Finding Deals

No question that the current economic situation has forced many people to search for the best deals so with that in mind Real Simple magazine has come out with a list of tips on how to find deals on everything from cell phone plans to school supplies. Here are some of them:

* Purchase oranges, onions and potatoes in bags rather than individually;
you’ll pay roughly half the price.
* Don’t buy non-grocery items at the supermarket. Health and beauty
goods are usually cheaper at places like Wal-Mart or Target and you’ll
get the best deals on paper products at warehouse clubs like BJ’s.
* Buy ground beef and chicken breasts in bulk….you’ll save 20% on
ground beef and 50% a pound on chicken.
* Find out an item’s cost per unit (CPU) which is listed on the shelf
sticker next to the price. It will tell you what something cost per ounce
or pound which can keep you from getting fooled by packaging.
* Attach a timer to the spigot. A sprinkler or a soaker host left running
wastes a lot of water.
* If you send or receive more than one text a day, sign up for a plan and
avoid the per-text charges that can drive up your phone bill. In you
have a teenager consider enrolling in an unlimited-messaging plan.
* If you talk for fewer than 200 minutes monthly, use a prepaid plan.
* For out-of-pocket repairs that could cost several hundred dollars shop
around and get three estimates. Tell each company you are comparing
prices and don’t be afraid to haggle a bit.
* Fix windshield chips immediately because a small one can lead to a full
crack. A repair can be done in your driveway for less than $100 with
cost of replacing a windshield anywhere between $500-$1200.
* Be careful of extended warranties on cars because standard ones often
are good enough.
* Request a three-month prescription from your doctor for medications
that treat chronic conditions as it could reduce costs by up to 33%
compared with paying monthly. Also consider generics as it could
save you money as well.
* To save on medical bills, ask for freebies or discount coupons. Your
doctor may distribute samples of everything from over-the-counter
cold medicines to asthma inhalers.