I avoid it at all costs. For most of the items that I want, I can find them at comparable prices throughout the year (also... Cyber Monday is another reason). However, if there is something that I see that I really like at a great price, then I get my friend (who organizes a group) to get the word out and buy it for me, then I will just pay them back.
It's not really an issue when you live IN a city. The Black Friday craziness is mostly in the suburbs. I might hit up Macys and a few other stores, but the urban setting isn't the same as the mass retailers and malls in the suburbs. That being said, we probably don't get as good deals, either.
I assure you, I found no evidence of this in my research. A site I go to when I want to check out a business gives this place high marks, over 8 out of 10, and that's based on almost 1000 pieces of feedback. You may not get something worthy of being sold in Sharper Image, but the prices reflect that.
I promised my girlfriend when I moved in with her that I would make her a bed frame instead of shopping for one. I insisted I could make it very well and cheaper than buying it. We also both like the notion of recycling and minimising our carbon footprints, etc. I then went further and suggested I only make it from wood found near our apartment, and transported on bicycle. She was doubtful I could do it. I also thought I had overstepped. Well..........you can imagine my joy when this afternoon I found lying outside a perfectly great queen size bed frame made of wood. Great! She isn't home yet but pretty sure she'll be impressed!!
This is an outfit out of Hong Kong, China. So that being said things are very cheap in price and quality. Also, don't expect any customer service. If you see something you like, and are VERY sure you want it, then go for it.
Great prices; returns are basically impossible, so buyer beware. I have about a 60% satisfaction rate with things I get through them, but that's baked into the prices.
I love the website. Truly great deals. I will be using it to purchase stocking stuffers and even random little gifts for my cousins.
Thank you for the post!
This could be seen that way, or you could look at it as a super way to save even more money if you are already shopping at Walgreens. There are some items that I can ONLY purchase at Walgreens (certain OTC meds and a few health accessories.) Since I live in a very small town, and I have no Target, Walmart, or CVS nearby, my options are limited. I see the Register Rewards as a way of making sure that I save even more money on my everyday purchases. Last month, my favorite brand of mascara (with a price tag of almost $9 -- even at Walmart) was free after RR. Even though I only did ONE RR last month, this one offer allowed me to get the mascara I wanted to get anyway AND my husband's super-spendy supplements for the price of one. For those of us with very limited incomes, you will always have days where you have to choose between things. (In my case, supplements or makeup.) The RR's allowed me to have BOTH, with no detriment to my budget.
Good point about the RR's being honored as "manufacturerer's coupons." I guess I had seen that, but didn't put it together. My competing store wouldn't probably honor it anyway, as they don't take anything that isn't cut from the Sunday paper (seriously), but it's good for those of us who live in areas with a bit more educated competitor stores.
My wife and I have been Quicken users since 1989, but we've been getting more and more dissatisfied with it as it has changed from a simple, easy-to-use checkbook-balancing tool into a bloated, resource-hogging application crammed with features we have no use for. Intuit forces you to upgrade every couple of years by disabling the online access features of older versions. The last straw was when Intuit crippled the least expensive version so that only new customers can use it. (It won't import your existing data files from a previous version.)
So we are now looking for a new solution. A Web-based tool seems like the best approach, but we haven't found one that meets our needs. Quicken Online doesn't seem to be able to handle two-income budgeting. Mint won't let us specify automatic payments for predictable monthly bills. The search continues . . .
iphone apps have made information a lot more accessible and in a good way, as you mention you can use them for almost everything now. Although I have to say I don't use mine for restaurants I think that you can learn a lot from trying something yourself.
The new number for Platinum Rewards is 866-491-3930.
The 737-536-8800 is for a DeLosa's Pizza parlor now. The poor guy that answered the phone was very nice and said that he was getting many complaint calls a day from people upset with Platinum Rewards.
So Walgreens now wants to follow CVS in forcing its customers to come back to claim their "rewards?" This is just another way to get you in the store to buy something you don't need or want. I refuse to even look at the CVS ads since the prices do not represent what I would actually end up paying for the items. Having to return to the store to buy fantastically overpriced items to realize the savings is just a joke. And limiting the valid period to two weeks, that just adds insult to injury. So long, Walgreens.
There are always sacrifices to be made before, during and after a chosen action. The picture that some people have about their life - personal, professional, spiritual - is often unrealistic and causes unhappiness. You make a good point that "doing what you love to make a living" isn't always fun or rewarding. Everyone has to decide for themselves what is enough for them.
I've found Walgreens' Register Rewards (RR) program to be more restrictive than their previous rebate program. RRs expire two weeks from when they are printed and the need to not have more coupons than you have items can be very tiresome. This is especially the case if I have multiple, small value, RRs when I am purchasing other items with coupons.
That said, the RR program is still a great way to get many products for cheap, free or even while making money. The making money part comes when you purchase an item with a coupon and receive a RR. If the coupon and RR amounts are higher than the price of the item, it's "better than free" or you're "making money". I haven't paid for most of my toiletry items in years thanks to Walgreens and a few other stores.
I was about to start up my subscription to TIME magazine again when I saw that most of the articles are available in their iPhone app for free.
Can I add a plug for my own iPhone application - Cashflake?
It helps you keep track of the small amounts of money you save during the day and allows you to offset that amount against existing debt (debt snowflaking).
Now that they have streamlined the process, I will go full force into this. My Mom always did it, and I always had a "Walgreens" drawer full of toiletries to choose from whenever I went home for the holidays.
Guess I can stat having my own "Walgreens" drawer now.
I avoid it at all costs. For most of the items that I want, I can find them at comparable prices throughout the year (also... Cyber Monday is another reason). However, if there is something that I see that I really like at a great price, then I get my friend (who organizes a group) to get the word out and buy it for me, then I will just pay them back.
It's not really an issue when you live IN a city. The Black Friday craziness is mostly in the suburbs. I might hit up Macys and a few other stores, but the urban setting isn't the same as the mass retailers and malls in the suburbs. That being said, we probably don't get as good deals, either.
I do black friday, just started last year. Nothing that gets me excited in the ads yet this year.
I assure you, I found no evidence of this in my research. A site I go to when I want to check out a business gives this place high marks, over 8 out of 10, and that's based on almost 1000 pieces of feedback. You may not get something worthy of being sold in Sharper Image, but the prices reflect that.
I promised my girlfriend when I moved in with her that I would make her a bed frame instead of shopping for one. I insisted I could make it very well and cheaper than buying it. We also both like the notion of recycling and minimising our carbon footprints, etc. I then went further and suggested I only make it from wood found near our apartment, and transported on bicycle. She was doubtful I could do it. I also thought I had overstepped. Well..........you can imagine my joy when this afternoon I found lying outside a perfectly great queen size bed frame made of wood. Great! She isn't home yet but pretty sure she'll be impressed!!
Great list. Here are some more food you can store in pantry without much burden on your pocket http://www.mewithoutdebt.com/2009/10/eating-what-i-have.html
I don't believe it for a minute. It might be a scam to get your bank or credit card info. Too good to be true!
This is an outfit out of Hong Kong, China. So that being said things are very cheap in price and quality. Also, don't expect any customer service. If you see something you like, and are VERY sure you want it, then go for it.
Great prices; returns are basically impossible, so buyer beware. I have about a 60% satisfaction rate with things I get through them, but that's baked into the prices.
Do you know if these offers are for Canadians as well?
I love the website. Truly great deals. I will be using it to purchase stocking stuffers and even random little gifts for my cousins.
Thank you for the post!
This could be seen that way, or you could look at it as a super way to save even more money if you are already shopping at Walgreens. There are some items that I can ONLY purchase at Walgreens (certain OTC meds and a few health accessories.) Since I live in a very small town, and I have no Target, Walmart, or CVS nearby, my options are limited. I see the Register Rewards as a way of making sure that I save even more money on my everyday purchases. Last month, my favorite brand of mascara (with a price tag of almost $9 -- even at Walmart) was free after RR. Even though I only did ONE RR last month, this one offer allowed me to get the mascara I wanted to get anyway AND my husband's super-spendy supplements for the price of one. For those of us with very limited incomes, you will always have days where you have to choose between things. (In my case, supplements or makeup.) The RR's allowed me to have BOTH, with no detriment to my budget.
Thanks for your feedback!
Linsey Knerl
Good point about the RR's being honored as "manufacturerer's coupons." I guess I had seen that, but didn't put it together. My competing store wouldn't probably honor it anyway, as they don't take anything that isn't cut from the Sunday paper (seriously), but it's good for those of us who live in areas with a bit more educated competitor stores.
Thanks for the comments!
Linsey Knerl
I'm curious: what are all of you Microsoft Money users planning to switch to when Microsoft stops supporting Money in 2011?
My wife and I have been Quicken users since 1989, but we've been getting more and more dissatisfied with it as it has changed from a simple, easy-to-use checkbook-balancing tool into a bloated, resource-hogging application crammed with features we have no use for. Intuit forces you to upgrade every couple of years by disabling the online access features of older versions. The last straw was when Intuit crippled the least expensive version so that only new customers can use it. (It won't import your existing data files from a previous version.)
So we are now looking for a new solution. A Web-based tool seems like the best approach, but we haven't found one that meets our needs. Quicken Online doesn't seem to be able to handle two-income budgeting. Mint won't let us specify automatic payments for predictable monthly bills. The search continues . . .
I use Excel for ALL kinds of finance projects. Checkbook balancing, tracking future income, managing retirement accounts... It's a great tool!
iphone apps have made information a lot more accessible and in a good way, as you mention you can use them for almost everything now. Although I have to say I don't use mine for restaurants I think that you can learn a lot from trying something yourself.
The new number for Platinum Rewards is 866-491-3930.
The 737-536-8800 is for a DeLosa's Pizza parlor now. The poor guy that answered the phone was very nice and said that he was getting many complaint calls a day from people upset with Platinum Rewards.
So Walgreens now wants to follow CVS in forcing its customers to come back to claim their "rewards?" This is just another way to get you in the store to buy something you don't need or want. I refuse to even look at the CVS ads since the prices do not represent what I would actually end up paying for the items. Having to return to the store to buy fantastically overpriced items to realize the savings is just a joke. And limiting the valid period to two weeks, that just adds insult to injury. So long, Walgreens.
There are always sacrifices to be made before, during and after a chosen action. The picture that some people have about their life - personal, professional, spiritual - is often unrealistic and causes unhappiness. You make a good point that "doing what you love to make a living" isn't always fun or rewarding. Everyone has to decide for themselves what is enough for them.
I've found Walgreens' Register Rewards (RR) program to be more restrictive than their previous rebate program. RRs expire two weeks from when they are printed and the need to not have more coupons than you have items can be very tiresome. This is especially the case if I have multiple, small value, RRs when I am purchasing other items with coupons.
That said, the RR program is still a great way to get many products for cheap, free or even while making money. The making money part comes when you purchase an item with a coupon and receive a RR. If the coupon and RR amounts are higher than the price of the item, it's "better than free" or you're "making money". I haven't paid for most of my toiletry items in years thanks to Walgreens and a few other stores.
Thanks for the list.
I was about to start up my subscription to TIME magazine again when I saw that most of the articles are available in their iPhone app for free.
Can I add a plug for my own iPhone application - Cashflake?
It helps you keep track of the small amounts of money you save during the day and allows you to offset that amount against existing debt (debt snowflaking).
Now that they have streamlined the process, I will go full force into this. My Mom always did it, and I always had a "Walgreens" drawer full of toiletries to choose from whenever I went home for the holidays.
Guess I can stat having my own "Walgreens" drawer now.
Really,recession affects the whole world but there are option to overcome from them.Most of the people has follow them.
I live in Northern Cali also and I came across your page because I am cold and want to heat my house without spending a fortune! Thanks for the tips!