The Black Belt Shopper
(featured column)

Try It, You Might Like It

by Larry Wiener

"It'll never work for me!" my cousin  said to me when I mentioned the penny-a-minute long distance cards available at the 99 Cent Store (currently located in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas).  "The directions are far too complicated, so I'll just stick with my 10 cents a minute card."  More...

Then I bought her one and installed it.  Two days later she called to tell me how excited she was to have the card, how she now will be able to talk to her family back east as much as she wants, and how she can't wait to try another one.
 
No doubt she is thinking about how much she wasted on long distance over the years and how she pulled back from keeping in touch with family and friends because of long distance costs.  Now she can call at will.
 
As I thought about my cousin's realization, I also considered the many money-saving steps people I know avoid because they aren't willing to try them.  Here are a few misstatements I hear all the time.
 
"I'm not going into one of those dollar stores because all that's in there is junk."
 
It used to be that dollar stores specialized in trinkets and small decoratives.  Now an increasing portion of the shelf space is devoted to pasta, ketchup, soft drinks, and other consumables.  Dollar stores are also a great place to save on toothpaste and other health and beauty items.

If you haven't been to a dollar store lately, check one out.
 
"All that grocery couponing isn't worth the trouble."

Couponing can save you mightily.  Depending on where you live, you can save up to 40% on your food bill with couponing.
 
You don't have to be one of the "coupon scientists" who keep files, spend time coordinating coupons with sales, and all the rest. You can start with simply cutting coupons out of the Sunday supplements and buying what you need now.  You may or may not become more systematic about couponing, but at least try it once.  
 
"There's no reason to go on ebay and it's too risky anyway."
 
ebay is one of the great marketplaces of the world.  If you use it properly, you can get quality merchandise at low prices.  You can often find items there you can't find anywhere else.
 
First, let's deal with the risk.  Every seller has a feedback score based on what buyers say about him or her.  You can read the comments and look at the score before you bid or buy.  Then you can decide whether it's worth it to bid on an item.
 
The variety of items on ebay is phenomenal and the site is very well-organized.  It is a great place to go for out-of-production items.  
 
"I won't buy anything used.  It's all junk."
 
If that's your attitude, you're wasting a lot of money. Every day people throughout the world find that they no longer want or need items that can be useful to others.  In a previous column I told you how I bought a nearly new ceramic cooktop for less than the price of a new old-fashioned coil top.  It's working great and saved me $500 over the cost of a new cooktop.
 
I buy almost all my music CD's and DVD's used and many of my books.  You can buy quality used furniture often at lower prices than poor quality new furniture.
 
Besides the auction sites listed above, classified ads are great sources for quality used items.  If you live in Southern California as I do, the Recycler is a great source.  Don't count out yard sales, especially if you need a lot of miscellaneous household items.
 
"Okay.  I may buy used CD's, but never will I buy a used car!"
 
Research shows that buying a three-year-old used car and driving it as long as it is efficient will save you 40% over buying a new car and driving that car as long as the new car is efficient.

True, buying a used car is more effort than buying a new car.  Many say it is risky.  You can reduce both the effort and risk by becoming informed.  Edmunds.com and Automotive.com are two sites that can help you become educated.  
 
I hope my cousin's experience with her new phone card will be the first of many money-saving steps that will ultimately help her improve the quality of her life.  Take a moment now and think about your own buying and spending habits.  Is there some money-saving step you've been meaning to try, but haven't yet?  Is there some new step your friends may have taken that you have been afraid to?  Try it, at least once.  You may like it.

My bargain shopper's guide has an extensive section on this topic.  Click here for ordering information...

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Copyright © 2005 by Larry Wiener.  All rights reserved.

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