Saving money on wine purchases

A friend in the wine business forwarded me this article from MSN MoneyCentral on getting a good deal on wine purchases.  Rather than re-invent the wheel, reading that article says what you need to know when shopping for a good bottle.

But, in addition to the advice presented there, diving a little deeper, I can speak to having great success with purchasing wine online--and earning loyalty points to boot.  There are many wine sellers that offer great offers for introductory wine clubs, and that can earn you points as well.  Vinesse Wines is one, and their list of partners includes at the least the following:

• US Airways
• Delta
• Amtrak 

Depending on the club you enroll in, and the loyalty partner, you can earn hundreds, or even thousands, of points on your first and subsequent purchases.  Just be sure that you use the proper link for the points earning wine club you want to join.  Since national retailers often have multiple partnerships, each separate partner is usually distinguished by a unique link.  And, you usually need to have your loyalty program number, too, to get these special deals.  So, keep it handy.

It's getting close to that time again...

Black Friday is less than three weeks away which means that if you are going to shop at Wal Mart that day, you better wear a flak jacket so you won't get hurt if you are trampled.  Instead, take advantage of the myriad of early Black Friday deals that are already occurring, and emerge unscathed.

The economy is improving, but retailers are still anxious to move product sooner than later, so check out sites like Black Friday 2010 that are tracking ads for you.  Also, as readers know, I am a big fan of online shopping, so peruse your credit card website for discounted shopping opportunities and other less conventional sources, too.  I have discussed many of them in the past.  For example, I just got this email from Visa about their discounted shopping opportunities.

And, if you are lucky enough to own a smartphone, sit in your car and scan store ads and other discounts first before venturing out in the cold from store to store and battling crowds.  There are so many "apps" for shopping for both the iPhone and Android, including bar code scanning and mobile coupons, that you will be hard pressed not to find a deal.

Lastly, if you do plan on heading out to the mall on Black Friday and get hungry, remember this: either bring a pen or calculator and figure your tip yourself.  Restaurants will occasionally provide a "handy" tip table at the bottom of the receipt for you.  However, make sure that they are using the subtotal (or pre-tax total) as opposed to the food + drinks + tax total to figure the tip for you.  Otherwise, it's a trick to get you to over-tip.

With a little planning, the holiday shopping season can be fun, and reward you with savings.

Those extra couple of minutes can make all of the difference...

Often, it seems like products obtained on-line all go for about the same price.  Your initial savings is likely based on the fact that purchasing that product on-line vs. in the store, perhaps in bulk, is cheaper.  But, the difference between saving several more dollars already above obtaining the same product in the store can come down to special promotions a site is offering.  Typically, free shipping is common, or perhaps a weekend special discount can be found.

The lesson is even if after using a site, like Shopzilla, and all of the prices for the identical product look the same, be sure to take that extra step and search for any on-line coupons that might be offered to really put you over the savings edge.  For example, perhaps two websites are offering a high-end shampoo at $55/bottle.  While you may think your search is over, continue your homework to see if one company is offering free shipping with purchases over $50.  Or, for that particular day, they are offering a 15% coupon, perhaps for joining their mailing list.  You can do a quick and dirty and check out Retail Me Not, or you can fish around the product's website for any other promotions. 

Found a coupon?  Awesome!  Now, take that newly found information and complete your purchase and feel great knowing you likely saved as much money as possible.

Procter and Gamble Launches eStore

After announcing that they would be getting into the ecommerce business, Procter and Gamble, better known as P&G, finally launched their eStore in the past week.  This is a huge.  Now, one can buy products like Tide detergent directly from them, at reduced prices and $5 in shipping, no matter what the size of your order.

I performed just a few comparisons and it can be less expensive to buy directly from P&G, however, only if you buy several items.  On-line drug stores offer the same products, perhaps only a dollar or two more or less, but the difference is definitely shipping.  Amazon, example, requires one to buy multiple containers of Tide to avoid the shipping charges.  CVS.com offers free shipping for purchasing $49 or more in products, in contrast.

Bottom line: do a little comparison shopping of your own, in the store and on-line, to see what makes sense for your budget.  Factor in the time it takes to drive, hunt, and check out at the store, and the gas to get there and back.  You may find that it's worth buying your P&G products on-line and skipping all of that hassle.  P&G makes just about everything personal care related, so don't just stop at detergent.

Let me know what your experiences are with it.

Promotional emails and offers

With a ton of email already in our boxes each day due to work and friends, it might not seem appealing to you to add to your clutter purposefully. There is an exception to that rule in that if the email benefits you financially, and relatively quickly, it’s worth agreeing to sign up for promotions. Just today, two items popped up simply because I had agreed to receive solicitations: a 40% off coupon for All Menus.com, the nationwide online restaurant ordering and delivery service, and CVS, promoting double ExtraBucks rewards.

A click on the CVS email indicates that one needs to "register" for this offer. By registering, meaning entering one's ExtraBucks card number on their website and submitting it. Behind the scenes at CVS, a little hamster in a computer is turning, indicating that you may likely participate in their promotion, which runs from January 17 to March 15, 2010. This isn't something you would have likely seen, or been told, at a CVS store. Not because an employee forgot, but because the obvious lure is for you to get on their website, register, and maybe fish around a bit to see if anything else is appealing.

Registering for promotions is not a new concept. But, more retailers are getting involved in the act. For the sake of this article, "non-traditional" retailers will be defined as those who weren’t previously requiring their customers to "register" for promotions, such as CVS, while offering special deals. They may have simply been doing so while only advertising it in the store, or on television. But, for years, "traditional" retailers, such as airlines and car rental companies especially, have been involved in this act. Register this code and get triple miles from Washington, DC to Maui during these dates or in the case of car rental companies, register and get a free class upgrade on the weekend. CVS, and others, like banks, have definitely gotten involved in the register-via-our-website-and-get-something-good game. It brings traffic, and likely, sales.

As such, an entire cottage industry has been born from promoting these special registration offers. Thus, it's a great idea to see what discounts and other deals are being offered in the course of comparison shopping. Google is your friend, but it cannot track every registration promotional offer out there. Some offers require you to call a phone number and key in a code corresponding with your credit card. They may be targeted, so not everyone can take advantage.

To help you manage commercial email so you can take advantage of special offers, set up a free account. You won't miss any emails, and you won't be deluged, either, with emails that might prevent you from seeing more timely communications. Alternatively, if you like everything under one roof, live dangerously and just use one account for all of your personal email communications. That way when you check your email frequently as most people do, timely offers can be seen right away.

Take advantage of credit/debit card shopping discounts

An often-overlooked source of discounts for a variety of retail, travel, and entertainment purchases just might be as close as your wallet.  While not widely publicized, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover Card have collaborated with popular merchants to offer you substantial savings on items such as rental cars, movie tickets, and electronics.  One fantastic discount is the two for one Visa deal with Fandango, the online movie ticket purveyor, which is worth about $11.  Suddenly, the bite from going out to the movies does not seem so big.  Not a fan of the movies?  How about $5 off an order of $50 or more at Target.com?  Interested, now?

Do not kick yourself for not thinking about these sources of discounts before.  Honestly, when was the last time you looked at Visa's or MasterCard’s website specifically for special discount offers?  For many, looking at their own credit card’s website is difficult enough to stomach with the high annual percentage rates charged and all.  Moreover, there may be a good reason why you might have to hunt a bit to find these discounts.  Discounts bring people into the store, but someone is absorbing that reduction in revenue.  The great thing about these “built-in” discounts with your credit card company is that they are attached to the card you would be using anyway, and they can be for the same amount or more found in membership-only clubs that can cost about $30 to join.

A few caveats, and there are always some, is that your specific card may not be eligible.  For example, to take advantage of Visa's discounts, you need the "signature" card.  But, with four card companies, chances are you carry a card that participates in these savings programs.  Also, if you make a purchase using the card online, and have to pick it up in person (such as a car rental), you need to be sure you bring the card with you.  Otherwise, it may be denied.

If you are having trouble finding a specific merchant discount on the aforementioned credit card sites, try performing a standard Google search with words like "[company name] + discount."  You should also check out a site called RetailMeNot that aggregates coupons and savings, too, specifically offered by credit cards in the form of both promotion codes, and occasionally printable format.

Keep a close eye on your purchases with your receipts

After you charge a purchase, it’s a good idea, no matter how small, to reconcile it with your online statements. In a recent posting, there was a strong case made for using credit and debit cards to help keep track of your spending. But, these cards may also provide an opportunity for error, or downright fraud.  Unlike the immediate look and feel of cash, you may not notice an overcharge if you don’t look closely at your statements. Moreover, small, hard-to-notice transactions on your statement may indicate that your identity has been stolen. Thieves have been known to “test” a card by making a small purchase at first, only to set it up for a big one later.

Depending on the merchant, their credit and debit card technology may be somewhat archaic, which affects the time it takes to process and show up on your statement.  Unlike modern, point-of-sale transactions, where you swipe your own card and watch the transaction take place, signed-carbon copy transactions involve more manual data entry.  Another complication with these types of transactions is that if your hand writing is illegible, the merchant may enter the transaction incorrectly, especially if the carbon paper is crumpled. Or worse, they hope you don’t look at your statements closely and decide to slip in a digit on the invoice after you have left.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your receipts in an envelope, or some place easy to find, until the purchase posts. And, if you do feel like you are a victim of fraud, which the Examiner reported happening to patrons of popular DC restaurants, call the merchant first. If you try to call your credit or debit card company first, they will likely ask if you have tried to resolve the problem on your own. If you cannot get anywhere with the merchant, then it’s time to call in the big guns. Call your credit or debit card customer service number and explain the situation. Their fraud department will be on it immediately.

Taking Advantage of Special Shopping Offers

We all get a lot of email everyday: work, friends, merchants, etc.  While it's helpful in managing your time (and patience) to prevent as much spam as possible, it can be lucrative to agree to sign up for email communication when shopping online.  Case in point, although it's targeted, but I posted the link some time ago, PayPal has been running an invitation-only promotion where one can receive 5% cash back from shopping through various retailers until 12/21/09.  Ok, while it won't break the bank, 5% cash back is 5% that you can save.  Plus, use a cash-back or points earning credit card and you can save (or earn, depending on how you view it) that much more.  It may be more like 6% or more now.


So far, I have received about $5, but the best part is that the next time I buy something through PayPal, for instance a $50 gift card at Best Buy, it will only cost me $45.  PayPal just deducts your rebate from your account that way you won't inadvertently spend it should it have come to your normal banking account.


The lesson is that it might be wise to set up two email accounts: one for friends, family, and important communications, and one simply for shopping.  Check your other account periodically, especially if you are going to shop through a specific retailer, and see if they have invitation-only offers in which you can take advantage.  You might be surprised.  At the end of the day, it's tax free money back to you for doing nothing different from what you would have anyway.

Shopping & Shipping Countdown

The USPS has a handy reference on line for shipping deadlines by the holidays.  Don't miss out!

Getting the Best Value in Shopping

Sometimes, you don't want the best, you want the most value for your buck.  That's the premise of Cheapism, a site a reader informed me about recently.  While it's very easy to determine high and low prices on shopping search engines, you may not always know what the best value is.  Cheapism purports "[to] make the low-price picks, you make the budget buys" among several categories of products typically found on aggregation sites, such as electronics, computers, and televisions.  Think of it as a smarter online shopping site than ones that simply list prices.

And, if you're worried about biased coverage in on-line reviews, as you should, the site doesn't accept any payments or endorsements for recommending products.  Their business model is based on referral fees generated from linking to third party merchants and running advertisements.  I think that's perfectly legitimate, it's not charity after all.  And, with the new rules announced by the Federal Trade Commission for bloggers and others online recently, in the near future, you will see more disclosure statements upfront stipulating similar business practices.

Hitting the Holiday Shopping Sweet Spot

Be on the alert for special, last minute shopping savings that may be offered this season.  Times are tough, but that means you can take advantage of this situation.  I just saw this Macy's Friends and Family discount good until Monday.  You can take advantage of it online and in the store.  Here is the link.  Save 25% off!  If you shop on line and spend more than $99, you get free shipping, too!

Here is my special bonus tip on this one.  I already had bought a present at macy's.com the other day when I saw this promotion this morning.  It just launched on December 2, but I must have missed it.  But, no worry.  I am re-ordering the same gift, not paying any shipping because it was over $99, and still taking advantage of the Friends and Family promotion.  When the first gift arrives at my house, I will simply return it at macy's.com.  This transaction alone saved me about $45!  Thus, if in the future you see another similar type promotion, see if you can return your purchase, re-buy it, and save.  Stores often have "float down" price policies, too, in which if something is offered for less within a certain time frame, you can get a refund of the difference.  A great policy.

Here is another promotion going on, if you are a fan of grocery delivery, as I am, and which I have discussed in the past, Peapod grocery delivery is offering $10 in free groceries for first order, according to the Points Wizard blog.  A small plug for them, it's part of a consortium of travel and related savings blogs.  They are quite excellent reads.  I recommend them, (as well as mine of course), as daily reads.

How to Take Advantage of Post-Black Friday Shopping

As I predicted, there was some violence yesterday during Black Friday. Fortunately, no one was killed, unlike last year, but still, an embarrassment for society.  If you wisely avoided the crowds and mayhem as suggested, you can still take advantage of other peak shopping days to land fantastic deals.  Read about those days here.

Don’t forget to sweeten the deals by using coupons. It will help lessen the pain of holiday shopping.

How To Thrive and Survive “Black Friday”

With Thanksgiving looming, some may be thinking about their holiday shopping needs.  Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving has been a large one for retailers.  It is the day that many become “in the black” on their balance sheets.  Since Friday follows Thanksgiving, the name “Black Friday” was born.

While history has shown that many deals abound during this time, it also has unfortunately proven to be a very dangerous time to shop, literally.  Last year, an unruly crowd searching for bargains killed an unfortunate Wal Mart security guard after trampling him.  Read the story, I am not making this up.  With hard times right now, I am willing to bet that violence is almost certainly going to recur this year over deals.  One of the factors that continues to fuel the surging of shopping post Turkey day, besides the flagging economy, is the plethora of websites devoted to discussing Black Friday deals.  This site contains digitally scanned circulars from retailers, such as Wal Mart, that supposedly have been leaked or otherwise made available albeit a little earlier than intended.  While it is more fun to think that a disgruntled employee leaked these circulars, or they were obtained by other surreptitious means, I would not be surprised if they are intentionally done so to drum up sales.  Regardless, I hope people shop often (if they have the means) and employ my myriad savings techniques discussed on the blog to stimulate our flagging economy.   

Nevertheless, I won’t be shopping on Black Friday for several reasons: 1) I can wait; 2) I prefer to shop online when I can for a number of reasons; 3) the deals will be better after the holidays; 4) I am not a big fan of crowds, especially potentially violent ones; 5) I don't like to wait in line, idling my car and wasting gas, and maybe even paying for parking.  

Sure, shopping at home can cost you in shipping, but saving time and hassles can mitigate that cost differential.  Besides, would not you rather spend more time with loved ones?  Moreover, in a frenzied shopping environment, I would not count on getting much, if any, customer service.  If you are going to shop on Black Friday, I would recommend having a list of where exactly you want to go and what you are looking for to minimize any impulse buying; looking for an alternative route home to avoid traffic; leaving your kids at home, if possible; and the moment something doesn’t sound right with customers, step swiftly out of their direction lest a riot ensues.

Another Tip For Buying Electronics

A reader wrote to me today about the merits of buying used electronics, like iPods, instead of buying them new.  I have used www.unclevic.com to buy a used laser printer in the past with great success.  Since I don't plan on doing any major print productions at my house, I bought a very decent model with current, recommeneded dots per inch (dpi) for under $70.  It was about a half of what it would have been new.  In the case of the Apple store, one can buy refurbished products at steep discounts (they are not the latest models, typically) but still come with a one year warranty.  Not bad!  A used iPod is perfect for the car or wherever else you don't care about it being the latest and greatest.


Next time you are considering an electronics purchase, it's worth checking to see if you can get one used.  But, I would caution against buying used goods from auction sites.  I have had problems with used Smart phones.  Needless to say, it was a nightmare to get my money back (but I did).  So, if you are going to buy used goods, check the dealer's reputability first, as well as the warranty, and carefully read their return policy.  In many cases, once you buy it, there's no return possibility.

How To Find A Low Price Guarantee

After buying something, do you ever wonder if you could have gotten it for less?  I have, especially around holiday time when things tend to go on sale a week or so after Christmas and other major holidays.  I remember seeing an ad once where a kid bought something at an electronics retailer only to see it advertised for less by a competitor.  Somewhat timidly, the kid goes up to the customer service representative at the store and shows him the ad.  The rep proceeds to refund the difference.  "That's it?" the kid says.  "Yep."


These days, we don't have to research too hard to see if we have indeed received the best price.  There are several services available that will do the hunting for you and point you in the direction of the retailer's lowest price guarantee.  For air/hotel travel, I have been using Yapta, which is a site for tracking flights/hotels you already have purchased to see if they have gone up or down.  If the flight goes down, you can some times get a refund of the difference.  Orbitz offers this service, too, essentially automatically.  (But remember from previous postings, Orbitz is also going to charge you a fee to use them, so use them when it saves you money.)


But, for non-airline purchases, I came across a site called Pricepinx which allows you to set up price alerts and links you directly to the store's lowest price/match policy.  I haven't used them yet, but plan to soon, and if it does as it claims, it's definitely worth checking out.  It's free and you have nothing to lose.

How To Shop More Efficiently And Save While Doing It

Who doesn't want a bit more time in their schedule to do things that they really enjoy?  I personally don't care much for grocery shopping, which is why I try to use home delivery services like safeway.com or peapod.com.  But, what about for other items, like clothes?  Purusing racks of clothes either in-store or virtually takes time.  What if there were a way to have the shopping done for you, at least the browsing?  One of my readers clued me in on such a service called ShopItToMe.  You can read their website for more details, but in a nutshell, the site alllows you to sign up for email alerts from well-known manufacturers of your favorite clothes (in your size, which means no more false dreams) and informs you when a certain item is on sale.  Get the email, click the listing, and be directly in touch with the store selling the item.  Without naming brands specifically, they are well-known national stores selling popular lines.  But, before you get all excited, make sure also hunt for coupon codes that may bring the price down even lower.

Don't wait..set it up now and save your self and/or your significant other serious time and perhaps angst from having to wait for you to play dress up at the store.

Twitter Savings

Everyone is getting on the Twitter-bus now. Celebrities, the Obama administration staff, anyone in the mainstream media. What some consumers might not know is that companies are taking notice. Recently, United Airlines ran a promotion where one could receive a 1,500 mile bonus, free, by registering at the United Airlines twitter site. I believe this promotion is over, but why not register with them anyway? According to a friend of mine, UAL was running something called Tweet Fares or Twares recently, offering discounts for booking flights within a certain time frame.

Expect other companies, not just airlines, to get the Twitter-bug.