Black Belt Shopper
(featured column)
The
Black Belt Shopper's Guide
by Larry
Wiener
My
friend and I were sitting in the park. While
we were watching her children, she told me how relieved she was to get away from the
house with calls from creditors coming almost daily and the mail bringing more
past due bills to be paid.
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"A
journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."
Chinese Proverb
“I’ve
got to do something,” she said. “I
know we make enough to provide for our family.
We just need to make better use of the resources we have.”
She
remembered standing behind what she called the “coupon queens” in the store
and marveling at their savings. She
wondered if she could learn their tactics and apply the money she saved toward
paying the bills.
She
developed a system to maximize savings and applied the money saved to paying
down the credit card bills. The
pace of the calls slowed and eventually stopped.
The family got out of credit card debt.
Her husband was able to get a better paying job and the wife started a
small business. They are now
homeowners.
I
learned a lot from my friend. While
I had been a pretty good shopper, I realized that by developing some new tools
and being a little more systematic, I could do even better.
I started couponing and paying more attention to department store sales. I learned to shop online more effectively and even started
venturing into dollar stores. I
refined my craft and learned to use the wealth of choices in the New Economy to
my benefit. I found myself
investing more and being able to afford more extras.
Shopping
today is different from the way it was a generation ago.
Choices, information, and timing are key concepts to
thrive in the New Economy. Thanks
to the Internet and other changes, we have access to more goods and services
available from an ever-increasing array of outlets.
We have more choices than ever
in what and where to buy. Information
abounds and is essential to making good decisions.
And timing your purchases can make huge differences in what you pay.
Learn to navigate your way around all those suppliers and
you’ll be able to get quality merchandise and good prices. Give some thought to how you’ll use the money you save and
you’ll be well on your way to improving the quality of life for yourself and
your family.
So, who can benefit from Black Belt Shopping?
Just about everyone. Maybe
you’re a recent grad in an entry level job and you’d like to start a solid
financial base. Maybe you can’t
figure out how to get out of debt. Or
maybe you are financially stable, but you’d like to be able to do a little
more for yourself and your family. Perhaps
you’d like to become an investor.
When I recently spoke at a class on
shopping, I began by asking the students what the term “black belt” meant.
The first answer I got was “master,” a term implying someone who has
trained and mastered a craft. Shopping
effectively in the New Economy takes technique as well as a measure of
discipline.
This ebook will help you master the
techniques. Begin to apply them and
you will begin to experience financial freedom and all the benefits that come
with that freedom.
Click
here for ordering information...
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Copyright
© 2004 by Larry Wiener
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