Frugal Christmas: Gift Giving Strategies

by Miranda Marquit · 4 comments

One of the most difficult parts of the holiday season is all the extra spending that seems to happen. Buying Christmas gifts for everyone on your list can start to add up. The good news, though, is that things don’t have to get out of hand. After all, the amount you spend on a gift isn’t a true reflection of your love. You can have a frugal holiday season and still give thoughtful gifts. Here are some gift-giving strategies for the frugal minded.

Gift Exchanges

One of the best ways to help everyone save money on Christmas gifts is to have a gift exchange. You draw someone else’s name out of a hat, and get that person a gift. You can put a dollar limit on it as well, depending on what is affordable to most family members. This can be an especially helpful idea for large families, or those who exchange gifts with extended family members.

Homemade Gifts

One tenet of frugal living is to make things yourself. This can include Christmas gifts. My husband’s sister is quite artistic, and painted a large sand dollar with a cool picture of a dragon for me. It’s an awesome gift that I enjoy every day. Other homemade gifts can include baked goods, a memory book, and craft items. Write a note to go with the gift to add an even more personal touch.

One Gift for Multiple People

My mother’s brother’s family always gave us a family gift for Christmas, and we sent them one. This is a way to save, since you can buy a gift meant for everyone, rather than buying individual gifts. A board game that the family can play together is one great idea. You can also create a gift basket for the whole family. Movie night baskets are fairly inexpensive to put together, as are gift baskets with assorted cookies. This principle also works for couples.

Gift Cards

Gift cards are generally a bad idea, since many people don’t like giving low dollar amounts, such as $5. This can mean buying several gift cards worth more than you would like. However, you can get a larger denomination gift card for a couple or family. Another thing you can do is use sites like CityDeals.com and Gift Card Granny to purchase discount gift cards. You can find $25 gift cards for between $10 and $20. It’s a great way to give a great gift while retaining your frugality.

Stocking Stuffers

It is fairly easy to stuff a stocking with frugality. You can visit dollar stores for great stocking stuffers, and even look at the clearance sections of major retailers. Stores like WalMart and Target often have small clearance items for $2 or less. You can use these as great stocking stuffers.

In the end, it’s possible to plan a frugal Christmas and stick to a gift budget. You may need to think ahead, and consider some alternative strategies, but there is no reason why you can’t give thoughtful and appreciated gifts and while maintaining a frugal lifestyle.

This post was featured in the Festival of Frugality.

How to Save Money on Holiday Travel

by Tracy · 1 comment

There’s not a lot you can do about the price of plane tickets and gas, but there are lots of other little ways that you can pinch pennies to save significant amounts while you are traveling.

Travel as lightly as possible. Not only are many airlines now charging for checked bags, overloading your car can reduce fuel efficiency. Take advantage of retailers who offer free shipping and have presents shipped ahead to your destination.

Eat before you get to the airport. Airport food is expensive and your choices are limited. While security rules make it difficult to bring certain foods and drink past the security check points, you can bring empty water bottles to refill at drinking fountains in the concourse.

If you are driving, bring a small cooler and pack snacks and sandwiches. The weather will probably not be conducive to having an outdoor picnic, so make choose foods that are easy to eat in the car without too much mess. For longer trips, going into a restaurant might be a nice break; however you can save by just having coffee and dessert instead of a full meal.

Choose motels/hotels that offer a free continental breakfast. While you don’t want to be that guy or gal who stuffs their bag full of rolls, it’s fine to take an extra piece of fruit to enjoy on the road.

Over the counter medications can be expensive and the selection limited at airports and gas stations so bring a small supply of medications to relieve headaches, allergies, heartburn/indigestion or other common maladies. You’ll also want to be prepared with sanitary products, birth control and diapers and wipes if you’re traveling with kids.

Make sure you understand any roaming charges or other fees your cell phone might incur while you are traveling. This isn’t so much a problem while traveling domestically anymore, but you can get an enormous surprise if you travel overseas.

If you are traveling with children, visit the dollar store before your trip and stock up on inexpensive surprises. You can use these to keep them amused while you travel and to stave off the gimmes at overpriced shops. While it’s not ideal to spoil your children to keep them quiet, travel is stressful for kids and adults and more of a “you gotta do what you gotta do” situation.

Make sure you label all of your expensive gear and gadgets so that they can be easily returned to you if you leave them behind somewhere. If it’s expensive or hard to replace, label it!

Before you travel is a good time to make a list of all your credit card accounts and the numbers to call if they are lost or stolen. This can save you a lot of hassle during a stressful time.

If you are visiting friends and family, talk to them frankly about your need/desire to save money. Perhaps instead of taking them out for a night on the town, you can pay for pizza and a bottle of wine instead. It’s likely that they won’t mind not “living it up” at all. Plus, it can be more relaxing to stay in and more conducive to catching up.

If you experience problems with the airlines, for example, if you are bumped for a flight or your luggage is lost, be sure to find out what help and reimbursement they are authorized to give you. Be firm but calm and kind and what they are prepared to do to mitigate the effects of their error.

Avoid alcohol while flying. Not only is it expensive, but alcohol can have a much stronger effect on you while flying. Save the drinks for after you’ve arrived.

Travel safely. Nothing is more expensive than an accident and nothing is more valuable than your health and safety. If you are driving, be sure to allow for plenty of rest breaks. Follow the rules of the road and drive defensively. Pay attention to the weather forecast and be conservative about driving in bad conditions, especially if you’re not experienced with driving in snow or ice.

How do you save money on holiday travel?

Hidden Holiday Expenses

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

The holidays are rapidly approaching — is your budget ready?

Virtually everyone spends a lot of money around the holidays. No matter which holidays you celebrate, no matter your traditions, this is an expensive time of year. Is there any way enjoy your holidays without ending up in the poor house come January? Here are some hidden expenses that you may be able to avoid this holiday season:

Wrapping up savings

Gifts are the priciest expense category of any holiday. Consider these tips for possible savings:

Measure the worth of a gift by the thoughtfulness that went into it rather than its price tag. Employ your creativity to come up with the right gift for the recipient instead of assigning an “appropriate” monetary amount.
Stocking stuffers represent a slow leak in your gift budget. A couple dollars here and there add up quickly to substantial bucks. Choose stocking stuffers carefully.
Make a holiday shopping list at home. Plan as few shopping excursions as possible to minimize your exposure to the stores’ holiday atmosphere which is designed to entice you to buy, buy, buy. Limiting your time among the holiday shopping frenzy will help you avoid the temptation to buy “just one more thing” at every store.
Maximize your gift-giving dollars. Rather than buying inexpensive individual gifts for someone, consider chipping in an affordable amount with a group of others to purchase a costlier gift from several parties.
Shop for holiday gifts all year long. Many items may be cheaper at other times of the year so it makes good sense to purchase them when they are most affordable and put them aside for Holiday gifting. Spreading out your gift budget throughout the year eases your expenses at the Holidays.

Save on the festivities

Remember the rest of the celebration — food, decor, gift wrapping and special events. Here are some ways to save on the rest of the holiday celebrations:

Check for supplies left over from last year: wrapping paper, cards, ribbon. We often have extra holiday items left over but forget by the time the next year rolls around. Take stock of what you already have on hand to avoid unnecessary purchases.
Make your own gift tags out of recycled cards from last year. One of the most unnecessary Holiday items to purchase are gift tags. While they are typically inexpensive, you can save their cost altogether by cutting out attractive “tags” from the cards you received last year.
Limit holiday-themed products. While they may be festive, you typically get less and pay more for special packaging.
Make a holiday donation budget. Although the holidays are about giving, a dollar in this bucket and a dollar in that one amounts to more than you realize when you’re in that generous frame of mind. Get your donation budget in small bills and keep them separate from your other cash so you can keep track of how much you donate.
Extra household expenses. Holiday lights, extra baking and special foods for entertaining make the season bright but keep in mind that they mean extra expenses too.
Non-routine expenses. You will be doing different things over the holidays that are not included in your budget the rest of the year. Take into consideration such additional expenses as dining out or take-out meals because you’re pressed for time, parking fees, babysitting costs and postage to mail cards and gifts.

Celebrating the holidays doesn’t have to wreck havoc your budget. You can have a joyful yet fiscally responsible holiday by remaining aware of the expenses lurking behind the festivities.

Can Credit Cards be Part of a Frugal Lifestyle?

by Miranda Marquit · 5 comments

When it comes to frugal living, it seems obvious to some that there is no place for credit cards at all. Indeed, the idea of credit cards as part of the frugal lifestyle seems impossible. Many of us believe that credit cards are the complete opposite of everything frugal. They promote consumerism, materialism and debt.

However, this view might not be totally fair to credit cards. Indeed, like many money tools, credit cards can be scary — or they can be helpful. It’s all about how you use credit cards. Used responsibly, as part of a plan, you can incorporate credit cards into your frugal lifestyle.

Credit Cards: Get Cash Back, Free Stuff and Promotional Savings

One of the ways that credit cards can help your frugal lifestyle is through the rewards you can earn. When you make use of rewards credit cards, you are providing yourself with opportunities to maximize your money. Rewards programs offer you some of the following perks:

Cash back: You can get cash back when you make purchases on certain cards. This cash back can range from 1% on most purchases to 3% or 5% cash back on particular purchases. Free money is always a good thing.
Free stuff: Some rewards programs will let you redeem your points for merchandise, or for discounted travel. You can get airline tickets, hotel stays and other perks when you accumulate enough rewards.
Promotional savings: Many credit cards are now offer special savings when you shop through their networks. You might also get bonus points that can be used for cash back or other merchandise.

If you are careful with your credit card, you can use rewards to save money and live a little more frugally. It is also worth noting that purchase protection and extended warranty protection can also be perks of your credit card, and help you save in the long run.

Creating a Credit Card Spending Plan

Of course, it isn’t keeping with the tenets of frugal living if you end up spending without a budget or a plan. Instead of just using your credit card blindly, you need to come up with a plan. I have a plan for my credit cards:

My Upromise card is used for all online purchases. This helps us save up toward my son’s college costs.
My miles card is used for bigger purchases that we have planned to make. We often save up the money, then use the miles card. Because we have saved up, we can just pay off the balance.
My cashback card is used for most other purchases during the month (groceries, gas, etc.), since many of those things come with a 3% cashback rate instead of a 1% rate.

We spend money according to what is in our budget. At the end of the billing cycle, when we get our credit cards, we can pay off what was spent with money that has been sitting in our checking account. At some point, I’d like to get really ambitious and keep most of the money in the savings account until the end of the month, having it earn interest, and only transferring the money to the checking account when it’s time to pay the credit card bills.

Avoiding a Balance

In my mind, credit cards can be a good part of a frugal lifestyle as long as I’m not carrying a balance. If I’m not wasting money on interest payments, there really isn’t a problem, and I can reap the benefits that come with good credit card rewards programs.

Frugal Dates: Couple’s Fun on the Cheap

by Gina Blitstein · 1 comment

Whether you’re in a new relationship or a long-standing one, it’s beneficial to share some recreational time with your partner. Spending time together in the pursuit of fun — or in pursuit of nothing but togetherness — keeps you mindful of the things you appreciate about one another.

That’s why it’s important to continue to have dates to enjoy the company of your special someone. While you could plan elaborate (and costly) getaways from day-to-day life, most folks don’t and — in the best interest of their budget — shouldn’t. It doesn’t have to cost a lot, however, to have some fun with your significant other. A little creativity is all you need to escape the everyday without breaking the bank.

Stay vigilant in the pursuit of deals on things to do, places to go and special “ingredients” to make your frugal dates luxurious yet still affordable. Join Groupon if it’s available in your area for savings on activities, services and items that may enhance your dates. Check your local restaurants’ advertising for meal and drink specials. Be on the lookout for coupons via mail for discounts on eateries and activities. Many date-worthy places offer off-peak rates or even free admission. Be a bargain detective to find the deals that exist and you’ll be on your way to some cheap thrills with your date.

Here are some frugal date ideas:

Stay at home dates

At-home spa: Pamper each other with a bubble bath, massages and mani-pedis. Set the mood with scented candles and music.

Cook together: It needn’t be gourmet – it’s a fun change of routine and a caring act to create food together.

Game night: Have some simple fun by dragging out a board game or a deck of cards. Video games are fun for couples too.

Music night: Music creates intimacy. Take each other on a musical journey through your favorite year or laugh hysterically at those “guilty pleasure” songs.

Read to each other: Rediscover the lost art of reading (and listening).

Reminisce: Pull out the old photo albums and scrapbooks. You can rekindle shared memories or learn about each other’s long-lost childhood. Guaranteed to create closeness.

Movie marathon: Take a few hours (or a weekend) and watch some of those DVDs that have been stacking up.

Picnic for two: Why go to a park when you could spread a blanket on the lawn (or the living room floor).

It doesn’t matter what you do, so long as you take some time to be together, free of distractions and other people.

Out and about dates

Day trip to somewhere (or nowhere): Just get in the car.

Kid stuff: Visit a park, carnival or festival to bring out the fun-loving kid inside yourselves.

Candy store/bakery: Enjoy some sweets with your sweetie.

Zoo: You’ll have a wild time!

Take a class together: It’s an opportunity to grow together.

Museum / art show / theater: Communities, local colleges and organizations often bring the arts to you, even if you don’t live in a city.

Go old school: If it’s not your usual routine, it’s fun to go out to the local burger joint instead of a fine dining establishment.

Dine out for an alternate course: Rather than an entire meal, go out for an appetizer, or just dessert.

Each of these “dates” is an idea for fun with your partner. Remember, it’s about spending quality time together, not spending a lot of cash.

Only Get the Coupons You Want with CoupSmart

by Miranda Marquit · 1 comment

The recession has re-introduced many to the idea of using coupons. Unfortunately, as you might have noticed when looking through the coupon offers you receive, it is fairly obvious that many of the coupons are not even for things that you need or want. Indeed, when I look through the coupons I get in the mail, or in fliers with the newspaper, I am often frustrated by the fact that many of these coupons aren’t particularly useful in my situation. Wouldn’t it be nice if you only got the coupons you wanted?

In addition to finding coupons online, which can be a great way to get targeted offers and personalized coupons, you can also sign up for CoupSmart. The idea is that you can receive targeted offers and coupons for things that you want, by scanning what you already have.

How CoupSmart Works

You do have to sign up online (free) and you do need to have a smart phone and download the free app. Right now, the app is only available for iPhone, but the company plans to roll out the app for Android and Blackberry soon.

The app is a scanning app. You use your smart phone to scan the barcode of items that you are interested in. Go through your pantry, or scan your favorite beauty product. The information is stored. Then, you receive targeted offers focusing on items related to what you have scanned. You can get free samples, as well as coupons. This way, instead of being bombarded with useless spam, you get access to what you will actually use, saving you time as you make the effort to save money and live frugally.

In addition to offering targeted samples and coupons, CoupSmart also allows your to earn rewards, prize and swag. You can be entered to win on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. One of the more popular contests is the Seek & Scan, where CoupSmart sends users out to scan a particular item (makes it easy if you already have it at home). It’s a fun way to see if you can get a little more free stuff.

If you are worried about your privacy, CoupSmart claims that it keeps information confidential. While partner companies do receive basic demographic data, such as age and gender, etc., CoupSmart insists that it does not share your name or address with these companies. This way, you are not hit with unwanted offers from companies.

You should realize, though, that CoupSmart only sends out your samples and coupons once a month. So you scan, and your information collected. Then, CoupSmart goes to its partners with the information, and finds deals, samples and coupons that would be of interest to you. If you use this system, you will have to get into a rhythm that takes into account the monthly nature of the program.

I don’t have a smart phone, so I can’t use CoupSmart (and CoupSmart didn’t compensate me for this post), but I think it looks like an interesting service. It could really work for someone who wants a fast, easy way to let get personalized bargains.

Three Common Household Products to Clean Your Home Inexpensively

by Gina Blitstein · 2 comments

As convenient and effective as commercial household cleaners and solutions are, the fact is that in the course of human history, they are relatively new. Clean is not a new concept. More basic products can and do get the job done — and less expensively. There are probably products in your own home right now that can be used to create cleaning products that will rival some of the best on the market — for pennies. Let’s explore what three common products — baking soda, vinegar and bleach — have the potential to do around your home:

Baking soda is a powerhouse for both odor removal and cleaning. Sprinkling it on carpets, in garbage receptacles and in litter boxes helps reduce offensive odors. You can clean your refrigerator with a mixture of baking soda and water. It can be added to your clothes washer with your detergent to freshen laundry.

It really can clean as well, on account of its disinfectant properties. A magic proportion of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water will create a paste that can be used to clean stains all around the house from hard floors to sneakers. It is mildly abrasive, which aids in removal of soil as well.

Vinegar is the king of shine. While all vinegars work equally well for cleaning purposes, it’s best stick with plain old, inexpensive white vinegar. Colored vinegars may stain some surfaces.

A solution of vinegar and water can remove mineral deposits from shower heads and coffee makers. It can also clean soap scum and ring-around-the drain.

Vinegar also removes stains from carpets and shines hardwood floors like almost nothing else. The odor may be pungent at first but it dissipates quickly.

Bleach is a well-known disinfectant and whitener. Some cautions are necessary for the use of bleach around the house but once you know how to properly use it, you’ll be able to have a more sanitary environment easily and inexpensively. Use caution not to splash it on skin, colored clothing or items that may be damaged. Full-strength bleach can cause chemical burns on skin, and completely obliterate colors on fabrics and surfaces. It should also NEVER be mixed with ammonia because the resulting compound creates extremely dangerous fumes.

When used in a diluted form, bleach can easily and reliably disinfect the kitchen, bathroom, toys, pet areas and other items around the house at a very low cost. It kills bacteria and viruses in addition to mold and mildew. At a very low concentration it can be sprayed directly on interior refrigerator surfaces, countertops and children’s furniture to kill germs without even needing to be wiped away.

Bleach can be used in the washing machine to whiten white clothing and kill bacteria that may be present in laundry.

Each of these products is probably already in your house. Because of the vast number of uses each has for cleaning, I suggest you research the appropriate amounts of product to use on your particular items. Using just these three common items, you’ll save money on keeping your home clean and shiny!

Get it for Free: Freebie Sites You Can Use

by Miranda Marquit · 2 comments

Last week, we looked at how you could get some free samples at various sites. Many of those sites were niche specific. If you are looking for some resources that cast a wider net, you can consider the following freebie sites that are sure to put a smile on your face:

Thunderfap.com

If you are looking for a number of freebies, Thunderfap.com is a great place to start. You can find free CDs and DVDs, as well as get access to free magazines and books. You can sign up to receive free software, clothing and office supplies. Get food freebies and join interesting programs. You can also enter contests to win great prizes like a big screen TV.

Freestufftimes.com

Free Stuff Times is a rather simple set up offering a variety of freebies and deals. This blog makes an effort to weed out the shady stuff, and tries to keep up with expiration dates. This is helpful, since it means you will not always be clicking on freebies that have expired. Search tool helps you find exactly what you are looking for, from beauty products to pet food.

Sweetfreestuff.com

Head over to Sweet Free Stuff for access to a variety of products that you can get for free. Includes coupons and free samples. Blog lists the latest deals, from personal hygiene products to food. You can look at freebies by category as well, including magazines, household items, baby products and more.

Freebies4mom.com

Find coupons, deals and freebies when you check Freebies 4 Mom. Provides sweepstakes information, promotion codes, and giveaways. You can also get access to great deals, and freebies on household products, entertainment, dining, children’s products and more. Also includes great money saving tips that you can use every day.

Freemania.net

If you are looking for a wide variety of coupons and freebies, Free Mania is a great place to check out. You can get product samples, grocery coupons and more, ranging from travel freebies to clothing samples to food. You can also find links to earn a little extra cash for taking surveys, as well as sign up to receive coupons on your cell phone.

idontpay.com

iDon’tPay offers a number of interesting and unique freebie categories for your perusal. You can find recipes, health products, coupons, clothing and more on this web site. It also directs you to comparable software products that you can get for free, rather than having to dish out for expensive versions. A great way to explore the world of free products and services.

MySavings.com

Find coupons, freebies and free samples from a number of sources with MySavings. You can find beauty products, as well as grocery coupons and more. Printable coupons and online promo codes are also available. Look for tips and connect with others on the community forums. A great way to find the free stuff you are looking for.

FreakyFreddies.com

It’s not a very pretty site, but Freaky Freddie’s offers a number of free samples, from CDs to household products to pet supplies. You can sign up for affiliate programs to help you earn a little extra money as well.

Do you have a favorite freebie site?

Do It Yourself Solutions to Pest Control; Ants Eliminated

by Coupon Shoebox · 0 comments

No matter where you live there are certain critters that live there with you. When pest control becomes an issue, you don’t necessarily want to shell out big bucks for an exterminator to do what you could likely handle on your own.

DIY pest control has certain risks, and you must take particular care not to make mistakes. If, however, you read the directions of any product carefully, apply it properly and store it appropriately, you should be able to manage many pest problems without calling in the big guns.

Identify Which Types of Ants Are Visiting

Carpenter ants are large, usually about ½ an inch in length. Usually dark brown or black, they can be reddish if they appear in Florida. They normally nest in damp and decaying wood out of doors, but if they make their way into your home, they will live in the voids and eat your studs. Most active at night, your best chance of catching them and tracking them back to their nests is in the evening or early morning hours.

Pavement ants are very small, ranging in size from 1/16 to 1/8th of an inch in size. Black, brown or some shade in between, they are attracted to any food that is left on your floor, pet food, and even bits of things you can’t see anymore. They travel in lines, most often moving at night, but you can spot them during the day as well.

Fire ants are very aggressive and can cause severe allergic reactions. While not territorial in nature, they will defend their nests enthusiastically and will attack if they feel threatened. They usually live in mounds outdoors, but have been known to enter homes to establish colonies.

Several other types of ants will enter homes for either foraging or nesting purposes. All ants can be treated similarly, through a species specific baiting program.

Why use Bait?

The real reason for using bait, even if it is a slower solution when compared with a killing spray is that the food is taken back to the nest and kills many more ants than a topical application.

Insecticide requires the application of large amounts of product, a gallon per small mound and several gallons for large ones. The toxicity of such insecticides can create problems for any other animal moving through the area. It is much easier to keep animals and children away from bait by using bait stations.

How to Apply your Bait

Pick bait that will address both protein and sugar foraging cycles. Identify several foraging trails and place bait on and around the trail. This is the best technique for both pavement and carpenter ants. It will take several days, or even a week or two, for the bait to be completely effective. The advantage is that as the bait is taken back to the nest it will also be fed to the queen, eliminating the problem at the source.

With fire ants you will need to scatter the bait around the mound or mounds. Foragers will gather the bait and take it back to the mound, again, killing the queen. Because fire ants can be dangerous, bait designed for them acts more quickly than other products. 72 hours is a normal response time.

Like this? Check out the DIY Only ebook that’s filled with DIY tips. Get your free copy by subscribing to the free newsletter.

Warehouse Clubs: Quantity Doesn’t Always Mean Savings

by Gina Blitstein · 1 comment

You buy a lot of groceries for your family — boxes. jars, cans and bottles by the trunk-full. A couple measly boxes of cereal aren’t going to meet your needs, nor are a few bottles of apple juice — so you buy a lot of them — and frequently. The cost of feeding a family can be outrageous!

Where can you buy in the quantity you need to feed a family without breaking the bank? Warehouse clubs sell large-size items and multi-packs which may be more in line with the quantities you need. These clubs advertise that they can pass savings on to their customers based upon these areas where they cut their own costs:

Buying from suppliers in huge quantity making individual items cheaper
Providing large sizes, which means less individual packaging which adds to cost
“Warehouse” environment which is more sparse than a regular grocery store and therefore costs less to maintain
Lower labor costs because items are sold directly from pallets, not stocked by employees on shelves
Often customers bag their own groceries, eliminating the need to hire employees to perform that function
Often the store provides empty boxes instead of incurring the expense of providing bags in which to take home groceries

Shopping at warehouse clubs can provide some savings on some items because of these factors, but beware! Don’t make the mistake of thinking that everything is always cheaper at a warehouse club. Keep these factors in mind to make sure that what you buy at warehouse clubs is really a bargain:

For better or worse, everything is king-sized. Surrounded by such abundance, there is a temptation to buy a greater quantity than you need. This may lead to spending more than you intend. It also may lead to consuming more than you want or wasting of product and money due to spoilage.
Everything purchased in large quantity isn’t necessarily cheaper. It’s a mistake to assume that price per unit is cheaper because you’re buying a lot of something. It’s prudent to know your prices when shopping at warehouse clubs. Put your trusty calculator to task to make sure that the prices really are cheaper in quantity.
Most warehouse clubs do not hold sales or accept coupons. It’s frequently possible to get amazing bargains, priced lower than warehouse clubs, at regular grocery stores by redeeming coupons and watching for sales. Warehouse clubs employ “everyday low pricing” and rarely accept manufacturer coupons.
Consider your yearly warehouse club dues. At $30 to $50 yearly for membership, it will take substantial time and savings to recoup that upfront outlay of cash before you begin to really realize any savings at all.
Selection may be inconsistent. The nature of membership clubs is to buy in bulk from manufacturers and suppliers: therefore, the items they acquire can and will vary. It’s best not to expect particular items when shopping warehouse clubs. Make sure to get your essentials elsewhere before shopping at the warehouse so as not to be disappointed or inconvenienced.
Huge selection of peripheral items may tempt you to overbuy. Wandering those aisles full of bargains on electronics, furniture and appliances may tempt you to make purchases you were not intending when you stopped in for the family groceries. Use care not to buy things — even though they are bargain-priced — on impulse.

The bottom line is that warehouse clubs can offer savings for large-quantity purchasing. It’s important, however, to employ common sense when shopping there to avoid being carried away by the perceived savings while locating the true bargains.

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