Written on December 22nd, 2011 by l2cadminno shouts
So, a member of our staff went shopping for a new pair of progressive prescription eye glasses and quickly discovered the similarities share by our experience shopping for a new car. Big sales pitch, huge markup and attempts to create a sense of urgency by stating that their “fantastic” offer will expire the minute I exit the premises.
For us, the big dramatic pitch signaled the presence of a huge markup as well as the realism that the staff are open to negotiation. If you like negotiating, this is good news. However if you’re like most folks, you find the situation both annoying and deceptive.
So, after comparing, prices, quality and customer service, we actually decided to pay a little more and get them from Costco. A major factor was that Consumer Reports recommends Costco because of the quality job that their lab does.
We found the quality of the glasses as well as the opticians at Costco to be top quality.
That being said, you’ll have to wait at least a week for your new pair of glasses to arrive at your local Costco store.
We also checked online optical options, but we were apprehensive about purchasing such important item online.
That being said, the prices appeared to be much lower. We simply could not find enough independent evidence to suggest that it was a safe bet. So we stuck with what we know.
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.
Every month brings new opportunities for saving money. In March these are the items that you want to look for to be priced to sell. Patience and timing are two powerful tools for ensuring that you get the best deal on your purchases.
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)
The U.S. Department of Energy is offering some great rebates, tax credits and financing for consumers who choose energy efficient options.
For example, you may be able to get a 20% rebate on the purchase of an energy efficient appliance when you turn in your old energy hog. So, this example alone could be a pretty good deal when you consider that you can save on both the appliance purchase and your monthly power bills as well.
According to the Department of Energy:
Consumers can find financial assistance for energy efficient purchases and improvements in the form of tax credits, rebates, and energy-efficient financing.
Learn how you can take advantage of federal tax credits for your energy efficient purchases and improvements. For information on state and local tax credits, see State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency.
Rebates for ENERGY STAR Appliances will be available from your state in late 2009 or early 2010. Find out how the program will work and how you can apply.
Written on December 17th, 2009 by l2cadminno shouts
Step I. Order a Grande Pike Place (or whatever you like that they have on tap) coffee in a Venti sized cup to allow extra room for other stuff.
Step II. Fill in the empty space with the free half and half that they provide at the creamer/sugar/napkins counter.
Step III. Add in the provided Chocolate/Mocha power provided free.
Step IV. Add in sugar.
Step V. Stir well and enjoy!
There you have it. You’ve now created your own creamy, chocolaty and sweet simulated mocha coffee for significantly less money and probably much less time waiting for the fancier version to be made.
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.
Written on September 19th, 2009 by l2cadminno shouts
Secrets to finding great deals on new car prices
Most people don’t look forward to buying their next new car. As you might have guessed, the back and forth price negotiations can frustrate even the most patient person. Well, we couldn’t agree more. That’s why we’re sharing our buying secrets to help you find great prices on new vehicles.
So here goes:
Figure out what you really need in a vehicle and write it down. Here are some example considerations
Determine how much money are you prepared to spend.
Write down the criteria that the vehicle must meet (e.g. good gas mileage, ability to tow, ability to carry lots of equipment and/or people, etc.).
Research various types and models of vehicles.
Visit edmunds.com to sort through vehicle choices.
Visit several dealers to test drive vehicles. Make sure that you let the salesman know that you will not be buying today and stick with that decision . Dealing with a manager will probably be less painful since they are typically not paid on commission.
Once you narrow down your vehicle choices, you should consider renting the same type of vehicle for a day or two to ensure that the vehicle will really fit you well.
Locate the dealers in your area.
Search the news papers and the internet for dealers within an hour of your house (or farther away if you prefer). Write down the contact information for each dealer, then call them to find out who the dealer manager(s) are. Try to obtain a phone number, email address and fax number for these folks.
Research vehicle financing options.
Check the rates and conditions at your bank or credit union before you consider a dealer financing offer. Remember, dealers really want you to finance with them because it can increase their profit margin.
If you can pay cash, they will save you the most in the long run. But if you need to finance, make sure you calculate the complete cost of the vehicle. You may be shocked at the sum of:
the vehicle price, the taxes and add-on fees and the total interest that you will over the years.
Fax and/email respectable offers before showing up.
Write a form letter stating that you are ready to purchase a vehicle within the next X number of weeks and that you will be going with the lowest price. Be sure to enumerate all of the options that you do or don’t want (including paint color). Also, be sure that you have your funding in order before contacting the dealer. And lastly, let them know how much time they have to respond to you.
Read the paperwork carefully at least twice before you sign anything (make sure that you clearly understand everything in the contract.
Inspect the vehicle carefully.
Bring someone else with you and literally take your time to inspect every inch of the vehicle before signing the contract. It’s not unusual to find paint defects, body dings, stains on seats upholstery, etc on new vehicles. If you expect the dealer to do right by you, you must point out what you find before driving off the lot.
Make sure to perform all scheduled maintenance to keep the vehicle in warranty compliance.
Written on September 13th, 2009 by l2cadminno shouts
When it comes to monthly services charges, the name of the game from the merchants point of view is to establish a long term relationship with you where they can count on you to keep paying them each billing cycle. This predictable revenue stream is what merchants want most. While this may sound bad for the consumer, the good news is that it can actually be very good for the consumer if they use this as leverage to ensure that they are getting the best deal.
Cable, DSL and Satellite TV/Internet providers
You may have noticed the never ending ads trying to encourage you to sign up for the specials from TV and Internet service providers. You know, the ones that offer free installation and a great monthly rates. From time to time, you might have thought “hey, those prices are less than I’m paying and I’ve been a loyal customer for quite a while”.
The fact is that unless you call them and ask for a lower monthly rate, they probably won’t be calling you.
Before you call them, make sure that you know what the competition is offering. While on the phone with your service provider, be sure to not only point out what the competition’s sign up specials are but also your current provider’s new customer sign up offers are as well. Point out to them how long you have been a customer. If the person on the phone brushes you off, be sure to ask to speak with a supervisor before moving on to the competition.
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.
How to buy smart on eBay
Every month brings new opportunities for saving money. In March these are the items that you want to look for to be priced to sell. Patience and timing are two powerful tools for ensuring that you get the best deal on your purchases.
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.
The U.S. Department of Energy is offering some great rebates, tax credits and financing for consumers who choose energy efficient options.
Step I. Order a Grande Pike Place (or whatever you like that they have on tap) coffee in a Venti sized cup to allow extra room for other stuff.
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