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We received coupon savings, without the coupons!

We had some clothing returns to take care of which had been sitting around for quite a while. Why not take advantage of Labor Day sales while we were at it? By shopping for end-of-season sale items we’d be saving some money. But, by shopping sales and using our favorite simple shopping savings trick, we were able to cash in on even bigger savings!

We went to Lord & Taylor with a 4-month old gift return.   They took the item back with no problem. At the same time we wanted to buy two shirts.

Shirt ‘A’ at full price would have been $98.00  It was on sale for $48.98  (savings: $49.02)

Shirt ‘B’ at full price would have been $98.00. It had been reduced to $69.99, but when it was rung up we discovered it was on sale for an additional mark-down, bringing it to $49.99 (savings: $48.01)

At checkout we asked our favorite shopping value question, “Are there any other special offers or coupons in effect that we might be able to use?”  Our sales person said, with a smile, “I will check.” She found a coupon sitting behind the counter, scanned it and cheerfully informed us that we received an additional 15-percent off our total purchase!  (savings: $14.85)

Total Lord & Taylor Savings:  $111.84

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We had another return to take back to Macy’s. This return was almost 12 months old. We did have a receipt, and they also took the item back with no problem.

We selected a sports jacket. Original full price: $375.00.  Sale price: $204.99.  (savings: $170.01)

We found a shirt  which unfortunately was not on sale and full price was $49.50.

Once again, at the counter, we asked our sales person if they could accommodate further savings for us. We mentioned that we had coupons from Macys, but they had been left at home, and  ”Was there anything they could do for us?”  And once again, our sales person said, “I think so”.  She too scanned a coupon from behind the counter for an additional 20-percent off our entire order! (20% off  savings: Shirt: $9.90  Jacket: $40.98)

Total Macy’s savings: $220.89

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Simply by shopping sale items, we were able to save $267.04.

We received an additional “Just Ask” savings of $65.75 which we would not have gotten had we not asked.

Total Shopping savings: $332.79

Yes, Another, “Just Ask” Ca-Ching Moment!  We just could not resist bringing the “Just Ask” tip to you again because it just plain works!

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Related Topics:

Money Saving, 5 Top Spend Less TV Tips
Author, personal finance advisor, & radio host, Garrett B. Gunderson, interviews SpendLessTV.com’s co-founder, Michael Fishman, who reveals SpendLessTV’s 5 top shopping savings tips.

Cheapest Days to Shop
Nikki Key from HowCast TV gives easy shopping pointers that could save you a bundle.

Haggle for Discounts!
Susan Koeppen on CBS’ The Early Show gives tips to finding the best deals, and how to haggle for additional discounts in-store and online when shopping.

Secret Deals You Have to Ask For
MSN Financial Advisor, Liz Weston, gives not-so-obvious pointers for getting discounts & deals on everything from coffee to children’s clothes & coupons to checkout scan errors

Dog Food, Shredders, Burgers, and Bed Linens: What do these things have in common?  Not much except that we were able to enjoy good deals on all of them!

How we saved over $111.55 with almost no  effort!

Busy Saturday, full of errands taking care of little odds and ends that I had been putting off for some time.  First, I  headed to Petco, to take advantage of a coupon I had gotten in the mail for being a Petco loyalty member,  and picked up a FREE 4-lb bag of their Nature’s Recipe dog food (normally $11.49).

On to Staples to buy a paper shredder.  There was a woman standing alone in the isle in front of the shredders, holding a flyer covered with coupons.  I asked which shredder she was thinking of and she said they were out of the one she wanted but the sales associate was bringing one from stock that he thought she might like, however she wasn’t sure if the additional 25% coupon she had would still apply.  I asked to see the ad, and I noted that it said: 25% off ALL shredders.  The sales associate came back back with his selection saying it normally was $139.99, but was on sale for $59.90, (savings: $80.09) plus the additional 25% would bring it to $44.93 (additional savings: $14.97).  I mentioned that if there was another in stock that I would take it and I asked if there were any coupons in the store that I could use, and the associate assured me that he could take care of that for me, and fetched the same shredder from stock.  I asked why it wasn’t on the shelf, and he said it was a discontinued item.  That was okay with me… so I was able to get a $139.99 shredder for under $45.00.  If I hadn’t asked that woman and the sales associate, I never would have gotten that deal.  When I returned home I noticed that the additional 25% had not been deducted on the receipt.  I called Staples, spoke to the manager, and she told me that she would be able to apply a credit to my credit card.  That’s what I call value and service!

Then, I just couldn’t resist looking into a brand new Five Guys Burgers and Fries which had just opened up right next to Staples. I’d never been to one so it was kind of an adventure to check it out.  I was pleasantly surprised to find some terrific items of note:  ALL toppings on burgers (besides cheese and bacon) are FREE; you can help yourself to all the fresh peanuts in the shell you want, for FREE; soft drink refills are FREE, and the regular-sized fresh-cut french fry order was more than enough for two people, actually it was enough for three people!  All of that speaks well for their customer consideration and product value.

Then to Bed Bath and Beyond for a mattress cover, where I asked if they would accept my $5.00 off coupon that was dated 2008!  Yep! So glad they honor ALL their coupons, no matter what the “date”…  In reality, don’t expiration dates discourage shoppers? After all, isn’t the purpose of coupons to get the consumer to come in and shop?

With almost no effort at all I saved $111.55 on items I really needed.  Sometimes it all just comes together, and it’s happy all around: happy to finally have a shredder; happy to have tried a new burger joint and have some free fresh peanuts, happy the bed will be cozier, happy the dog will be full, and happy that I was able to do it all without breaking the bank!  Now, that was a nice, and frugal, Saturday afternoon!

Jamie, SLTV co-founder

Street Food Smart – Daniel Delaney, host of vendr.tv gives pointers to find quality gourmet street food to enjoy on the cheap.

Money Saving, 5 Top Spend Less TV Tips – Finance author and radio show host, Garrett Gunderson, discuss easy ways to save throughout your day.

Coupon Stacking Explained - Julia Scott, aka: The Bargain Babe, reveals how coupon stacking works, so you can get the most out of  a deal.

SpendLessTV.com knows you care, and your Dad will too!

You can show Dad you have real heart for him, and also hold onto your real savings at the same time with these videos loaded with easy budget-friendly or even free do-it-yourself gifts, gift baskets, recipes, entertaining and activity ideas Dad will love!

Father’s Day the Home Shopping Way – a Karen Alloy comedy

Father’s Day Artists Showcase, Live Performances –  Live web broadcast  from NerveDJs.com

Meetballs 3-course, feed 4, under $35 - Chef /Owner, Bill Poirer, from the Boston Restaurant, Sonsie

Summer Grilling , Serve 8 for $10 Each – David Joachim & Andrew Schloss, authors of “Mastering The Grill”

Cupcake Father’s Day Gifts – Clare Crespo, author of “Hey There, Cupcake!”

DIY Coin and Key Keeper – Crayola Creative Workshop

DYI CD Case Photo Frame – Crayola Creative Workshop

Origami necktie and Shirt Card – Easy to do!

Men’s Spa at Home – Lenny LaCour (yes, men like them too!)

For some great gift basket ideas, check this previous blog post:
The Gift… Basket?

These previous posts mention  great resources for nice discounts and even free fun local activities :

Hidden Deals! Ye Olde Telephone Book Bargains

End Cabin Fever For Free

Frugal Festival – In Los Angeles

Visit us on Twitter for more up-to-the-minute deals and ideas!

Father’s Day FACT:  Did you know:

Scholars claim the tradition of Father’s Day can be traced in the ruins of Babylon where a young boy called Elmesu carved a Father’s Day message on a card made out of clay nearly 4,000 years ago. Elmesu wished his father good health and a long life. The idea of a Father’s Day celebration in the U.S.A. originated in 1909 in Spokane, Washington, when Ms. Sonora Louise Smart Dodd was listening to Mother’s Day sermon.  Sonora pondered if there is a day to honor mother then why not for father and she began a rigorous campaign to celebrate Father’s Day in the U.S.  It wasn’t until  1972 that a permanent national observance of Father’s Day  was established by President Richard Nixon. More Father’s Day facts

I need a spot of  chamomile tea to soothe my coupon-crazed nerves…

Okay, I confess… I don’t really drink tea.  And, I don’t always use grocery coupons.  I want to.  I have a basketful in the kitchen and a file full of them in the car. But when I’m in a hurry or in the spur-of-the-moment, which is most of the time, I forget.

In theory I’m pretty keen on the idea of shopping for groceries with coupons, but in reality, admittedly, I’m far from the best. Through managing the SpendLessTV.com site I get so many really excellent coupon grocery shopping strategies from fellow money-savers and still, I feel overwhelmed.  Even with contact lenses, I need an atomic microscope to read the ultra-fine print, and I’m exhausted by just the mere thought of wading through the various sized papers, searching for expiration dates, and deciphering details on limits and the numerous other restrictions.  Follow that with the tedious task of scouring the shelves to find the exact matching product, package size and weight, and I’m ready for a vacation. I know I’m just the type of shopper manufacturers, grocery stores, and supermarkets are banking on.

Even though right now I’m in the fortunate position where it’s not an absolute must to watch every single penny, I don’t like wasting an opportunity to save, especially by using something that’s supposedly so simple. So I keep trying. Online coupons seem like a convenient idea, right?  I’ve given it several shots now and even though I’m fairly technically adept there are always glitches – out of printer ink, zip file wouldn’t load, etc. etc. And now after several failed attempts to install some coupon drivers onto my computer, I wonder what form of spyware may be running on my hard drive. I haven’t tried cellphone coupons yet, perhaps they’ll be the answer.

I just have to accept the fact that couponing is not one of my personal saving fortés, and move on to mastering other saving formats.

There are plenty of Grocery Coupon Masters out there who excel at the skill and operate the system more smoothly than bank accountants.  I’m in awe of their abilities.  But for me, coupons and tea have a lot in common:  I love the idea; I want to enjoy all the benefits; I have dozens of varieties on hand, but rarely actually use them.

Am I the only grocery coupon-challenged money-saver out there?

Jamie, sltv

Thank goodness for these (non-coupon grocery shopping strategy) video tips:

Which Grocery Shopping Technique Saves Most?
CBS’s Harry Smith examines grocery shopping techniques

Trim Your Grocery Bill & Do It Without Coupons!!!
Ellen Damaschino, professional organizer, grocery shopping expert

Shop Organic Money Saving Tips
Sophie Uliano, NY Times Best Selling author of, Georgeously Green and The Gorgeously Green Diet.

Never Clip Safeway & P&G Coupons Again
Coleen O’Brien

See More coupon and non-coupon food shopping tips in our Coupon & Grocery Shopping Category

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You missed Free Shipping Day???

Okay, maybe you still have some holiday gift shopping to do. Or now someone’s begging you to send the traditional chocolate chip banana bread that you haven’t made yet. Or you’ve just got that last minute something that needs to get mailed, and it has nothing to do with a holiday.  Whatever the reason, there’s always something to be sent.  I’ve spent more than I like to admit on shipping charges simply because I’ve been in a hurry and haven’t had time to investigate options and do some price comparing. And there are so many variables that by the time all the fees and charges are totaled up I’ve almost forgotten what it was I was sending to begin with!  Registered, return-receipt, insurance, certified, first, second, third, media, library, parcel, priority, bulk, global, over-sized, one, two, three, or more-day delivery, weekend, ground, air, boat…

We’re happy to report that fortunately there is one revolutionary concept which the United States Postal Service has implemented that really simplifies the whole complicated pricing issue. It’s quite remarkable, and using it can save you a lot, especially if your package is on the heavier side.  It’s Flat Rate boxes.  One box, stuffed as full as you want, regardless of weight up to 70 pounds, for one flat fee. (That’s a lot of banana bread). There are six box sizes and two envelopes, each with its own flat shipping rate.  Below are details quoted from the USPS site for the   5-3/8” x 8-5/8” x 1-5/8” sized box:

The Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box has a retail shipping price of $4.95 — one price, regardless of weight, up to 70 lbs. for U.S. addresses. The international price, for up to 4 lbs., is just $10.95 to Canada or Mexico and $12.95 to all other countries, with savings of 5 percent for customers who ship online. Online prices also are lower for shipping to U.S. addresses. The online price is $4.80, and for large volume mailers who qualify for USPS Commercial Plus pricing, the price is $4.75.

And it gets better: The boxes themselves are free! You can pick them up from the post office, OR  they’ll send you the boxes free of charge! And, on top of that, they’ll pick up your ready-to-ship package from your home, also free of charge!  You can even purchase postage online and print it out from your computer’s printer.

If you want to add some bells and whistles, like tracking, you can do that online, too.

Pretty simple!   I think it’s quite amazing that a single post card can find it’s way half way around the world right to my mailbox, and now I also appreciate a more convenient, less complicated way to send packages that saves time, gasoline, and saves me some money too. Ah… can’t ya just smell those chocolate chip banana breads baking in the oven now?

So if you missed Free Shipping Day, never fear, you can still get your goodies sent for less.

Jamie, sltv

Related videos:

Cheapest Overnight Shipping: FedEx, UPS or USPS?
Stacy Johnson, consumer advocate, Money Talks

Shipping Discounts for the Small Business Owner
Navigo Shipping Consultants

Work From Home Job Ideas
Regina Lewis, AOL Advisor

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7 Resources you can easily use to give back as you’re gift shopping:

If you’re considering a charitable donation, the best way to be certain where  your money is going is to make a donation directly to the organization of your choice. But, if you’re going to be gift shopping anyway, it why not make your purchases count for more by shopping in a way that actually generates funds for charitable organizations? Couldn’t hurt, right?

Charity Choice

Charity Gift Cards and Certificates  - Great to include in gift-baskets!

A beautiful giving concept: Give a charity gift certificate that the recipient designates where they would like the charitable donation to go.

Charity Gift Cards was born when Mark Finkel, a board member of the nonprofit organization, Special Kids Fund, wanted to make a charity donation in memory of the recently-deceased father of a business associate. Not knowing what cause was important to the family, he wished to give a charitable gift that allowed the recipient to designate the charity of his/her choice. When he could not readily find a service that allowed the recipient to choose the charity, the next Special Kids Fund board meeting became the springboard for the website CharityChoice.

Fairwinds Trading

Since 2005, Fairwinds Trading has opened U.S. markets to thousands of artisans and entrepreneurs in Africa and Indonesia while introducing high-value, culturally expressive products to millions of Americans. Fairwinds Trading is an American business built on enduring partnerships that bring together people and products across global divides. You can  visit the Fairwinds Trading site or visit Macy’s Shop for A Better World department for these beautiful handmade gift items.

Give Back America

Serves hundreds of charities, you choose where contributions from your purchases should go. GBA is an online shopping mall where retailers, such as Expedia.com & Target.com, pay GBA a commission to refer customers to their site. GBA takes the commission from the retailer and shares it with the charity of your choice.  Use GiveBackAmerica.org links when you do your internet shopping and 100% of listed commission proceeds go to your designated charities.

Greater Good

Shop to benefit: Ending hunger, breast cancer care & research, literacy support, child health issues, women’s rights worldwide, rainforest preservation, wildlife habitat protection and restoration, animal rescue.  Each person’s daily click on the Click To Give™ sites displays sponsor advertising. 100% of sponsor advertising is paid as a royalty to charity through the non-profit, tax-exempt GreaterGood.org. Supporters can also contribute directly to charity by purchasing Gifts that Give More™, where 100% of their donation is given to charity, or by purchasing one of the 4500+ products that we carry, including jewelry, apparel, and gifts. There is a charity royalty of from 5-30% paid on every item purchased from any of the GreaterGood Network’s online stores.

iGive and iSearchiGive

Raise money for your favorite cause, every time you search the web. iSearchiGive.com is a search engine powered by iGive.com, the internet’s first online shopping mall where a portion of each purchase is donated to your favorite cause. When you use iSearchiGive to search the web, your favorite cause receives exactly $0.02 per qualified search. The money comes from advertisers, so it costs you nothing, and it’s completely free for you and the cause you support.  If you shop, you can help even more. iSearchiGive is brought to you by the pioneers in online shopping and charitable giving: iGive.com, where up to 26% of each purchase at over 680 participating online stores is donated to your favorite cause.

(RED)

(RED)™ is a simple idea that transforms our collective power as shoppers into a financial force that helps those affected by HIV in Africa. To date, $140 million has been generated and 4 million people have been helped through global fund programs that (RED)™ supports.  When you choose to buy products from (RED)™ partner companies up to 50% of the profit goes towards eliminating AIDS in Africa.  In addition to finding (RED) at all of our great partner retailers this holiday season, this December you can find an array of (PRODUCT) (RED) branded products under one roof at the (RED) pop up shops in London, Tokyo, San Francisco and New York.  (RED) partners including Apple, Bugaboo, Converse, Dell, Emporio Armani, Gap, Hallmark, Starbucks and special editions Solange Azagury-Partridge, Girl Skateboard, Channel Islands Surfboards, and Timbuk2. (Selection will vary by location).

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, is one of the world’s premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. Children from all 50 states and around the world have come through the doors of St. Jude for treatment, and thousands more have benefited from the research conducted at St. Jude—research that is shared freely with the global medical community. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. St. Jude covers the cost of everything—food, travel and lodging for patients and a family member.

Shop from a wide selection of gift choices in St. Jude’s gift shop and 100% of the profits after all related expense go to benefit the hospital.  In addition, you can shop from partner companies who participate in a St. Jude’s donation program.

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The all time favorite gift to give:  the gift… basket?

Spend Less TV’s categories are brimming with videos featuring amazing budget–friendly holiday shopping tips and gifting ideas.  We’ve sifted through our 20 categories to find some of the most helpful for making your holiday gifts festive, your friends and family smile, and your wallet happy.

We happen to love that universal great gift, The Gift Basket. You can create a fantastic “basket” for as much or as little expense as fits your budget or your desire. They are the ultimate for creativity, versatility and flexibility, and a basket doesn’t even have to be a basket!  Add a more personal touch and a “wow” factor by using a unique vessel to hold your collection of gift items. (pictured above: coffee-table games in an over-sized fish bowl that can be used to hold flowers, serve goldfish crackers, or even be a home to a real fish later)

In addition to having good savings tips, the videos below will serve as inspiration as they reveal gift basket possibilities… and we’ll toss in a few of our own tips to get you started.

Gift Baskets:

Gift Baskets, Make ‘em Creative! – Creative Juice

Gift Baskets for the Holidays – Grocery School

Garden:

Select the Right Tree for Your Yard, Get More for Your Money – Editor-in Chief Better Homes and Gardens

Gardening Gifts – Phyllis Stephens, KXLY4

Gardening Great Gifts under $40 – CleanAirGardening.com

Gift Idea: Take a gardening bag, or big bright colorful plastic paint bucket, fill with various hand tools, a re-usable water bottle (for the gardener), sunscreen, sun visor, gloves, plastic clogs or flip-flops, and some seed packets.

Fashion:

Celeb Jewelry for Less – The Lia Sophia Line

Designer for Less – Jen Groover

Luxury Labels For Less, Online – Vera Gibbons

Clothes Swap – Shoestring Mag. & Punkystyle Blog

Affordable Handbags with StyleList.com

Gift Idea, for her:  Take decorative hatbox, fill with vintage jewelry, scarves, delicate gloves, a beautiful belt, lingerie, perfume samples, and maybe… even a hat!

Gift Idea, for him: Find a box from a home goods or craft store that could sit on a dresser or desk top, fill with cuff links, a belt, pocket squares, a scarf, gloves, cologne samples, and maybe… even a hat!

Electronics:

Blu-ray vs DVD – a Comparison Report

Buy Extended Warranties? – June Walbert

Coupon Codes for Electronics, too! – Brads Deals

Energy Saving TV’s – Find the Best – Brooke Carlson

Tech Holiday Gifts, How to Save $ – Good Housekeeping

Gift Idea: A small vintage suitcase would make a great container for any Techie Basket.  Fill with surge protector, extension cords, fasteners to keep cords tangle-free, batteries, a label maker, and a gift certificate for mp3 downloads or a DVD delivery service.

Food, Drink, Cooking:

99 Cents Only Store Cookbook – Spinach Artichoke Tarts

99 Cents Only Store Cookbook Recipe – Little Pumpkin Pies

Champagne & Sparkling Wines – Epicurious.com

Cocktails – Festive & Budget – Dee Brun

Go Gourmet: Impress Guests for Less – Hope Fox

How to Buy a Xmas Ham

Wine Bargains & How to Find Them – David Ohr

Wine for Less – Martin Sinkoff

Wine: 10 Extraordinary Tips Save Time & Money

Gift Idea:  Of course the topic of food, drink, and cooking is enormous and there are endless  possibilities…  don’t forget a cookbook or a recipe card makes a great enhancement to any basket!

A foodie idea:  Take a pie pan, fill with apples, a card with grandma’s famous apple pie recipe, spices from the recipe, a cool pie slicer-server, a pot holder, and wrap it all up in an oversized nifty new dish towel.

A wine idea:  Take a galvanized bucket from the hardware store, or a ‘real’ ice bucket, and in the bucket place 2 bottles of wine (Two Buck Chuck, anyone?), two gourmet cheeses, a box of your favorite crackers or a loaf of hearty bread, and a little bamboo cutting board.

Beauty/Cosmetics:

Amazing Beauty Tips for Less – Diane Irons

Aspirin Facial Mask – Michelle Phan

Beauty Secrets From Your Kitchen – Rachel Hayes

Beauty Secrets of Models & Celebrities with At Home Items! - Diane Irons

Beauty: Best Bargains – Paula Begoun

Skincare Drugstore Discoveries – Jan Marini

Take advantage of those frequent cosmetic give-aways for free samples or totes that can be added in for extra pizazz.

Gift Idea: for her and/or him: The items mentioned in the beauty/cosmetic videos above would be great to gather together for a spa basket:  get a big beautiful plastic or stainless steel bowl and fill with as many items as you can find, along with a few new washcloths, hand towels, and a scented candle or two, include the instructions, and to kick it up a notch: a bathrobe.

Gift Idea for her:  Take a vintage milk bottle holder, or a rustic wooden fruit crate and place in that : a loofa, back brush, pumice stone, some votive candles, decorative bottles that you’ve filled with bath salts and bubble baths, (vintage or new, the bottles are inexpensive and you can use corks for the tops if needed), and a coupon  or I.O.U. for a massage.

Gift Idea for him:  A galvanized bucket or bin filled with a loofa, back brush, pumice stone, matching scented: soap, shaving cream and shower gel, and a coupon or I.O.U. for a massage.

General:

Gift-Giving for Less – Kimberly Danger

Green Gift Ideas – Danny Seo

It was no easy task to narrow down the selection, so check through the categories from time to time to catch the many more terrific money-saving and creative tips we didn’t have room to include here, and remember we post a new video everyday, so check back to keep up with the inventory…or please consider subscribing to receive notice as soon as new videos are posted.

So, you get the idea!  We’re open to suggestions  - do you have a favorite Gift “Basket” Tip?

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Coupon Score for the Honda Pilot 90,000-Mile Tune-up.

Time for the 90,000 mile tune up on Michael’s 2005 Honda Pilot.  Michael’s kept up with the oil changes and lucky, the car hasn’t really required much more than that. It’s served him well through various hauls to colleges, moving, and carrying yard supplies.  He was happy to keep the car for a lot longer, but wasn’t exactly happy about the thought of  the $902 it was going to take to do the proper safety inspection and service that the car needed.

But, Michael’s gotten pretty keen about scouting deals.  Pret-ty, pret-ty keen. He went online and checked for any coupons his local dealer might be offering.  They did have a page with offers.  It was a long page to scroll through, but finally way down at the bottom, he found a really small coupon - THE coupon:

We’ll match any other dealer’s coupon plus an additional 5% off.

Ca-Ching!

So, he continued to search online for Honda dealer tune-up coupon offers and found this:

Honda 90,000-Mile Tune-up Special for ‘Senior’ Cars, 20% Off.

The dealer offering that 20% off coupon was in Arizona.  Michael lived in New Jersey at the time. But he brought a printed copy of the web page  showing the Arizona 20% special discount offer, and his dealer’s online coupon-match+5% discount offer …and they honored it all!

Michael’s  savings totaled  25% — $212.

Now, we call that being a sharp spender.  It took Michael maybe all of 20 minutes and a  just few clicks to find some big savings.  And thank you, Honda, for keeping your word!  Gotta love it!

Jamie, sltv

Coupon and Car Related videos to take you far:

Text Message Coupons?
Valpak introduces a new feature

Buying a New Car, Don’t Get Taken
Author of the book, Fight For Your Money, David Bach

And for more, check the SLTV Category: Car and Gasoline

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Better Than The Macy’s Parade, Part Two:

With holiday shopping shifting gears from “just beginning” to “frantic frenzy” for some, we bring additional fortification. Our previous two posts mention our classic favorite technique to receiving money-saving deals for any kind of product from hotels to t-shirts:  ”Just Ask”   (Nov. 22, 2009, The Single Most Helpful Tip for Holiday (or any) Shopping, Better Than the Macy’s Parade, and Nov. 11, That Same Old Money-Saving Tip, Again?)

Those posts covered these three “Just Ask” questions:

#1 – Ask:  if  AAA, American Express, AARP, etc.. discounts are available.

#2 – Ask:  the new favorite phrase: “Are there any other offers or promotions that I might be entitled to which I may not be aware of?”

#3 – Ask:  if they could please compensate you for your (whatever) inconvenience.

Here now are the 4th and 5th additional classic money-saving “Just Ask” phrases to keep securely on the tip of your tongue as you strut forth into Holiday Season (or any season) marketplace mayhem:

#4 – Ask:  ”Is that the best you can do for me?”

But here’s the thing – you ask the first three questions first, and if you haven’t gotten as low as you’d like, then you bring out, “Is that the best you can do for me?”.

Often sales associates will reply to that question by asking you what you would like to spend.  Don’t fall for that trick. They want to hear from you first because then they know your bottom line and it gives them a leg up in negotiating. Keep in mind, they want you to come up; you want them to come down. Major negotiating tip: Have them start with a price offer first – even if it’s just a general percentage-off range. When you appear flexible, you may be more likely to finesse their bottom line.

Also to keep in mind:  they assume you don’t know the market, haven’t checked on the competition, aren’t in touch with other sales or discount offers and that you aren’t willing to walk away to pursue other avenues. Clearly,  they don’t know YOU!

For a more expensive item it’s best to know your market before you shop.  Write down deals you’ve found and bring the list with you. Bring a calculator or paper and pen with you, too!  Decide on your absolute top price before walking into the store.

If, after asking all four questions, they still haven’t come down low enough for you, then you bring out your research and . . .

#5 Ask:  if a manager might be able to assist you in matching some of these other deals.

I’ve gotten good deals without having to resort to bringing out the research, but it never hurts to have it on hand.  And even if you don’t have the research, you can still politely ask if there is someone else who might be able to work with you on pricing. If you’re willing to hang in there, you will end up with a nice deal.

More often than not, all five of these simple “Just Ask” steps combined will really add up to some marked savings.

Jamie, sltv

Videos to keep you securely well-armed this season:

Holiday Spending Insight -  Mike Sullivan, Director of Education, TakeChargeAmerica.com

Haggle Time - Martin Lewis, founder, MoneySavingExpert.com

Haggling Gets Deals - Tara Kuczykowski, founder, DealSeekingMom.com

Haggle – Never Start By Asking – Howcast.com

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