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Save Money by Saving Energy

By on April 6, 2013 in the frugal life

In an age where prices are continually on the rise, it’s important to save money anywhere you can. A great place to start is by improving your energy-efficiency. The less energy you use, the more money you can save. You may be wary that going green could cost you a fortune. However, there are a number of no-cost solutions that could save you money each month on your energy bill.

Unplug

Many electronic devices continue to use energy even when they are turned off. This is called vampire energy.  Things such as your TV, coffeemaker, computer or DVD player may be wasting energy when they are not in use. The best way to ensure that they are really off is to unplug them. You may consider plugging all your devices into a power strip, so you can simply switch it off or unplug just the one cord.  They also make powerbars that automatically shut off during the night, or whatever hours you set it at while saving 2 or 3 spots for “always on” in case you don’t want to keep setting the time on the microwave or something.

Turn off the lights

energy efficientThis tip may seem fairly obvious, but it is also important. If you are not using a light, turn it off. If you spend $1 a day on lighting costs, that would be $30 per month or $365 per year! Isn’t that money you would rather keep in your bank?  You can also get those energy efficient bulbs but they are pretty expensive.  I don’t care for them because I haven’t found one that gives off a nice yellow light, instead the light is white and it makes you feel like you’re in an office. Continue Reading →

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Direct Buy Canada – Is It Worth It?

By on February 10, 2013 in the frugal life

I went searching for a couch this past summer and vowed not to spend more than I had to.  After all, as a personal finance blogger just by buying furniture that isn’t used or stolen from the garbage dump, I’m basically committing a sin in some of my peers’ eyes.  I’m pretty frugal in day-to-day life.  I don’t eat out very often, I buy maybe six coffees a year from Timmy Ho-Hos, and my entertainment budget is smaller than most people’s phone bills.  That being said, I like the odd video game and sweet HBO series (we’ll just say I get those very cheap and leave it at that).  I also tend to do a lot of reading.  All that to say, I will likely spend a fair amount of time (like most North Americans) sitting on my couch, and I don’t spend a lot of money frivolously.  With that in mind, I set out to get the most comfy, and most durable sectional or couch set that I could get my hands on for a reasonable price.

“Buy Straight From the Source”

My search led me to this distributor known as DirectBuy.  They market themselves as having over 150 franchises in the USA and Canada.  The main concept behind DirectBuy is that they are an “insider’s club” where members can purchase brand-name goods directly from manufacturers’ warehouses and by doing so avoid the large retail markups that we see on most products.  The main catch is that membership is certainly not free.  It is impossible to say what a membership will cost anyone specifically because each DirectBuy franchise is independently owned and operated and sets their own price.  Most media sources I looked into reported the probable membership fee at $3,000 to $7,000.  Needless to say, that pretty much ruled out my interest, but I was kind of curious about this consumer model and if their prices really could beat those in a cut-throat retail world by enough to justify that hefty membership.

Good… and Bad?

direct buyWhat I found when I looked into DirectBuy in various online hangouts was a ton of complaints and a lot of praise as well.  I don’t know if I’ve ever seen less consensus about a consumer business online before.  DirectBuy was roundly criticized for its pressure-based sales pitches that routinely stated, “You must buy your membership now or we will never give you the opportunity again.”  Yet, but the same token the company boasts a fairly impressive rate of membership retention.  DB defends itself on this account by saying, “This policy is in place out of respect for our members, manufacturers and the retail industry. It prevents consumers from asking traditional retailers to match DirectBuy prices.”  Some people claim the service and support they received as a member of DB was great, while others reported it was terrible.  It could be as simple as the fact that different franchises operated within a large spectrum and some were just better than others. Continue Reading →

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Five Ways to Save Money on Christmas Shopping

By on December 16, 2012 in the frugal life

Christmas gift giving can turn into a real expense, and one that you’ll carry into the new year if you pay a lot by credit card. There are ways you can save money on Christmas shopping that can whittle your holiday bill down to size. Using more than one could save you several hundred dollars.

Get online coupons before you head out shopping

If you know that you’re going to be doing a lot of shopping in certain stores, check their websites before heading out. Many of them have coupons that will entitle you to save a certain percentage off your total purchase, or a flat dollar amount, if you spend more than X amount of money. A $10 off coupon for spending more than $50 can make a difference, especially you have a similar arrangement in two or three other stores that you do a lot of shopping in.

Another reason for checking the websites is that they advertise specials. You might want to check out major purchases if that’s what you’re going to be buying. An advertised special on a laptop computer or flat screen TV can be a real bargain. But you won’t know about them unless you check the websites first.

Avoid the malls

Prices in malls are generally higher because the retailers are paying higher rents. You can save a significant amount of money just by shopping at non-mall stores.

There may be certain items that you can only get at the mall, but don’t use those items as an excuse to do all of your Christmas shopping at the mall. Do as much as you can before you get to the mall, and then head to the mall to make those specific purchases.

Another reason to avoid the malls is the sheer number of outlets. Sure, malls are more convenient, but the number of small stores and kiosks can cause you to make impulse purchases that will make you spend more money than you intend to.

Shop on Monday and Tuesday evenings

save on Christmas shoppingCrowds cost money when you’re shopping and that’s why they are best avoided. Crowded stores mean longer times waiting at the checkout stand, less likelihood that you’ll buy what you came for, a greater likelihood that you’ll overpay (just to get something and get out of the store), and a higher chance that you have to stop for a bite to eat. That’s the exact scenario you want to avoid at the holidays. Continue Reading →

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