Five retail traps to avoid this season
You know to protect your identity, respect your money, and pay with cash (to avoid falling deep in debt) this holiday season. But do you know how to spot or sidestep those holiday traps merchants rely on to make an extra buck or two?Here's what you need to know before hitting the mall or shopping online to fulfill your holiday gift list.
Wave off warranties
Lisa Baskfield, a CPA and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' (AICPA) National CPA Financial Literacy Commission, says buyers need to stay on their toes when the electronics department salesperson is waving an extended warranty in front of you. "Read the manufacturer's warranty before saying yes," Baskfield says. "I purchased a camera from Best Buy with their warranty which I was told would replace the camera if anything happened within the first two years. After a month, it died. I had to go through the manufacturer first to see if they could fix it before being able to use BestBuy's warranty." Baskfield's camera was out of commission for three months. "The warranty from BestBuy was very misleading and certainly not worth the cost," she says.
Know when to buy: The latest on holiday shipping deadlines
Holiday shipping deadlines are approaching faster than you'd expect with many cutoffs coming in less than two weeks. If you like to procrastinate or are just waiting for a new deal before ordering your presents online, Dealnews and other sites are compiling lists of shipping cutoff dates to make sure your package arrives by Christmas Eve.For those who want to pay less using standard shipping, the clock is ticking. Many online retailers' shipping guidelines require you to place an order by between December 14 and December 20. However, on December 17, more than 500 retailers are expected to participate in the second annual Free Shipping Day. That gives a lot of wiggle room for those falling behind on their shopping and looking to save on shipping costs. True procrastinators willing to pay up for expedited shipping, can order as late as December 23 on some sites.
Cell phone's calculator saves you from the 'per-unit shaft'
If you carry a cell phone, you also have a calculator. Pretty much every mobile phone on the market has one, so you have no excuse not to do some intelligent per-unit math while you're out shopping.Companies love that their customers assume economy of scale, and they want you to assume that buying more stuff means you're getting a better deal for it. Too often, though, it's not true.
This summer, WalletPop made the papers when we wrote about the "great McNugget caper," which proved that McDonald's popular bird chunks can actually cost more if you buy them in bulk.
Six great hostess gifts with help from the dollar store
Marlene Alexander
Dec 7th 2009 @ 1:15PM EST
Filed Under: Budgets, Saving Money, Shopping, Economizer
I found a pretty floral candy dish for $1.25 at my local dollar store. Just add some brand-name wrapped candy or a can of Planters mixed nuts and you're good to go.
This gift only looks expensive. In reality, $6 was all it took to put together a gift with two wine glasses, cocktail napkins, a reindeer ornament and some After Eight mint sticks on a silver-colored tray. Just add basket wrap and a bow.
If you're thinking of taking flowers for the hostess, a pretty vase from the dollar store filled with a bouquet of grocery store flowers makes a thoughtful gift. That way, your hostess won't have to search for a vase in the middle of a busy evening.
Debt Diet Part 4: Respect your money
The way you treat your money and your budget, experts say, can play a big role in being fiscally sound. Especially when you're on a "Debt Diet" and trying to not exceed your financial calories this weekend. Where you balance your checkbook and keep your cash can help you stick to your Debt Diet and help ensure you don't ring in the new year with a financial hangover.
Here are a few ways to make sure you're making the most of your money. And able to stick to your "Diet" this weekend.
The cheapskate diet: KFC sells chicken for a penny a calorie
KFC, the erstwhile Kentucky Fried Chicken, has introduced a special meal promotion with a novel pricing twist: It costs 1 cent a calorie. The 395-calorie Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal comes with a drumstick and thigh, green beans, mashed potatoes, and gravy. For that square meal, customers pay $3.95.
KFC's grilled chicken, by the way, is the same stuff that the 15,000-store chain was pushing when it served up its botched free chicken giveaway earlier this year.
It's funny that major fast food chains have battled local authorities tooth and nail so they don't have to post calorie information in a conspicuous place (a battle lost in New York City last year), but KFC has chosen to launch a promotion that actually depends on getting the number out there.
Extrabux's aim in life is to give shoppers extra bucks
Geoff Williams
Nov 30th 2009 @ 12:30PM EST
Filed Under: Shopping, Technology, Economizer, Cyber Monday
I'm always wishing I had a few extra bucks. Ergo, I'm thinking I should check out Extrabux more often, since its main mission in life is to make sure that consumers have extra bucks.I thought I'd mention Extrabux, since it's Cyber Monday and all -- as you already know, unless you've just awakened from a coma (it's not often when that sort of cliche actually happens), Cyber Monday is the first Monday after Thanksgiving, a day when deals abound online and the day that tends to be the most shopped day online (whereas Black Friday, of course, is the most shopped day in brick and mortar stores).
Where to find Cyber Monday deals
Josh Smith
Nov 25th 2009 @ 12:30PM EST
Filed Under: Bargains, Shopping, Technology, Economizer, Cyber Monday
With so many retailers offering pre-Black Friday sales, Thanksgiving Day sales and of course Black Friday deals, you might have forgotten about the upcoming Cyber Monday sales! Even though many stores are trying to keep their Cyber Monday sales under wraps until after Black Friday we found several places to go looking for the best bargains on Cyber Monday.
First off is the CouponShack which has a large collection of Cyber Monday coupon codes for Kohl's and many other small retailers who are offering Cyber Monday specials.
RetailMeNot is another great place to look for Cyber Monday discounts. The RetailMeNot Cyber Monday page currently has some coupons from last Cyber Monday mixed in but there are still some geed deals to be found. You can also install the browser toolbar for FireFox or Internet Explorer and be alerted coupons for any store you visit.
Debtor's Diet Week 3: Setting your table on a budget
Chances are you're enmeshed in stuffing turkey, prepping pies and getting ready to set your Thanksgiving Day feast table. And if visions of getting up tomorrow at the crack of dawn to pop a turkey in the oven or to polish your grandmother's silver sound familiar, you're not alone. Scores of turkeys, platters and pies will be carefully tended to tomorrow in the hopes of presenting family and friends with a delightfully delicious meal.But like any good cook, you know that the presentation can be just as important as the taste, which means you've got to set and decorate your Thanksgiving table. It also usually means needing to run to the store to buy table decorations you'll most likely use just once or twice. And that's an expense you don't need to incur.
Food stamp use skyrockets: How one family puts food on the table
While most of us are preoccupied with gorging ourselves on turkey and stuffing, it can be easy to forget about the growing number of people who are struggling just to eat one meal a day. In fact, a recent government survey found that more than one in seven U.S. households are finding it difficult to afford putting food on the table.Those 14.5% of U.S. households, representing about 49 million people, make up the highest rate of "food-insecure" households since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began monitoring the issue in 1995. As the recession has deepened, so has the number of people using food stamps from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, with participation growing by 23% in the last year, according to Hans Billger of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The situation would be far worse if not for food pantries and federal food assistance programs, such as SNAP. For the nearly 35.9 million people who receive SNAP benefits, they're a lifeline to survival. In July, more people were using SNAP benefits than at any other time in the history of the program.
The average SNAP benefit for one person is $101.53 per month with a maximum of $200. For a household of four, the average benefit is $226.59 per month (the maximum benefit is $668 per month). WalletPop recently spoke with a few families who rely on food stamps to find out just how hard it is to stretch their resources and put healthy meals on the table.
Coupons.com: Your secret weapon for holiday savings
If you're entertaining over the holidays, make sure you save yourself some money by following these simple money saving tips inspired by Jeannette Pavini, the Household Savings Expert of Coupons.com. Simplify Your Ingredients: If a recipe this Thanksgiving calls for creme fraiche, use Greek yogurt instead. Take a look at your menu to see what simpler, more affordable ingredients you can sub in for the fancier stuff. Instead of serving the entire bird, save money by serving turkey breasts. This will also save you money on your energy bill, since it takes less time to cook, and it saves you from all those turkey leftovers. Don't forget to ask for day-old-bread -- you'll get a deep discount on the price and it's just as good if you warm it in the oven or use it for making croutons.
Black Friday: Bing Cashback offers up to additional 35% off
Black Friday deals are already appealing, with plenty of Black Friday laptop deals and clothing deals and plenty more. But what would you say if you could get an extra; 5%, 10%, 20%, or even 35% off of your purchase in the form of cash back just by starting your holiday shopping on Bing.com?For a limited time on Black Friday, November 27th, Bing will offer bigger cash-back rewards as part of their Bing Goldrush promotion. This will include cash-back amounts from 5 to 35 percent from retailers such as Macy's, Sears, The Gap, AT&T, Walmart, eBay, HP and many more.
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Megabus giving away 100,000 free seats
December 8, 2009
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December 4, 2009
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Free Redbox movie rental
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25 days of free MP3s from Amazon
December 1, 2009
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November 30, 2009
Free shipping at Bare Necessities
November 27, 2009
Pinkberry coupon for free new flavor
November 27, 2009Interest Rates
| Type | Current | APR |
|---|---|---|
| 30 yr fixed mtg | 5.01% | 5.14% |
| 5/1 ARM | 4.30% | 3.80% |
| $30K HELOC | 5.20% | 0.00% |
| 36 month new car loan | 6.67% | 0.00% |
| 1 yr CD | 1.53% | 1.55% |
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Holiday Shopping
Let AOL Shopping help you this holiday season. Find deals on the hottest products and gifts, holiday party advice and enter our weekly 10 'til 2010 giveaway!
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Debt Management Basics
No matter how deep in debt, you can still work your way out. Get great debt management advice, savings suggestions and new spending habits.
How Much Should I Save?
REAL ESTATE DEALS
With the housing slump in full swing, find the hot foreclosure deals, see how to sell your home quickly, or learn how your neighbors are fairing in our new real estate survey.
ECONOMIZE WITH WEBLOGS
- Know when to buy: The latest on holiday shipping deadlines
- Gift cards deals to die for
- Half-priced appetizers at TGI Friday's until December 23
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- Walmart wants you to know it's the cheapest
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- StyleList Is...Bargain shopping for America
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