Articles on Shopping

Filler Strategies for Amazon’s Free Super Saver Shipping

Here are my top three ways to find filler items on Amazon to get you to that magical $25 total.

How To Buy Stuff That Lasts Forever

My husband bought a pair of gym shorts for my oldest son a couple of weeks ago. The shorts lasted for one day before having a small tear at one of the critical seams. Contrast that

90% off is not a deal if you don’t need it.

I found myself in a strange battle of wills last week. My favorite store, Target, was having another one of those spectacular sales. Red tags featuring the 75% off, and the rare 90

Why is Gasoline So Cheap? A Cost Comparison of 40 Common Household Liquids

Do you know which is more expensive: one gallon of gasoline or one gallon of orange juice? How about one gallon of glue? Read on for a comparison of the price gasoline and other f

Do you trust ads from radio DJs?

The US radio airwaves are filled with endorsements from radio DJs, and the list of things they hawk is mind-blowing.  Coming from a country that doesn’t have these pai

Chinese Money Habits - How My Culture Influences My Attitudes Toward Money

I moved to the United States when I was a child from Yangzhou, China. After sixteen years, I could easily pass as an American because I speak English without an accent, and I am w

The stuff I try never to buy new

I don't like buying new. It's not that I consider myself to be some kind of Scrooge. I just have a hard time paying more for something than I need to, and often we take tha

The one site you must visit before buying anything online. Period.

Friends, deal hounds, bargain hunters, lend me your ears; if ye don't know about the best coupon site on the web, bar none, then this will indeed be a most glorious day for the

Online Ordering: Won't Somebody Take My Money?

Online shopping isn't all it's cracked up to be, as I discovered the hard way.

Do not buy something just because you can afford it

Since I got married people have been constantly asking me two questions. One is, "are you pregnant yet?", and the other is "are you going to buy a house?" One

Longtime Mac Users Punished for Loyalty

I've watched other Mac lovers fall away from the True Faith, one-by-one, but I never thought it would happen to me. However, yesterday when we brought home the newest addition

What Can You Do With Unwanted Gift Cards?

In my house we try to spend gift cards as soon as possible because the longer they are held the less purchasing power they have. Sometimes there are just cards you are not interest

How I Grocery Shop

First, I will commit heresy by saying that I no longer write a full weekly menu.

How Haggling Taught Me About Life

I used to be afraid of bargaining. The thought of haggling over a price, or even asking for a discount, was embarrassing. Then I began visiting countries in which haggling is expec

Frugal Tip: Do Not Spend When You Are Sad

Have you ever paid more than you normally would for something when you are trying to cheer yourself up? A recent study showed that a group of people who were sad offered almost fo

Tips for Perimeter Perusing at Target

In addition to the fantastic finds on the end caps of most aisles of your local Target store, there are fabulous hidden deals to be had for those of us who rea

School Bookstores Can't Afford Cheap Textbooks

I'm taking just one course this semester, with just one reasonably priced textbook. According to the back cover, the price was $29.95, but that isn't the price I paid. I pu

Frequent Flyer Junkie? Manage your Miles Here

It's a daunting world of rewards programs out there. From frequent flyer miles with every major airline, to hotel reward programs, to individual store loyalty plans, not

Marketing Messes With Your Head

A new study out today in PNAS confirms what we always suspected was true. The higher the price you pay for a product, the greater your subjective experience of pleasure in the prod

Impulse Shopping: A Controllable Handicap

A friend of mine has a pathological weakness for impulse shopping. But using the techniques outlined here, she dug herself out of debt and into impulse shopping bliss.