Buying a bike in the off season, getting your dream mattress at a discount, purchasing wine by the case—there are ways to avoid emptying your wallet without missing out on the things you enjoy. A few minutes of research, some savvy tips, and a little flexibility will keep your money in the bank and a smile on your face. Life doesn’t wait, but when you do, there are savings to be had.
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Buy a new bike without getting taken for a ride
You might want a bike for commuting, for keeping fit, or just for fun. To avoid paying full price for a new bike, approach your local bike shop to find out when they are bringing in the newest models. This will let you know when they will be clearing out last year’s models at a discounted rate.
If you just can’t wait, you could try negotiating on accessories or maintenance, since shops have more leeway to offer deals for those products and services.
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Liquidation on Hi-fi speakers sounds like music to your ears
Hi-fi speakers will bring your music collection to life, but can cost a substantial amount of money. Upgrade your listening experience by keeping quality and sound in mind over style. Specialized stores are a good option because they will have a wider selection, warrantee options, and sales.
Spending some time in the store listening to a variety of brands will help you find the best speakers to suit your budget—which truly is music to your ears.
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New furniture without breaking the bank
Furniture can be costly, and what furniture you need changes depending on where you are in life. Expressing your taste and style can be affordable if you visit independent showrooms instead of going to larger retailers.
When you find something you like, remember that floor models tend to be discounted, so take a good look at what’s on display before ordering from a catalogue.
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Purchase your new car at the right time
Paying full price for a new car that depreciates as soon as you drive it away—no thank you! After researching the model you’re looking to buy, wait until the end of the month. Dealers are looking to meet their quota, which means flexibility on price for you.
Then you can drive away knowing you got the best value for your money.
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Pets: Your new best friend is waiting for you
Adding a pet to your family is a lovely and rewarding thing to do. There are many domestic animals in shelters waiting to be adopted into loving homes. When making your selection, be realistic about what will suit your lifestyle. And, you can spend the money you saved on toys for your new best friend.
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Rental instruments are music to your pocketbook
Unless you’re joining the symphony, you should never pay full price for a musical instrument. Despite our best intentions, guitars and drum kits often wind up gathering dust in corners and being sold off in yard sales. If you are driven to learn, rent an instrument. It’s a great way to test your commitment before you dive right in.
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Mattresses: Save on a good night’s sleep
We love our mattresses. Comfort and rest are extremely important to feeling our best. And though it may seem like paying top dollar will bring you good dreams, the truth is you can negotiate hard on a mattress.
There are large margins for retailers. So, be confident and sleep well, dreaming of all the money you saved.
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Books: Read more for less
Books should never be bought at full price. Avid readers know that passing books on to friends, using your local library, and purchasing online is the way to go. Popular books will always go on sale.
And it can be fun to try a new author, particularly when you don’t feel financially obligated to finish the book.
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Tampons and other personal hygiene items
Women know that tampons are expensive. Luckily, there are many brands that all offer essentially the same product. Stocking up during a sale or purchasing in bulk is the only way to get around paying full price.
Be savvy and tell your friends when you see a deal, ladies.
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Winter jacket: Make your winter fashion statement
A winter jacket is a fashion statement. It needs to be warm enough to protect you from the cold and stylish enough to be your look for at least three months. Paying full price can be very expensive if you are going for quality.
The best time to buy your jacket is in February or March, when retailers start bringing in spring styles and marking down coats and boots.
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Massage: Take advantage of spas in your area
A massage is a treat and a luxury. This means there is no obligation to limit yourself when you choose where to go. On quiet days and during the low season, many hotels and spas offer deals. Whether you prefer a relaxation, deep tissue, or shiatsu style, a few minutes of online searching will fade away on the massage table.
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Gym memberships
A gym membership seems like a great idea, until you realize you’ve gone two months without using it. Full price memberships are for people already committed to the lifestyle. Purchase a few passes first.
Being your strongest, healthiest self is wonderful. Feeling guilt for wasting money is no way to reach your goals.
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Kids’ shoes
Kids’ shoes need to be comfortable, practical, and fun. Buying them at full price when you know before long they won’t fit anymore is tough. Some stores have loyalty discounts, which can help.
Also, consider how many pairs the kids actually need. When their feet have settled into a size after a growth spurt, you can spend a little more.
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Kitchen gadgets
Kitchen gadgets can be fun to use for a special meal, but afterwards, they just clutter up your space. A garlic press is fast, but maybe your chopping skills outrank it. Invest in good knives and tools you will use daily. Save the full price purchase for a multipurpose tool that is well-made and will last. You’ll be doing yourself and your cupboards a favor.
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Table wine
You might serve table wine as part of a meal or take it to a neighbor as a thank-you. Once you find a bottle you enjoy, buy a case. There can be significant savings on a case of wine versus a single bottle, which means you can relax and enjoy yourself.
You’ll feel like a generous host and no one will suspect your cost-cutting secret.
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Home office supplies
Home office supplies can become a constant expenditure. Take advantage of the school cycle and you will find major chains offering large discounts on the basics. Create a little supply closet for yourself and over time you will notice the small savings add up.
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Antiques
Antiques bring charm and personality to your space. Falling in love with something beautiful doesn’t mean you have to pay full price. Unless you’re dealing with a unique piece that has a special provenance, pricing is based on supply and demand.
If you aren’t getting the price you think is fair, return to the shop a few weeks later. If your item is still there, make your offer again. Your interest and persistence will pay off.
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Party decorations
Party decorations are wonderful on the day of the event, and then become useless. If you have a color or theme you enjoy, pick up pieces and ornaments throughout the year. Keep them in a box and reuse them for every event you host. Instead of spending a lot of money on things you are going to throw away, you’ll have a collection of festive keepsakes.
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Cell phones
Cell phones are daily tools. It’s fashionable to have the latest technology, but is it necessary? Why pay full price for a trendy phone that you don’t need? Often buying a phone outright makes it more affordable. Approach your service provider to inquire about phones that aren’t this year’s big-ticket item and save yourself a bundle.
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Rental cars
There are many easy ways to save money on rental vehicles. Chief among them is using your credit card to cover collision damage waiver insurance. Check with your card issuer to ensure that this is included, and if it is, you don’t have to buy this type of insurance. Other price-busting tips include booking at locations that aren’t in airports, and booking as far in advance as possible.
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Home and yard work
This type of labour is often performed by local small businesses with flexible rates. That’s why promising to recommend their work to friends, family and neighbours, as well as mentioning other outfits’ lower prices, can significantly reduce the amount you pay.
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Cable TV, home-phone and internet service
Threatening to cut off any of these digital services can work wonders, as can talk of switching to another service provider that’s offering lower or promotional rates. Whether by reducing the cost of individual services or bundling them together at a lower overall price, telecommunications companies will often bend over backwards to keep you as their customer.
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Insurance
With various websites allowing you to compare home and auto insurance rates, it’s easy to find out whether you’re overpaying for policies. Bring this information to the attention of your existing insurer, and you might be surprised how quickly your rates go down. If they don’t, you already know that making a change will save you money.
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Credit-card fees
Signing up for a new credit card can be very easy and appealing, especially when a new issuer offers a low promotional balance-transfer fee. That’s when you call your current card issuer and ask them to match or beat their competitor’s rate.
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Jewelry
Independent jewellers are especially open to haggling over prices, which can drop the longer an item remains in a display case. It’s also worth noting that many jewelry salespeople work on commission, which means they can reduce the price of an item by shrinking the commission they receive on the sale. A smaller commission is better than no commission at all, right?
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Media subscriptions
Retaining paying subscribers is of paramount importance to newspapers, magazines, satellite radio services and other media companies. For that reason, they’ll often reduce subscription renewal rates when loyal customers seek savings.
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Glasses and contact lenses
Much of the cost of prescription eyewear is comprised of fees and services. By trimming these flexible charges in exchange for your business, an optical store can shave big bucks off the cost of new glasses or contacts.
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Automotive work
Much of the financial damage caused by auto repairs is rooted in hourly labour charges, which can be adjusted by the garage doing the work. This is especially true of smaller local outfits that rely on repeat business. If an estimate exceeds what you want to pay, ask about this kind of wiggle room.
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Gift cards
Thanks to various online marketplaces for unwanted gift cards, these plastic prezzies can be purchased for less than face value. This can help you save money on just about anything…
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Consumer electronics
As with cellphones and speakers, paying the manufacturer’s suggested retail price on electronics gear such as laptop and desktop computers, televisions, and stereo equipment can be prevented by doing one simple thing: waiting. Give it time, and the full price of any of these items will almost certainly come down.
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Barbecues
Just like cooking the perfect medium-rare steak, timing is everything when it comes to buying a barbecue for less than full price. With many stores dropping prices to clear out summer inventory, July and August are surprisingly good times to score deals on grills and grilling gear.
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Lawnmowers
While you may have to wait a bit longer for lawnmowers to come down in price, home improvement stores typically start clearing inventory in early September. They don’t want those bulky mowers filling up warehouse space that could be used for snow blowers, right?
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Formal wear
If you’re not expecting to wear a wedding gown, prom dress or tuxedo more than a few times,
renting this kind of attire makes good financial sense. If you must sport duds of your own, prices on wedding gowns hit rock bottom in November and December.
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Original artwork
How does an artist determine the price of their work, anyway? Much of it has to do with the value of the time spent creating it, which of course can be scaled back depending on how badly an artist or a gallery salesperson wants to make a sale. Combine this with the fact that many gallery salespeople work on commission, and flexible pricing is par for the course.
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Prescription drugs
Asking pharmacists about discount programs and generic alternatives can help reduce the cost of prescription medications. It’s also a good idea to check into your pharmacy’s “preferred” status with insurers, as this could affect drug prices.
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