Articles on Shopping

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.

I Got Duped! Dealing With Credit Card and Merchant Disputes

So you bought an awesome thing-a-ma-jiggy or service with your credit card. But when you got it home you discovered the item doesn't work, the service was a heist, or the

You're a Chump if you Pay Full Price for That

Couponing and bargain shopping are not for everyone. It takes some time to clip the coupons, organize them, and keep track of sales at all of your favorite stores. But since I'

How to Buy All That Stuff the Police Seize. And It's Cheap.

Here's a terrific site that lets you bid on all sorts of great stuff at silly prices.

The new face of poverty is fat

Twenty years ago, I parked at a supermarket, near where a poor family had just parked. I knew they were poor, because they looked like poor folks are supposed to look: Their clot

Avoid the Gift That Belly Flops

The tale of the Christmas belly flop is a sad one. The shopper finds something that looks so appealing, often on sale, and wraps it up beautifully. The givee is truly excited --

How to wrap gifts with leftovers.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m no fan of the greeting card and gift wrapping industries. Not only are their products way over-priced, they’re also less than original in most cases.