Home     Log in    XML, RSS Subscribe Feed (RSS)     XML, RSS Comments Feed

Posts Tagged ‘shopping’

« Older Entries

September Is National Coupon Month!

September 4th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 2 Comments | Filed in Consumer Tips

Happy September…and a Happy National Coupon Month to you and yours. Yep, as odd as it sounds there is a month set aside each year to honor the much-maligned, but honorable coupon. And, there is even a group behind that effort, a trade association known as the Promotion Marketing Association Coupon Council (PMACC).

Coupon Usage Is On The Rise

You can keep more money in your piggybank if you decide to clip coupons.

You can keep more money in your piggybank if you decide to clip coupons.

According to the PMACC, shoppers are using coupons a lot, noting that for the first half of 2009 alone, coupon usage increased by twenty percent. A double-digit increase in coupon usage began in the fourth quarter of 2008, which was mere weeks after the stock market collapsed in mid-September.

“Coupons are even more influential in consumer purchasing decisions today due to the economic downturn as shoppers realize it’s the smart thing to do,” says Charles Brown, Co-Chair of the PMA Coupon Council. “Both manufacturers and retailers are promoting at a greater pace to appeal to consumers who are seeking deals to stretch their budget and changing their spending habits in ways that are expected to continue permanently, even when the economy recovers.”

What About the “Y” Generation?

Well, I’m not sure if consumers will permanently embrace coupons, but if they’re as easy as the “clipless” kind then that may hold true. Sunday and Wednesday papers traditionally have had the bulk of coupons, but with newspaper readership plunging, there is a new generation of shopper coming up who has embraced all things internet.

The trade association claims that $400 billion in discounts are available every year for shoppers including coupons. The group claims that the average American family can save about $1000 per year on their groceries by clipping, a task that they say takes only fifteen to twenty minutes a week to accomplish.

Get Organized In Order To Save

“Organization is key,” said PMA Coupon Council Co-Chair Matthew Tilley. “Many shoppers sort coupons by category and keep their coupons in a file or envelope. But no matter how you organize your coupons the point is to be sure you take them with you to the store. When it becomes part of your shopping routine, the savings can be enormous.”

How about your family? Are you clipping coupons or are you relying on a store card for savings? I’m sure there is a handful of readers who don’t clip coupons. Period. What say you?

Adv. — Visit the nBuy Shopping Plaza to find savings on all of your purchases. You can earn shopping rebates, find school supplies, and save on stuff for your car.


Tags: , , , , ,

More Back To School Shopping Tips

August 13th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 2 Comments | Filed in Consumer Tips

Back on July 27th, we featured several tips which were designed to help “back to school” shoppers save money as they prepare their kids for school this academic year. A number of school districts are already in session while the remaining districts will get started over the coming month or so. But many parents are still shopping for their kids, taking advantage of tax free weekends in a bid to save cash.

backpackThanks to conversations we’ve had with parents who do the shopping, SayEducate has compiled some additional tips which can help you save money when searching for “back to school” bargains including the following:

Clip Coupons – We left this one off of the list thinking that coupon cutting and back to school didn’t go hand in hand. Sure enough, a neighbor came over to our house the day before the big sale started, handing us a 40% off coupon for the local craft store. Turns out that this store carried certain colored pencils not found elsewhere, yielding significant savings for our family.

Buy In Bulk – One of the mothers of our children’s classmates made an important point and that was to anticipate some of your supplies running out mid-year. Just when you think you have enough ruled paper or colored folders for the next nine months, you may be out of stock come January. Why not stock up on things being sold for “back to school” prices instead of paying full price come winter? Whatever you don’t use can probably be set aside for the following school year.

Shop Used – One parent remarked that her son’s high school now requires students to have a laptop. Thinking that every student of a certain age already had their own computer, I didn’t realize that some schools had this requirement. Most decent laptops cost at least $500, a big expense for many families. However, one of our local PC repair stores sells refurbished laptops for about $150 to $250, with open source software installed. Best of all, her son’s computer is powered by Windows XP not the dreaded Windows VISTA program.

Keep Receipts –  In our first article we encouraged people to delay some of their purchase in the event that something on the “back to school” list isn’t really needed. But, should you go ahead and make a purchase, keep your receipts handy in order to get a refund or credit later. Why get stuck with a backpack your child really doesn’t want or need?

Finally, you’ll want to come up with a shopping plan before you head out, one based on securing items you need and within your budget. We’ve learned that some families with two or more children are spending at least $500 this school year which explains why “back to school” time is the second most profitable shopping season for retailers after Christmas.

Adv. — You can get ready for hurricane season by stocking up on all of the essentials needed to keep your family fed and safe. Visit nBuy.com for all of your shopping needs including travel, home, car and school supplies.


Tags: , , , , , ,

7 Tips To Help You Save Money On Groceries

August 11th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 2 Comments | Filed in Consumer Tips

During a down economy consumers look for any number of ways to save money. One significant expense that can be trimmed back is the purchase of groceries, so let’s examine ways that you can save the next time you head out to the supermarket:

vegetablesClip Coupons – Maybe you hate clipping coupons, but you really love saving money. This used to be a dilemma that many consumers faced until “clipless” coupons arrived on the scene. Instead of scouring through the ink-stained editions of the Sunday newspaper in search of savings, you can save money on purchases by using your favorite supermarket’s plastic “store card” which will automatically deduct discounts without coupons at the cash register. Just check their weekly four-color flyer to see which items are currently on sale; stock up and save on the best deals.

Buy Generic – Store brands are once again popular as shoppers look for savings apart from the national brands. Not every store product is of the same level of quality as a major brand, but with savings averaging 30% on store mix dark chocolate brownies v. Pillsbury, maybe you should consider the non brand?

Buy Specials – Just as you do when you use “clipless coupons” you can gain significant savings when you buy those items you need when they are offered at a discount. Most stores will limit your quantities to no more than four of any product per visit, which means that you can double or triple your savings via follow up trips to the market.

Shop Full – You’ll spend more on your groceries if you shop when you’re hungry. Your guard may be let down when you’re hungry, enticing you to make unneeded and costly purchases.

Reprioritize Purchases – Americans will often head to the market looking for the best cut of meat, without considering how much it will cost. Have your sirloin tips every now and then but also consider a cheaper side of beef too. Think about those things you buy and never finish – bags of Lay’s potato chips, cans of Coke or Pepsi, fruits and vegetables, etc. Unless you can find a new purpose for unused food, consider cutting back on the amount of food purchased.

Buy Big – The larger your family, the bigger the sized package you will need. Nearly across the board you will save money on purchases if you buy the larger sized version of the same item. Compare what you pay per ounce, pound or other measurement to see how you’re paying for all of your food.

Shop Elsewhere – Your favorite grocery store may be too expensive. Consider shopping private label stores such as Aldi’s or consider BJ’s, Costco and Sam’s Club for warehouse store savings. You may be able to afford shopping at Whole Foods, but only if you find some of what you need elsewhere.

There are many other ways you can save money on your grocery purchases  including visiting farmer’s markets, co-ops, sharing purchases with family members or friends, etc. With a little effort you can save ten percent on your next shopping trip; as much as fifty percent if you use coupons and really watch your spending!

Adv. – Are you considering a loan modification? If so, this mortgage medication website could offer just the prescription you need to improve your financial health.


Tags: , , , , , ,

5 Tips For A Successful Fall Yard Sale

August 6th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 7 Comments | Filed in Consumer Tips

It is kind of hard to think about fall, what with summer temperatures in the 90s and vacations days still left to expend. But, before you know it Labor Day will be here which marks the unofficial start of the Fall season.

Yard SaleSeptember, October and even November can be excellent months to hold a garage or yard sale, because the weather is still relatively warm and as you get closer to the holiday season, you pick up more traffic thanks to people heading to the mall in search of Christmas gifts. Besides, with most people having put their garage sale shopping on hold for the summer, you’ll be able to tap some of that pent up demand especially if you plan your sale smartly.

The following five tips can help you have a successful fall yard sale:

Plan Ahead – Unless you have had several sales before, you’ll find it to your advantage to plan well in advance. In some locales this is a must as towns require homeowners to secure a permit first. Regardless, by picking a date now and working toward sorting through all of your stuff, coming up with prices, tagging everything, going to the bank for extra bills and change, etc., you won’t feel rushed come yard sale day.

Think Strategically – When is the best time for you to have a sale? Some people avoid Labor Day weekend thinking that no one will be around, but on the contrary a lot of people are finishing up their “back to school” shopping and are looking for backpacks, desks, school supplies and related items, which you may be able to sell to them. Also consider holding your sale on the same date as a big event in your town, such as a Harvest Fest, whereby you can siphon some of the traffic heading to the event.

Work Cooperatively – Perhaps you don’t have a ton of stuff to sell, but you still want to get rid of what you own. Consider pooling your goods with several friends and holding a joint sale. Or, ask your neighbors if they are planning to hold a sale themselves. Come up with a date that everyone likes and reap the rewards of a “five family yard sale” which tends to bring a lot of traffic to neighborhoods featuring multiple sales. Publish this information in your free Craigslist ad too!

Price Smartly – It can be difficult to part with items that you paid a mint for when brand new. But price is king especially when it comes to yard sales which means that you’re most likely to move everything within the first few hours if priced to sell rather than waiting to the end of the sale to slash prices. If you’re afraid of undervaluing your goods, check around online (especially through eBay) to see what various items will fetch.

End Early – Most garage sales get started around eight in the morning and wind up by three in the afternoon. This is too long and isn’t considerate of your neighbors who must put up with traffic, people parking in front of their homes (some blocking driveways), foot traffic on their lawn, etc. You get the money and all they get are hassles. Instead, with smart pricing you can plan on finishing your sale at lunch time, allowing you to have more time for yourself while giving your patient neighbors an important break.

Not many people make a bundle off of their yard sales, but with careful planning on your part you can hold a sale on the right day, move your goods quickly and be done early enough to enjoy the rest of the day!

Adv. – The season of fall travel is nearing! SayFunTravel.com is your one stop travel portal offering information about US destinations with tips on overseas travel too. Save on airfare, rail travel, lodging, special events and so much more, by comparing prices and looking for last minute deals.


Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

« Older Entries