Comments for Leap to Cheap http://www.leaptocheap.com Secrets to finding cheap or even free stuff Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:09:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Saving on Groceries (10 ways to save) by lee http://www.leaptocheap.com/2010/03/saving-on-groceries-10-ways-to-save/comment-page-1/#comment-78 lee Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:09:31 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=517#comment-78 Smartphones or PDAs (er, MIDs) can help with this. Android users, check out OI Shopping List: you can enter prices into your shopping list so that you can easily remember what to get where. I'm sure Blackberry and other users have similar options available. Smartphones or PDAs (er, MIDs) can help with this. Android users, check out OI Shopping List: you can enter prices into your shopping list so that you can easily remember what to get where. I’m sure Blackberry and other users have similar options available.

]]> Comment on Magical ways to save at Disney theme parks. by The Practical Mom's Disne Vacation Companion http://www.leaptocheap.com/2010/03/magical-ways-to-save-at-disney-theme-parks/comment-page-1/#comment-75 The Practical Mom's Disne Vacation Companion Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:29:00 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=511#comment-75 Doing your homework,planning well in advance,and staying organized is the key to a fun, cost effective Disney World vacation. There's no "one size fits all" when it comes to a Disney vacation so figuring out what works best for <i>your</i> family is a must. Doing your homework,planning well in advance,and staying organized is the key to a fun, cost effective Disney World vacation. There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to a Disney vacation so figuring out what works best for your family is a must.

]]> Comment on Disaster Charity Releif Aid – Be generous but careful as well by Esther http://www.leaptocheap.com/2010/01/disaster-charity-releif-aid-be-generous-but-careful-as-well/comment-page-1/#comment-48 Esther Tue, 19 Jan 2010 07:52:38 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=410#comment-48 I'd suggest trying http://www.charitynavigator.org/ if you want to find a good charity accepting donations for the Haiti crisis. I’d suggest trying http://www.charitynavigator.org/ if you want to find a good charity accepting donations for the Haiti crisis.

]]> Comment on Quick Tip: Which charities deliver the most to the needy? by Esther http://www.leaptocheap.com/2010/01/quick-tip-which-charities-deliver-the-most-to-the-needy/comment-page-1/#comment-47 Esther Tue, 19 Jan 2010 07:51:15 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=400#comment-47 There are other places with good information on charities. Unlike the Forbes one listed, some of them make it their business to evaluate effectiveness and efficiency of charitable organizations: http://www.charitynavigator.org/ and http://www.guidestar.org/. I like charitynavigator.org better because its information is more up-front. There are other places with good information on charities. Unlike the Forbes one listed, some of them make it their business to evaluate effectiveness and efficiency of charitable organizations: http://www.charitynavigator.org/ and http://www.guidestar.org/. I like charitynavigator.org better because its information is more up-front.

]]> Comment on Quick Tip: Calculated Savings by lee http://www.leaptocheap.com/2010/01/quick-tip-calculated-savings/comment-page-1/#comment-43 lee Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:49:37 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=383#comment-43 Second this. The weird thing about unit prices is that usually you think that bigger volume items have better unit prices, but that's not always true. If you want a rule of thumb, then go for the bigger size (if you're going to use it eventually anyway). However, if you want to really be sure, check your calculator. Case in point: shopping for taco sauce the other day and the determining factor wasn't the size; it was the packaging. The glass bottles were cheaper unit prices than the plastic squeezable bottles. Another case in point: friend's wife finds that at [a certain unnamed] drive-thru, buying two smaller orders of chicken nuggets is cheaper than one larger order, even though two smaller orders is more food. Go figure ... and save! Second this. The weird thing about unit prices is that usually you think that bigger volume items have better unit prices, but that’s not always true. If you want a rule of thumb, then go for the bigger size (if you’re going to use it eventually anyway). However, if you want to really be sure, check your calculator. Case in point: shopping for taco sauce the other day and the determining factor wasn’t the size; it was the packaging. The glass bottles were cheaper unit prices than the plastic squeezable bottles. Another case in point: friend’s wife finds that at [a certain unnamed] drive-thru, buying two smaller orders of chicken nuggets is cheaper than one larger order, even though two smaller orders is more food. Go figure … and save!

]]> Comment on Hidden fees: Do gift cards take as much as they give? by lee http://www.leaptocheap.com/2010/01/hidden-fees-do-gift-cards-take-as-much-as-they-give/comment-page-1/#comment-39 lee Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:28:25 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=343#comment-39 Oh, and the other thing about Visa/MC/AmEx cards is that they don't work everywhere. The two most egregious I can think of offhand are restaurants and gas stations. Restaurants do work, but they automatically tack on 20% to the bill when they authorize the card. So, if you go in with a $40 card and order a $35 meal for two, the card won't cover it because it's automatically run for $35+20%=$42. The actual charge isn't 20% higher -- it's whatever you specify -- but it is authorized at 20% higher. (I suppose you could tell your server to run it for $33.33 ($40/1.2) and pay the rest some other way ... but that's a hassle.) And then gas stations just won't work unless you have a fairly high dollar amount on the card (I don't remember what), because they apparently expect you to be attempting to fuel a small bus. I don't know of a way to get around that one. Oh, and the other thing about Visa/MC/AmEx cards is that they don’t work everywhere. The two most egregious I can think of offhand are restaurants and gas stations. Restaurants do work, but they automatically tack on 20% to the bill when they authorize the card. So, if you go in with a $40 card and order a $35 meal for two, the card won’t cover it because it’s automatically run for $35+20%=$42. The actual charge isn’t 20% higher — it’s whatever you specify — but it is authorized at 20% higher. (I suppose you could tell your server to run it for $33.33 ($40/1.2) and pay the rest some other way … but that’s a hassle.) And then gas stations just won’t work unless you have a fairly high dollar amount on the card (I don’t remember what), because they apparently expect you to be attempting to fuel a small bus. I don’t know of a way to get around that one.

]]> Comment on Hidden fees: Do gift cards take as much as they give? by lee http://www.leaptocheap.com/2010/01/hidden-fees-do-gift-cards-take-as-much-as-they-give/comment-page-1/#comment-38 lee Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:52:57 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=343#comment-38 I haven't found too much wrong with retail gift cards myself, but buying a Visa/Mastercard/AmEx card just doesn't make sense. I want to give somebody a $50 gift, it's $54.95(+tax? I don't remember) if I buy them a card. That's (about) 10% extra cost to me. At that point, it seems like a better idea to give a check or cash. I haven’t found too much wrong with retail gift cards myself, but buying a Visa/Mastercard/AmEx card just doesn’t make sense. I want to give somebody a $50 gift, it’s $54.95(+tax? I don’t remember) if I buy them a card. That’s (about) 10% extra cost to me. At that point, it seems like a better idea to give a check or cash.

]]> Comment on Debit card risks that everyone should know about by lee http://www.leaptocheap.com/2009/12/debit-card-risks-that-everyone-should-know-about/comment-page-1/#comment-37 lee Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:48:05 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=339#comment-37 Huh? How do they know when you discover the loss? That seems like it could only be tied to when you report it, so it's a chicken-and-egg thing, right? Huh? How do they know when you discover the loss? That seems like it could only be tied to when you report it, so it’s a chicken-and-egg thing, right?

]]> Comment on Rebates. Great way to save or just a marketing trick? by lee http://www.leaptocheap.com/2009/12/rebates-great-way-to-save-or-just-a-marketing-trick/comment-page-1/#comment-36 lee Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:46:41 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=309#comment-36 I hear that. I am absolutely terrible at getting rebates mailed in, so I've stopped factoring them into my price considerations. One exception is the instant rebate (like some of them are at Fry's, for example), where the discount is deducted at the register. I'm all over that. Mail-in rebates, though, are not my friend. I hear that. I am absolutely terrible at getting rebates mailed in, so I’ve stopped factoring them into my price considerations. One exception is the instant rebate (like some of them are at Fry’s, for example), where the discount is deducted at the register. I’m all over that. Mail-in rebates, though, are not my friend.

]]> Comment on Rebates. Great way to save or just a marketing trick? by Anonymous http://www.leaptocheap.com/2009/12/rebates-great-way-to-save-or-just-a-marketing-trick/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Anonymous Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:37:09 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=309#comment-31 Great information and so true! Great information and so true!

]]> Comment on Coupons by Julie http://www.leaptocheap.com/2009/11/coupons/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Julie Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:51:31 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/2009/11/08/coupons/#comment-30 I have found myfrugaladventures.com to be very helpful with coupons. There are some general rules for couponing: 1) Buy when the item is on sale 2) Use a coupon(s) for each item that you buy that is on sale 3) Join grocery store clubs to get their extra discount so when the item is on sale already, you get the lower price automatically 4) If you are in a state where the grocery stores will double or triple the coupon value, shop there when their items come on sale - you will be amazed at the savings. 5) Sign up at shortcuts.com, cellfire.com and pgesaver.com to have coupons loaded to your club card. If you use a club card and the coupons are loaded to the club card, when the item is on sale, purchase it and use a printed coupon from the internet or a coupon from the newspaper as well. You will be effectively doubling the coupon value. Happy Couponing! I have found myfrugaladventures.com to be very helpful with coupons. There are some general rules for couponing: 1) Buy when the item is on sale 2) Use a coupon(s) for each item that you buy that is on sale 3) Join grocery store clubs to get their extra discount so when the item is on sale already, you get the lower price automatically 4) If you are in a state where the grocery stores will double or triple the coupon value, shop there when their items come on sale – you will be amazed at the savings. 5) Sign up at shortcuts.com, cellfire.com and pgesaver.com to have coupons loaded to your club card.

If you use a club card and the coupons are loaded to the club card, when the item is on sale, purchase it and use a printed coupon from the internet or a coupon from the newspaper as well. You will be effectively doubling the coupon value.

Happy Couponing!

]]> Comment on El Cheapo Travel Tips – Part I by kolomona http://www.leaptocheap.com/2009/09/el-cheapo-travel-tips-part-i/comment-page-1/#comment-8 kolomona Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:09:36 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=212#comment-8 Google also has some pretty neat travel tools. Just pull up a google map of wherever it is you want to go, search nearby for hotels, and bam, tons of results. They link to all sorts of traveler reviews too, plus street view (some places) and user-submitted images. Something else to consider in addition to hotels.com and other travel sites. Google also has some pretty neat travel tools. Just pull up a google map of wherever it is you want to go, search nearby for hotels, and bam, tons of results. They link to all sorts of traveler reviews too, plus street view (some places) and user-submitted images. Something else to consider in addition to hotels.com and other travel sites.

]]> Comment on Finding free stuff that’s actually free…. by kolomona http://www.leaptocheap.com/2009/08/finding-free-stuff-that-is-actually-free/comment-page-1/#comment-5 kolomona Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:30:11 +0000 http://greycanyon.com/leaptocheap/?p=13#comment-5 Yeah, but the beauty of free (no quotes) ebooks is, you don't have to print them. Read 'em on your laptop, your tablet PC, your phone, etc. I keep about a dozen books at a time on my phone: I always have them available, and I didn't pay nuttin'. It's a beautiful thing. (Still prefer the feel of an actual printed copy, but it's hard to dispute the convenience of free ebooks.) Yeah, but the beauty of free (no quotes) ebooks is, you don’t have to print them. Read ‘em on your laptop, your tablet PC, your phone, etc. I keep about a dozen books at a time on my phone: I always have them available, and I didn’t pay nuttin’. It’s a beautiful thing.

(Still prefer the feel of an actual printed copy, but it’s hard to dispute the convenience of free ebooks.)

]]> Comment on Finding free stuff that’s actually free…. by mikenorth69 http://www.leaptocheap.com/2009/08/finding-free-stuff-that-is-actually-free/comment-page-1/#comment-3 mikenorth69 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:33:08 +0000 http://greycanyon.com/leaptocheap/?p=13#comment-3 Printing "free" ebooks can cost more than simply buying a copy of the book. Depends on the printer and cost of ink or toner, but a good rule of thumb is five cents per page. So a 200 page "free" ebook that you print actually costs $10.00, more expensive than most paperback books. Printing “free” ebooks can cost more than simply buying a copy of the book. Depends on the printer and cost of ink or toner, but a good rule of thumb is five cents per page. So a 200 page “free” ebook that you print actually costs $10.00, more expensive than most paperback books.

]]> Comment on Cashing in on coupons… by l2cadmin http://www.leaptocheap.com/2009/08/cashing-in-on-coupons/comment-page-1/#comment-2 l2cadmin Sat, 29 Aug 2009 07:04:24 +0000 http://www.leaptocheap.com/?p=86#comment-2 What is the best source of coupons? What is the best source of coupons?

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