Just A Few Clicks, But Much More Savings

Shopping on-line is becoming an increasingly fun game to play for me, but without knowing what is going on behind the scenes, one may not be getting the best deal.  Here's why. From my post yesterday, I discussed a few options one still has for saving money on flowers.  Deals abound: bonus frequent flyer miles, cash back, free shipping, etc.  How about waived service charges for flower delivery?

FTD.com

Here's an example of the difference between shopping at just FTD.com vs. linking to it via the 2 day free shipping site, Shoprunner, first.

FTD.com via Shoprunner

Notice the differences in offers?  If one were to simply shop at FTD and not use a shopping portal such as Shoprunner, one would miss out on free shipping, and possibly waived service charges, than if one had not.  (In future posts, I will explain more about how shopping portals can help boost your savings and earn you valuable points, cash, or frequent flyer miles.)

The other difference you will notice between these two examples is the URL (web address.)  Notice how much longer the address is with the link from Shoprunner?  That's because it is planting cookies and other messages back to FTD.com telling it to offer a user a better deal than simply visiting the shopping site instead.  As an exercise, try visiting shopping sites after you have cleared your "cookies" and browsing history.  You may be surprised at the differences in offers.

--The Edge

Saving On Mother's Day Flowers

Mother's Day, May 12, is just around the corner.  If you are late out of the gate with buying flowers, there are still a few things you can do:

1. Check the daily deal sites.  I just got an offer from Bloomspot for $25 for $50 of flowers at Teleflora. 

2. Check out Visa discounts.  They have listed several flower delivery companies offering 20-25% off.  Not as good as Bloomspot offer, but another option.  If you don't have a Visa, click the logo to find a good card for you.

3. To avoid some of the steep prices associated with flower delivery, consider sending them a day or so earlier.  That will definitely save a few bucks.

4. If you're lucky enough to have your mother near-by, go to a flower shop and hand deliver them.

--The Edge

Valentine's Day Guide to Romantic Savings

Valentine's Day, which is coming up on February 14, is a great time to appreciate someone special.  It's also a great time to get soaked if you don't watch it.  

First, if you are going out for dinner, I highly recommend using OpenTable for reservations.  The site is free to use, convenient, and you can earn "dining cheques" good for money-off savings on future visits to partner restaurants.  Second, see if there's a non-fixed price menu to order from.  If not, expect to get overcharged for ordering the same food you would normally.  And, restaurants love couples who are lost in the moment and not thinking about their wallets.  Third, if you are going to buy flowers online, get them early.  Last minute orders may come with an extra surcharge due to massive demand.  You don't want to disappointed your loved one.



Bottom line is that you can have a nice Valentine's Day and feel the love, and not the burn.

Consumers need to love their wallets, too, on Valentine's Day

As many probably did for Valentine's Day, guys especially, consumers overspent this past weekend. While it’s important to recognize a significant other, it doesn’t have to be a major drag on one’s wallet. There are some easy steps to take that can help one save big money.

Flowers

Flowers are the quintessential staple for any love-seeking mate. Roses are usually the name of the game. Since it's very convenient, it’s very easy to default to purchasing flowers online at one of the many major flower retailers. However, one is paying a substantial mark up on this service. In addition to the cost of flowers, one will be paying for delivery, service charge, rush services, and special packaging.  That glass teddy bear doesn't wrap too well on its own.

There are a couple of strategies in which one can employ to come out smelling like a rose, without stinking up their bank account. First, rather than buying flowers from one of those online sites, use them to grab ideas. Their websites are usually segmented by holiday, flower type and price range, which makes it easy to find anything. While the prices are obviously marked up, it does provide a bit of a benchmark for what one can expect to pay at a walk-up florist. Next, sketch out the design based on the website's picture and description and take it the florist directly. Alternatively, if this seems like too much of a hassle, next time, go to Whole Foods where one could have gotten 24 long stem roses for around $20.

Dining in

Similar to what happens during DC's Restaurant Week, many restaurants will only serve a prix fixe menu, in literal terms, fixed price, on Valentine's Day. Not only that, it’s no secret that the menu prices will be inflated as well. No wonder why guys think they are being taken advantage of. What is the solution? Eat in! Whole Foods is once again a shoppers friend. Pick up a nice steak and make it with someone special.

Looking to the future


There are definitely ways where one can get creative without compromising their wallet.  Pretty much anything typically found on Valentine's Day and mentioned in this article can be hand-crafted on the cheap.  The bonus is that the effort will be seen as coming straight from the heart, and not just straight from the wallet.