Shopping
Defensive Spending
Monday, February 8th, 2010
It’s a financial jungle out there, so an essential part of wise money management is being vigilant about ferreting out shady deals. That’s the message of Bob Sullivan’s new book, Stop Getting Ripped Off. As summarized by MSN, one common ploy he warns against is the bait and switch, in which companies lure us in ... [Read more]
1 Comment » Christmas Sanity
Thursday, October 8th, 2009
December is right around the corner, and if you don’t plan ahead one of the most meaningful holidays could easily turn into one of the most stressful and costly times of year. Fortunately, lots of holiday-smart articles are filling the blogosphere these days, offering good reminders like the importance of setting and sticking to a ... [Read more]
One-Stop Deal Shopping
Thursday, October 8th, 2009
An ever-expanding number of web sites offer coupons, coupons codes, and other ways to get the best deals. Now, the company behind the Ask.com search engine has rolled out a deal aggregator called Ask Deals. The one-stop shop for deal seekers taps 40 coupon sites, online promotions, store circulars, message boards, blogs, and more. To ... [Read more]
The Wisdom of Waiting
Thursday, October 1st, 2009
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently before him.”
- Psalm 37:7 Have you ever seen an advertisement that included these words: “Think about it for a while before making a decision to buy this item”? Or, “Sleep on it and come back when you’re good and ready to make a wise decision.” Of course ... [Read more]
How Warranties Really Work
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
An ABC News article highlighted the importance of reading the fine print on product warranties. Think a “lifetime warranty” refers to your lifetime? Think again. Some companies define “lifetime” as the amount of time they think their product should reasonably last. The better news is that you may be covered by an unwritten warranty guaranteed ... [Read more]
Curbing Your Enthusiasm to Spend
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
Spending money wisely takes more than a budget and a stack of coupons. It takes some self-knowledge. A good article on Oprah.com highlighted several ways to keep our emotions from trashing our finances. For example, researchers have found that when we run up big tabs on a single trip to a single store, which can ... [Read more]
Dollar Store Hits and Misses
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
Have you ever shopped in a dollar store? Consumer Reports recently made some helpful recommendations about what to buy and what to avoid in such stores. It said that dollar store prices on aluminum foil, gift wrap, and party supplies can’t be beat. However, it recommended taking a pass on electrical products (they may carry ... [Read more]
Thriving After the Recession
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
While a lot of people are still deeply impacted by the recession, a number of post-recession articles are starting to emerge, including one from US News & World Report that suggested 10 ways to “thrive” after the recession. It described the new “evolved consumer” who “shops with more discipline and focuses on buying products with ... [Read more]
It’s Not Easy Being Green
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
Paper or plastic? At first, it was polite of grocery store cashiers to ask which sort of bag we’d prefer. But today, the question often sounds like, “Environmentalist or Polluter?” Everyone knows that paper is the best choice for protecting the planet. Or is it? A recent Wall Street Journal article noted, “There is growing ... [Read more]
A Shopping Alternative
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
Retail sales have taken a hit because of the recession. But shoppers haven’t disappeared altogether; some have turned into swappers. As reported on Mainstreet.com, clothing swap groups have become popular on Meetup.com, a site that helps users organize or find meetings based on common interests. Everyone who brings something to the swap event may take ... [Read more]
