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Save Money On Your Grocery Bill – Shop at Superstore

I like to shop at Superstore for the majority of my groceries.  Although shopping at Superstore can at times be inconvenient due to large crowds, if I go on weekday evenings I find it much more relaxing and simple to shop there.  I have saved hundreds of dollars each year by shopping there and I highly recommend it if you are looking for ways to decrease your grocery bill without having to buy less.

Below are a few of the major reasons why I choose to shop at Superstore:

*They have cheaper food prices than most grocery stores.  I have compared grocery prices with Sobey’s, Safeway, and a few smaller grocery store chains and have found that for the most part, Superstore is the cheapest.  Costco’s prices are similar to Superstore’s, but Superstore has the advantage of offering different types of brands rather than just one or two brands for each item.

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January 10, 2010
Shopping

Check out IKEA – It’s An Affordable Place To Shop

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 .

September 10, 2009
Shopping

Buy Now & Pay Now

buy now, pay nowI’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.

September 8, 2009
Shopping

Read Customer Reviews Before Going Shopping

Read customer reviews before making purchasesMy husband and I have discovered a great way to get the most value for our money when we shop.  Although it takes a bit of our time, reading customer reviews on the Internet prior to making purchases has saved us a lot of money and frustration.

For instance, when we first bought our house we didn’t have a weed whacker.  Without doing any research, we went and bought a fairly inexpensive no-name brand at Wal-Mart.  It barely worked!  We had to constantly reattach the plastic string in order for it to whip again.  After a year of fighting with it, we decided to buy another one.  But this time we decided to do it right.

My husband went online and read customer reviews.  After comparing various types he found one suitable for and we went out and made our purchase.  So far, this new one works like a charm and it didn’t cost much more than the first one we bought.

My husband did the same thing when he purchased our camera.  He compared various brands and features to determine exactly what he wanted within our price range.  Then he read customer reviews to make sure others were satisfied with their cameras.  I’ve noticed that whenever he does the research first we never regret our purchases.  The only purchases we ever regret are the ones we make spur of the moment or without any prior research.

Although it’s obviously not necessary to read reviews prior to making every kind of purchase, it certainly does come in handy for making bigger purchases or for buying items such as appliances, tools, electronics, and many other items.  Believe me, it’s worth your time.

August 29, 2009
Shopping

Lessons Learned from Confessions of a Shopaholic

confessions of a shopaholicWe 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?

August 25, 2009