Our family was looking for another cell phone for the family, but didn’t want to break the bank. It was also important that the phone work well throughout the United States. So, here is how we went about making our decision.
We called up our existing cell phone carrier to see how much money it would cost to add a line sharing the minutes. Since we had a basic plan with them with only one phone attached, they wanted us to upgrade to a pricey plan with features that we did not need or want.
Next, we started looking at pre-paid (pay-as-you-go) plans. We were pleasantly surprised at how much the services and prices have improved in the last couple of years.
So, we started digging deeper and discovered tons of pre-pain plans offered by different phone carriers. We wanted to focus on plans that cost the least over a twelve month period of time. Since we’re not going to be using the phone very much, the annual cost is what decided to focus on.
Ok, so after considerable research, we ended up with two companies that are owned by the same parent company, but offer different plans (TracFone and Net10).
We found that Net10 and TracFone were the most competitively priced and offered us the most flexibility in terms of coverage.
Since we’re light-weight cell phone users, TracFone ended up being the best bet for us. Plus we really liked the fact that they offered an option that allowed us to keep our pre-paid minutes for 90 days. If we re-filled our minutes within that 90-day period we get to keep our unused minutes. Nice……
Our best bet was to go with a phone that came bundled with the double-minutes for the life feature. The LG phone we purchased with that feature only cost us $21.89 (including free shipping and sales tax)…..Sweet.
After looking at Wal-Mart, we found the best deal online at the TracFone.com web site.
If you plan to use your cell phone more often, you may want to look into the Net10
As always, things change over the months and years and it pays to double check what’s being offered right before you sign up.
If you’ve never used eBay before visit the eBay how-to-buy page. Otherwise, jump right into our step-by-step article.
Step 1 Decide on the specific product that you want to purchase (brand, model, etc.)
Step 2 Use Internet Resources like google and Amazon.com to determine the going retail and used prices on the specific product that you decided on in step 1 (above). While researching, be sure to check on return policies and warranties being offered on new, used and refurbished products. These considerations should be taken into account before you buy.
Step 3 Armedwith the information that that you collected in steps one and two above, you need to consider how much the product is worth to you. Write down the maximum dollar amount that you are willing to spend on this product.
Step 4 Consider the shipping costs. If the shipping costs include insurance and/or rapid delivery, slightly higher than normal shipping costs may be worth it. However, keep an eye out for sellers trying to boost their profits by adding costly shipping and handling charges.
Step 5 Know the risks and how to deal with them.
Risk
How to reduce the risk
Buying from an unscrupulous character
Review the feedback from prior customers of the seller.
After you select a product on eBay, look for “Positive feedback” percentage information located in the upper right hand side of this screen.
Next, Click on the buyers eBay name (located directly above the “Positive feedback” information) to review more information about the customer feedback.
Next, Click on the “See all” link located on the first line of the “Latest Feedback” section. This link will allow you to review specific actual customer comments about the seller.
Ending up with a product that does not match the condition and/or functionality of what was described on the eBay listing
Checkout the stated “Return Policy” on the eBay listing. This should be located directly below the “Current bid:”
Review the eBay buyer protection page
Buyer protection
Limit your purchases to only sellers located within the country that you reside in to enjoy the consumer protection laws that your country offers.
Carefully inspect the product as soon as you receive it. Make sure that the product that you received matches the seller’s description. If you are buying an expensive product, it may be worth spending a few dollars to have it inspected by an expert.
Never receiving the product that you order and paid for.
After purchasing, ask the seller for a delivery tracking number (e.g. UPS or U.S. Post Office tracking number) that you can use to track your shipment online.
Step 6 Bid or Bail. Now that you’ve completed your homework assignments, it’s time to decide if biding on eBay is right for you.
If you’re a down hill maniac (ski or snowboarder you might want to consider purchasing a season pass (if you plan on skiing at least 20 times at the same location during a season).
Buying books of lift tickets early in the season (before you hit the resort) may save you 50%?
Check out the ski packages being offered by the resorts where you plan to ski or snow board. If you plan on renting equipment, taking lessons and/or staying at their lodge, it might be cheaper to purchase a package deal. Just like at Disney World, multi-day tickets can save you money if you plan ahead.
Always inquire ahead of time to see if the resort offers discount tickets for seniors, students and/or kids.
Checkout the continuously updated ski and snowboarding deals on http://www.Snowbomb.com discount coupons.
Keep an eye out for lift ticket discounts at gas stations (e.g. Shell)
It is not uncommon to find lift ticket discount deals at participating Mc Donald’s restaurants.
Grocery and drug stores can also be great sources of cheap lift tickets.
Give the resorts in the area that you want to visit a call ahead of time and ask them if they are offering any ski or snow boarding deals online and/or through business or restaurant establishments.
Ask your fellow snow craving friends as well as local sporting goods stores if they know of any good deals.
As with most of the savings tips we provide on our web site, you should several of the ideas that we list to ensure that you are receiving the rock bottom lowest price on your ski vacation.
>> To find more FREE and Cheap Stuff check out categories to the right of your page or just use our search box at the upper part of the screen.
Thinking back over the years, it’s really hard to believe how much food prices have increased at grocery stores over the years.According to my relatives that lived through the great depression, food prices were affordable to most people of modest means. Well, I’m not sure the same thing can be said these days.Since food is becoming a larger part of the American family budget, we thought that we would throw out a few of our favorite ways to save at your local grocery store. So, here is the game plan that we came up with.
Shop with a detailed list of only what you need to purchase.
Larger sized packaging marked as “value buy” may not actually being saving you any money. In fact, it may end up costing you more per unit.
Keep a running list of prices that you prices that you spot at different stores and either try to map out a sensible route and schedule or see if some of the stores closer to you will price match (e.g. Wal Mart)
Always verify at the register that you received the posted sale (or club card) price. Double check your receipt before you leave the store.
Consider getting take out from the grocery store deli instead of a pricey restaurant. This simple tip could save you both cash and time.
Create and stick to a weekly family meal plan. Make sure to take a good look at the fridge as well as your kitchen cabinets before making you list for the week.
Keep a “to buy” list on a piece of paper in an easy to find place in your kitchen and update it frequently as you start consuming food items.
Plan out your tips to various store in a way that will minimize your time and mileage on your vehicle.
Make sure to check the per unit price on items (vs. just the shelf price).
Always ask for rain checks when a store is out of an item on sale.
Written on February 17th, 2010 by l2cadminno shouts
Most people don’t take the time to check their cash register receipt before they leave the store. Folks tend to trust the computer scanning equipment and don’t give it a second thought.
As more and more news reports have revealed, mistakes made at the cash register are not at all uncommon. Some areas of particular concern involve ringing up
Produce – Since many produce items don’t contain bar codes to scan, it is easy for the clerk to enter in the wrong price.
Sale and Clearance Items – Items on the clearance rack may ring up at full price at even though a clearance price sign is displayed on the shelf.
Multiples of the same item – Clerks tends to grab one of the multiples and drag it across the scanner the several times until they believe the number of scans matches the number of items in your card.
Here are a few tips that might help
Write down the shelf price of the sale and clearance items that you’re buying and compare the cash register receipt against the prices that you wrote down.
Watch the clerk as they scan your items (especially if you’re buying multiples of the same item)
Take a couple of minutes to double check the entire receipt before you leave the store. If you find mistakes, point them out to the clerk or the staff at the customer service desk.
Written on February 2nd, 2010 by l2cadminno shouts
Similar to the shocking cost of your popcorn at your local movie theater, the price tags on college text books also come as an unwelcome added expense to college students (and their parents).
OK, it may be more convenient to snag your text books from the on the college book store, but like the popcorn, you’ll end up paying dearly for it. Instead check out these simple alternative options.
Cross the street – Closely located off-campus book stores stay in business by beating the prices being charged on campus.
Plan ahead and surf the savings – Try to obtain your upcoming course requirements and surf the web to find lower prices. Check out Bestbookbuys.com . It’s a great eMarketPlace site that allows people to do one stop shopping through tons of different stores. . Note: It is always easier if you have the ISBN number handy for searching. Make sure to pay attention to the price as well as the additional shipping charges and shop total price, not just list price.
Go digital and save – Look around for cheaper digital versions of text books (e.g. ebooks, PDF’s, kindle books from amazon.com, etc)
Free is a good price – Check with the college and/or public libraries to see if you can check out the books you’ll need.
Previously owned – Check out the prices of used or earlier editions of the textbook.
Written on January 11th, 2010 by l2cadminone shout
When shopping at the grocery store you may want to bring your calculator with you. While you may find per unit prices on many shelf items, you probably won’t find it shown on all products. Instead of just comparing the prices of one item to another, we suggest that you compare price per unit (e.g. price per ounce, etc) to ensure that you are getting the most for your money. We found that while some products are priced less to attract buyers, after a closer look at the per unit price, we learned that we would actually end up paying more if we were to buy the product with the lower shelf price.
If a per unit price is not listed on the shelf, use your calculator to determine the unit price. Simply take the shelf price of the item and divide it by the total number of units in the container. Then do the same for the item you are comparing the first product to and then simply compare the two unit prices.
The same technique can be used for paper towels, napkins and other items that are marked with a product count.
After you start pricing by unit, you might be surprised at what you find (especially if it those extra dollars in your pocket)
Written on October 20th, 2009 by l2cadminno shouts
Learn secrets to how to finding the best PC printers for a lower overall cost. LeapToCheap.com will walk you through several important considerations to think about before you shell out your hard earned money.
When you look at TV, radio and print ads, there are several little understood marketing tricks that are used to get people to pay more than they need to. Here are just a few of the popular tricks:
Advertising products as FREE or at ridiculously low priced and making good money by:
Charging jacked up Shipping and Handling (or Processing) charges to customers.
Offering a return policy with required jacked up return shipping and handling charges.
The old “Priced as Low As” trick:
When you think hard about this, it becomes crystal clear what they are really saying. We translate it as something like “We may sell you item(s) no cheaper than this price”. Hey, what does that really mean anyway? Most folks don’t think to hard about it and assume that they are selling stuff at fantastic prices. As you can image, this is often not the case. Maybe we should ask them to advertise using this phrase “Priced as HIGH as…”. Hmm, that probably would not sell as good.
The old, if it’s sold at auction, it must be cheaper trick:
In reality auctions can bring out the competitive nature in people. Some people need to win at any cost. Since most auctions have a fixed minimum price set before the auction start, the seller is protected and may make more profit in less time using this approach.
So, you really need to do your homework before putting that bid out there on ebay. Make sure you know what the item is really worth before you bid.
The “If we call it a Factory Outlet store, people will assume that the prices are less than the mall” trick:
In reality, you may actually pay less at the mall if you catch a good sale. Also, don’t be surprised if you end up paying the same prices than you can find at the mall.
When you think about it, it is brilliant to setup factory outlet stores (that have less overhead cost than being in expensive mall space) and pricing them at the same or higher prices. Also, many outlet shops are closer to upscale residential neighborhoods. Someone really thought this one out.
Of course you may be able to find lower prices at the outlet stores at times. Our point is, don’t assume that outlet store prices are cheaper before doing your homework first.
Our family was looking for another cell phone for the family, but didn’t want to break the bank. It was also important that the phone work well throughout the United States. So, here is how we went about making our decision.
How to buy smart on eBay
10 Quick Tips to finding Cheap Lift Tickets
Some food for thought…….
Most people don’t take the time to check their cash register receipt before they leave the store. Folks tend to trust the computer scanning equipment and don’t give it a second thought.
Similar to the shocking cost of your popcorn at your local movie theater, the price tags on college text books also come as an unwelcome added expense to college students (and their parents).
When shopping at the grocery store you may want to bring your calculator with you. While you may find per unit prices on many shelf items, you probably won’t find it shown on all products. Instead of just comparing the prices of one item to another, we suggest that you compare price per unit (e.g. price per ounce, etc) to ensure that you are getting the most for your money. We found that while some products are priced less to attract buyers, after a closer look at the per unit price, we learned that we would actually end up paying more if we were to buy the product with the lower shelf price.
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