While I was sitting in a waiting room the other day waiting for an appointment, I browsed through the April 2010 copy of Chatelaine magazine. I found an article about how women’s products are generally more expensive than men’s products. The article was specifically talking about hygiene products such as deodorant, body wash, shaving cream, etc.
The author of the article stated that for the most part, women are willing to spend more on hygiene products so stores jack up the prices accordingly. The author’s suggestion to women is to check out the men’s products before making their purchases. If they can find an unscented men’s product that is the equivalent to the higher priced women’s product, then they should go ahead and buy the men’s version.
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My husband I recently purchased a D-Link gadget used for network storage. It was priced at $195.00 at the Future Shop located within a short driving distance from our home, but it was only $165.00 at CBIT, which is located across the city from us.
Before making purchases for such items, my husband does research online. He compares prices and quality of various brands to make sure he gets the ‘biggest bang for his buck’. Although we knew that it would cost more at Future Shop, we decided to print out the CBIT advertisement and see if Future Shop would price match, sparing us from having to drive across the city.
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by Pam on September 10, 2009
I had always heard many good things about IKEA, but had never had the opportunity to visit an IKEA store until this past weekend while visiting friends in a faraway city. I have to say, IKEA exceeded my expectations. For those of you who have never heard of IKEA, it is a Scandinavian store that has locations all over the world.
First of all, eating out at IKEA is super cheap. You can buy breakfast for $1.00. They also have a lunch/supper menu that is very reasonably priced. You can feed your entire family for a fraction of the cost of eating at any other restaurant.
Secondly, they make it easy for customers to shop by providing childcare. Now that is practical!
Thirdly, they provide fairly decent quality products at affordable prices. And, to make it even better, a lot of their furniture can be purchased in stages rather than having to buy it all at once. For example, you could buy a shelf first and use it for a while, before buying the extra accessories such as the cabinet doors and drawers that can go with it. Some people prefer to only buy the barebones of the set anyway so they don’t have to waste their money on extras that they don’t even want.
Fourthly, it’s all do-it-yourself. IKEA keeps their prices low by creating products that you can put together yourself at home instead of having to pay hefty delivery fees. Shopping at IKEA is extremely efficient and their system is very practical.
So, although I didn’t really expect IKEA to be all that I had heard from others, I was pleasantly surprised and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone wanting to furnish their home. IKEA also has a wide selection of kitchen gadgets that would be hard to find anywhere else. And, if you don’t feel like cooking one day, eating out IKEA will definitely fit within your budget.
Check it out sometime. You won’t be disappointed. If you’re in an area like me with no IKEA store nearby, you can also check out their website .
by Pam on September 8, 2009
I’m sure everyone has heard the phrase, “Buy now, pay later.” Almost every major furniture and appliance company has this kind of offer. You can also often purchase electronic devices and all kinds of other gadgets this way. Well, I want to be a bit contrary here and suggest that when you make purchases, whether they are big or small, pay for them at the time of purchase rather than waiting to pay. Below are some reasons why I am suggesting this:
1. Who wants extra debt? Buy paying later you have taken on yet another debt that you will eventually have to pay. Wouldn’t you rather just pay for it and get it over with?
2. If you wait to make your purchase until you save up enough money, you will be more certain that it is really what you want. You are less likely to impulse buy if you discipline yourself to ensure you have the funds before making purchases.
3. By paying now you will eliminate the possibility of having to pay interest charges on your purchase.
4. If you decide to pay later, there is a chance that you may forget about it and not save an adequate amount of money in order to make the payments once they begin.
That being said, there is one situation where I think buying now and paying later could be financially beneficial. For instance, you buy a washer and dryer for $1000. The offer is to pay for the appliances in 2010 but you don’t have to pay interest. You currently have the money available to pay now, but since you won’t have to pay interest, you decide to invest the $1000 instead. Then, in 2010, you pay for your purchase in full, after having earned interest on your money through your investment. In my opinion, that would be the only time it would make sense to buy now and pay later when it comes to making small and medium-sized purchases.
by Pam on August 25, 2009
We watched the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic
the other night and I found it quite amusing. The main character, Rebecca Bloomwood, is absolutely in love with shopping. She can’t pass by a store window without seeing something that she wants to buy – and she does – and ends up racking up $16,000 in credit card debt. She knows she gets a sense of satisfaction from shopping. She feels happy when she buys the items and then afterwards she is discontent again, until she goes on her next shopping spree.
After a while she realizes her destructive pattern and when her own parents are willing to sell their beloved RV in order to pay off her debt for her, she finally realizes that things need to change. She ends up having an auction and selling all of her stuff in order to pay back her debt.
A lot of people purchase things for emotional reasons. It might make them feel better for a while just to make that big purchase. Others purchase products in order to make them appear to be successful or happy. I remember watching a TV program about debt a while ago where a woman whose husband had passed away, continuously bought clothing and other items she couldn’t afford for both her and her sons. She thought that by doing so she would be consoled and that she would make it up to her sons for not having a father. She also hoped it would make it appear that everything was okay even though it wasn’t.
Shopping really can’t make anyone happy for the long term. Material things just don’t cut it. Emotional issues need to be dealt with but shopping isn’t the proper therapy. The next time you go on a shopping spree, take the time to consider why you are doing it: Do you really need the stuff you plan to buy or are you just trying to make yourself feel better?
by Pam on August 17, 2009
Costco is a wholesale store providing all sorts of things from groceries to television sets to engine oil. When it comes to buying groceries, I find that I can often get better deals at my local grocery store. Costco doesn’t carry the cheaper generic food brands, and you have to be willing to buy food in large quantities. Although buying bulk is often cheaper, it can be more expensive at times, so you need to watch.
I also don’t like the idea of having to pay a $56 membership fee to be able to shop there. There are other wholesale places that don’t charge you anything. Not only that, but they won’t let you take a tour first before deciding if it’s worth your while to pay for a membership. You have to pay before you can look around. Another downer is that you can’t pay using a regular credit card, it has to be a Costco credit card, cash or debit. I like to use my credit card for everything so I can earn points, but I can’t do that at Costco.
That being said, Costco definitely has its good points. We save a ton of money on synthetic engine oil – it costs about 70% of what it would cost in regular retail stores. We’ve also saved a lot of money on buying ink for our printer. Had we bought it at any other store, we would have paid almost twice as much. Costco also has cheap clothing and books. We also discovered some good deals on picture frames, electric toothbrush replacements, and other miscellaneous items. If you are patient enough to look through the entire store, you are sure to find something you need and find a good deal.
A bonus to shopping at Costco is that they have plenty of people offering samples for everything from sausages to lemonade to candy. You can be entertained just by walking around the grocery section and trying all kinds of new things!
For us, at least, Costco has been worth the membership fee because of the savings on computer and auto supplies. The grocery prices aren’t that great, however, if you do a lot of entertaining, you will probably like their inexpensive fruit and veggie trays. I would encourage you to check it out, but only if you have plans to buy more than just groceries.
Grocery stores want you to spend as much money as possible, so they deliberately display their inventory in such a way as to make you think you need to buy more! Not only do they want you to buy more, they use sophisticated tactics to entice you to buy the most expensive products. Keep these strategies in mind whenever you shop and you will get the most for your money.
1. Most retail stores place the most expensive products at eye level. Be sure to look both above and below eye level and you will likely find similar products at a much lower price.
2. Just because you’ve tried a free sample of a product in a grocery store, don’t feel obligated to buy the product. Buy the item only if it’s something that you actually want, and be sure to check the price first.
3. If you decide to buy a grocery item because it’s on sale, recheck your list and your shopping cart. Determine whether or not the new item can replace a similar item rather than adding another item to your list. It is better to substitute than to add so you can stay within your budget.
4. Often grocery stores will place complementary items together such as cocktail sauces with seafood, croutons near lettuce, or whip cream near strawberries. When stores do this they are banking on their shoppers’ impulsiveness. Often the complementary item is a high cost item. Instead of selecting it on the spot, if you think you might want to buy it, add it to your list and then check out the aisle where other varieties can also be found so you can compare prices.
5. Another common tactic grocery stores use is to place chips, candy, and other sweets and junk food in the areas where crowds build up due to lineups. It’s so tempting to grab a few of these items and throw them in your cart. That’s why it always good to eat before going grocery shopping. If you shop when you’re hungry, you will almost always give in to these impulse buys while waiting in line.
