandwich alone can be quite expensive and it might seem better to get the meal. However, in some cases it is cheaper to put a meal together yourself. Most locations now have a dollar menu and you can purchase a sandwich, fries and drink for ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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around $3. If you decide that you don’t need the drink you can eat for $2. Also if you’re feeding more than yourself you can build your meal through dollar items or if you choose, purchase a value meal and then add some dollar items and share food. This can also work in higher end restaurants, some place the portions are so huge that more than one person can easily share a meal. Also some appetizers can make great meals themselves. Make sure you read the menu carefully and look for any specials that may pertain to children or senior citizens; this too can provide tons of savings. If you’re dining out at a sit down restaurant, don’t be afraid to ask the waiter as well because most places have daily specials. Believe it or not there are also coupons for restaurants and these can be obtained either through the Sunday newspaper or sales inserts mailed to your home. I know in my area, in the middle of the week, I receive an insert that contains the local grocery stores ads and there are often coupons included for various local restaurants. As mentioned earlier, my area has a radio station offers certificates to many local restaurants for at least 40% off the retail price. For example, I can get a certificate to a local restaurant for $25 at the price of $12.50. After I purchase the certificate from the radio station, I can go to the restaurant and order anything I want and then present the certificate for payment, if I go over the $25, I simply pay the difference. The only stipulation is to make sure I leave a tip because the certificate doesn’t cover this. Another feature that I mentioned is the daily deal sites; you can often find deals to your local restaurants. Similar to the radio station deals, these deals are usually at least 40% off and you purchase the certificate ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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from them and then you use this as part of you payment when you dine at the restaurant. This is a great way to expand your dining selection and save a ton of money. Another great resource for dining on the cheap is the website www.restaurant.com. This website offers certificates to many places for deep discounts, sometimes there are specials like a $25 certificate for only $2. The main thing I have noticed with this is that there is often a required minimum purchase amount indicated on the certificate. For example, the certificate is worth $25, but your order must total $40. Therefore, when you present the certificate you must pay the difference plus a tip. Therefore for a $40 meal, you can probably expect to spend around $20 including the tip. This stills equals a nearly 50% savings. As you can see, there are ways to enjoy great dining with a variety of choices without blowing your budget. However, never forget that dining out should be done in moderation, limit how often you got out and make it an enjoyable experience. Doing your research ahead of time and learning about deals will allow you to economically dine out and enjoy yourself without ruining your budget.
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Safely Shopping Online Some of the earlier mentioned deals and tips will rrequire equire making the purchase online. Many people may be a little leery of shopping online due to the fear of stolen identity or being a victim of fraudulent activity. These fears are warranted, however, there are some great options available that will make ke shopping online safer. Paypal Paypal is my favorite way to make purchases online. It is very easy to setup and I feel very secure and safe while using it. Paypal is also very widely accepted on most websites and this provides security for both the merchant erchant and the customer. If you’re interested in setting up a Paypal account, here are the following steps steps• • • • •
Make sure you have an email account Go to www.paypal.com and click on the option to sign up Add and confirm your yo email account Add and confirm a credit card or a bank account After signing up, remember the email account and password that you selected
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Now’s here a breakdown of each step- having an email account, will be the form of communication that Paypal will use to notify and confirm your transactions and updates to your account. Also adding a credit card or a bank account will provide the form of payment when making your purchases. Now this is the best reason for using Paypal, when you setup this information, they are the only ones that have it and it will never be passed onto the merchant.
Here’s an exampleI go to a website to make a purchase and near the checkout and one of the buttons of payment forms is Paypal, I click on this and it will redirect me to the Paypal site and it will summarize the purchase and require me to sign in with my email address and password. I select how I want to pay; this is because you can setup more than one credit card and or bank account. Once I make this selection, it will ask me to confirm this payment and then redirect me back to original site. The merchant receives notification of payment received and never has access or knowledge of my bank account or credit card number. Also Paypal provides great tracking details and email notifications. Paypal also provides great protection from fraud and being ripped off. Depending on the type of merchant, you can go through Paypal and request a refund and indicate the reason and they will work on your behalf to retrieve the funds. This is helpful if you never receive your product or it is not what was advertised. Paypal has a resolution center that will walk you through the whole process of initiating a claim and all the steps toward a resolution. Paypal can request or withhold funds on your behalf if they find the seller at fault. ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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Become a Fan, subscriber and Follower for savings! Facebook and Twitter are now ways that you find savings for your favorite companies. Many companies in nearly every industry are on Facebook and Twitter. The websites require that you create your own account and then you have access to other “pages” and “friends” on the site. Now how much you use the site is totally up to you. However, I have acquired a lot of deals lately throughout utilizing these sites. For example, Facebook has what is called “fan pages”. This means the company has created a page that provides information about their product and business. There is usually a little button next to the names that says “like” and you click on it and you’re given access to explore more. Sometimes there are tabs there are places for you to click on “coupons” or “offers”. Sometimes there are great giveaways and contests available as well. There is no cost to do any of this and you can score great savings. Earlier I mentioned saving $1 on Chips Ahoy, I actually received the coupon along with a sample of the new gooey version of them. This was just for becoming a fan or liking the Chips Ahoy page. I also received a coupon for a free burger for Ruby Tuesdays, simply filling out a short form on Facebook. Twitter is another avenue for finding out about deals, similar to Facebook, there is no cost for signing up and it is very easy to do so. ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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Once you do, you can search for your favorite retailers, and become a “follower”. Once you become a follower, you will receive updates or “tweets” from the companies that you are following and this will alert you to specials. If you’re not personally comfortable with the whole social media craze, you can still find deals to subscribe to. Most retailers, restaurants and companies now have websites and usually somewhere on the homepage, there will be something requesting you to sign up for email alerts. These will allow savings to be personally delivered to your email account. Sometimes only email subscribers will know about “private” sales and discounts. Once again this service is free and harmless and can benefit you greatly. Some of these websites will also offer samples, coupons and special savings. When you receive these emails, simply print them off or follow the directions given to receive your savings and enjoy!
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Shopper’s Secrets for Deals and Steals Hopefully, after reading the chapter on safely shopping online, you will feel more comfortable to do so. Shopping online can save you tons of money, time and gas. There are some great ways to get the most benefit from shopping online. To be successful you must be willing to invest a little time. You need to look several websites for price comparison to get the best deal. Now there are some websites that will do that for you. You can simply type in the item you’re looking for and it will find all the online retailers that have it and list their prices. The most popular websites are the following• • • •
www.nextag.com www.shoplocal.com www.bizrate.com www.dealtime.com
This saves a lot of time and it allows you to several prices at one time. Also you can read feedback about the retailer’s service from previous ©LaShanda Glover 2011
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customers. This will indicate whether the retailer is reputable for timely shipping, actual product and etc. Once you make your selection in choosing the best option, you want to look for additional opportunities to save money. Here are the steps to do so1. Search the website for any promotions that state “enter this code” The code is a special number that the store has created and the system will to give you the special they are promoting. This could be free shipping, a percentage off, or even a free product. 2. If you don’t find a code, search the internet for one. There are some great sites that list coupon codes or promotion codes for many companies. Here are a few of the sites• www.retailmenot.com • www.couponcabin.com • www.promotionalcodes.com Sometimes, I have simply typed in the word coupon code and the item or the retailer that I am looking for into Google search engine or Yahoo search engine and many sites will come up. Keep in mind codes do have an expiration date but don’t be afraid to try them anyway. 3. Once you find the code and are ready to make your purchase, you will select the checkout option. During the checkout option, you should see a box that states- “enter promo code here” and that is where you can either type it in or copy and paste it into the box.
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4. Before finalizing your order, make sure you got the promised savings. If you don’t, check for any error messages. Sometimes you may not have the qualifying items in your cart to the get the savings. For example, sometimes for free shipping, your order must be over a certain amount. Make sure you know the restrictions.
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Deal of the Day SitesDeals of the Day Sites are so much fun to shop and get deep discounts. To explain “Deal of the Day” sites, this is how they work, they will offer a deal that will last for only 24 hours or until they are sold out. Usually the site will update their site at midnight and either have one item or several items that are on sale until midnight the next night. Here are a few of my favorite “Deal of the Day” Sites• www.1saleaday.com- This site has 5 categories for their sale, each day at 11 p.m. (c.s.t.) they will have products in the following categories- family, wireless, jewelry, watch and a general category. Recently I have even gotten totally free items such as a business cardholder, pocket light and etc. It’s fun to check it each day for great deals. For example, today they have a cassette to mp3 converter for $15. The shipping is usually $5 or sometimes free. • www.woot.com- This site features one product at midnight and it can be anything! I have seen refurbished or new flat screen TVs for very low prices. • www.dailysteals.com is another great site that offers variety of products for deep discounts one day only. The Ultimate site to keep track of is www.dodtracker.com This will actually alert you to all the websites that are on this format.
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Summary of Resources for Savings! The beginning of this eBook gave you tips on how to shop at brick and mortar businesses and get the best savings. Here’s a recap of the tools• Local Newspaper- purchase at least the Sunday’s edition *special note about savings on purchasing a newspaper, there are now several Dollar stores selling the Sunday’s edition for the low price of a $1 regardless of the regular price. Also if you’re interested in delivery, sign up online and referring to the section regarding coupon codes, look for any specials promo or codes that can be used for subscription savings. • Clip and carry the coupons with you. • Review the sales ad to make your selection for the best price • Carry the sales ads for various stores in order to take advantage of any price-matching opportunities. • Make a list of items that you want to purchase and match the coupons with them. Simple fix- place them in an envelope with the store’s name on it, so that you can be organized and ready for checkout at the store • Pay attention to signs and coupon dispensers located throughout the retailer. • Don’t be afraid to ask about specials
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Now here’s a recap to saving online• Sign up for a free email account, and there is nothing wrong with having more than one! Also check your email account regularly • Sign up for Paypal or other reputable internet checkout accounts • Sign up at your favorite brands, company, retailer and or restaurant websites for exclusive deals- usually only requires submitting email address and name • Look for internet promotions and sales, also refer to the coupon/promo code section – Always check before making purchase, you could be missing out on savings. • Search price comparison sites before making final selection. • Check Daily Deal Websites everyday- Deep Discounts on great products
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Now Do It! I hope you have enjoyed learning about how to save on nearly everything. I love to shop and this is the primary reason why I do. I only love it when I am getting the best deal. I refused to purchase an item that is at a price that I am not comfortable with. I have learned over the years that sometimes it takes patience and time, but if something is meant for you, you will eventually get it. So I advise you to refuse to pay retail but also refuse to live a life of deprivation. You can have nice things without blowing the budget or becoming materialistic. No one has to know how much you pay for your clothes, food or entertainment. However, I get excited about a deal and I often can’t help but share with the world how cheap I was able to make my purchase. The internet is a great resource for continuous learning how to save money and get the best deal.
Be sure to sign up at my blog for email updates and more resources on how to save-http://bargainistaonline.com/
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