Community Corner
Frugal Family Shares Super Shopping Strategies
Marietta Patch provides a selection of great bargains for the whole family each Wednesday morning.
We're all watching our family budgets these days. Whether shopping with coupons or looking for two-for-one deals, we're taking advantage of all sorts of offers and savings that help us stretch our dollars.
This column is dedicated to giving you at least five great local deals each week that will help your family's bottom line, and since we do the scouting for you, you can save time as well as money.
You are a big part of this column. Let us hear about the deals you've seen. Just add them to our comment box. Then come back each week and see what we've uncovered together.
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From now until the first of next year, millions of extra dollars will be spent on holiday shopping, travel and entertainment. This week, Frugal Family has come up with some great strategies for getting the best deals available on many of these purchases including gas, electronics, groceries, cars and airplane tickets According to the Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch, timing is everything when purchasing the following:
GAS
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When to buy: Early morning or late evening on a weekday.
Why: Gas stations tend to change their prices between 10 a.m. and noon, so hit the pump in the early morning if gas prices are on the rise. If prices are falling, go later in the day. I have found Racetrack, Kroger, Walmart and Home Depot to have the lowest gas prices consistently in Marietta.
ELECTRONICS
When to buy: Just after a new model is launched.
Why: Any time the newest and best thing hits the market, you’ll see great sales on what was the last newest and best thing. For example, last September when Apple came out with the Nano, prices for the Mini (now-discontinued) dropped 12%, from $199 for 4GB to about $175. When preparing to make a major purchase (phones, computers, video gaming systems, etc), go online and see if there are any new, different or upgraded versions coming to the market. A good time to check the newest electronic “toys” is in January, when some of the biggest technology shows such as the International Consumer Electronics Show and MacWorld are held.
GROCERIES
When to buy: Sunday evenings close to closing time and/or buy bulk in season.
Why: On Sundays you can obtain the latest manufacturer’s coupons from the Sunday paper. Many grocery store sales run Wednesday through Tuesday. As closing time approaches, fresh items such as meats and bakery items that need to be sold by end of the day are drastically reduced.
Take advantage of in-season sales for items like Thanksgiving turkeys in November or hams close to Christmas or Easter. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables cheaply in the summer that can be frozen or canned for a later date.
CARS
When to buy: Weekday mornings in September.
Why: By September, all the next year's models have arrived at the lot, and dealers want to get rid of the current year’s leftovers. Weekday mornings are slow at auto dealers, and sales people are a little more desperate to sell—a great time to bargain.
AIRPLANE TICKETS
When to buy: On a Wednesday, 21 days (or a couple of days earlier) before your flight date.
Why: Each week—usually on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings—airlines make major pricing changes and run fare sales. Up to about three weeks before your flight, you’ll find the best deals as airlines try to fill seats. If you wait any longer, prices start going up. The biggest jump is 14 to seven days ahead of departure.
CLOTHING
When to buy: Thursday evenings six to eight weeks after an item arrives in stores.
Why: Retailers begin dropping prices on clothing about 30 days after arriving in stores. Since fashion collections are shown months ahead of the actual season, savvy clothes buyers can check to see what’s going to be hot next season while clearance sales for this season are going on. If, for example, leggings are going to be a big thing for fall, it’s a great time to scoop them up cheaply at Summer Clearance Sales happening now.
Hitting the mall on a weekday ensures you'll get a good selection. On weekends, there is more traffic, less time to restock and a great find may be lost in a big pile of stuff that’s scattered everywhere.
CHAMPAGNE
When to buy: December.
Why: Stay tuned to Frugal Family, and you’ll find out why in December…
