r3fresh

May Your Online Shopping be Merry…and Cheap (AGAIN!)

This is a re-post of an article published a year ago. Tips are still current. Updated.

So called “Cyber Week” is here and it’s expected to set records in profit for companies like Amazon, eBay, and many popular online marketplaces. Here is a list of the best websites to find the best deals during this internet shopping week:

1. Amazon- The biggest online store on the internet, it has everything and it’s always cheaper than real stores. Another plus is that you don’t pay tax on the items you buy.
2. Dealhack- Not a store, but a blog of deals. Updated frequently Dealhack finds the best deals from all of the popular websites around the internet. I saved $150 on a monitor when I used Dealhack.
3. Buy.com- Think of it as the “Electronics” section of Amazon. They have daily deals that even beat Amazon’s pricing. And their shipping is fast and cheap, perfect for the cheapskate like myself.
4. eBay- I never considered eBay as a place to buy new items, but there are vendors selling items throughout the site. I was comparing prices on RAM and if I were to buy it on eBay I would save $25 bucks. Nice. I wouldn’t trust eBay with any of your gifts, better deals elsewhere.
5. Dell.com- Who knew a crappy PC company had such great deals. Xbox 360 accessories X% off, mp3 players for cheap, and shipping isn’t to bad either.
6. PayPal- Using PayPal on certain websites could get you 20% cash back on your purchase. Amazon’s not on the list, but Overstock is. *Looks like the deal is ending soon, many stores have already been taken off the list.*
7. Retailmenot.com- Every site offers a “Coupon” code or “Promotion” code box during checkout, but do you ever have a code? With Retailmenot, you can search for codes for all of the popular stores. I used a code on Finishline.com and saved $25 bucks on $110 Nike Shox, not bad. Checkout Black Friday Coupons.
8. Woot!- No selection, limited stock, but you might find the occasional deal. Be careful though, not everything is new, some items are refurbished. Be sure to check out Shirt.woot.com, Wine.woot.com, and Sellout.woot.com for even more deals.
9. Geeks.com- Great deals all year for the geek in your family. Items don’t always come in their boxes and manuals are sometimes missing, but that’s why it’s for the geek in your family.
10. Overstock.com- The Kmart of online stores. There is a lot of crap you’ll need to dig through to get to the good stuff. Strangely, Mothers seem to love this site the most. Overstock is offering 20% cash back when you pay with your PayPal account.
11. Beatmyprice.com- Think you’ve found a really great deal? Enter the deal you found into the site and find even cheaper prices.
12. JungleCrazy- At least 70% OFF or more on specific items at Amazon.

Tags: blogs, christmas, coupons, deals, electronics, holidays, money, prices, sites, store, web

Cut Your College Book Bill in Half

College is expensive, everyone knows that. Even with loans and scholarships, students and parents are looking at finding the cheapest way to get through school. Having $3000 less in loans at the end of your college stay may seem dismal, but to some it’s worth it.

Buying books for the upcoming year at school, I had the option of going through the school’s book store, which is what most of the students do at the beginning of each semester. The other option was something that hit me a couple months ago. Amazon.com. I’ve only bought a few books from Amazon, but I always saved a reasonable amount of money from them, even on new books.

Looking at the total cost for the college books store, the bill totaled about $400. I thought this was extremely expensive for eight books that I wouldn’t touch a year from now. What was even more annoying was the fact that it was $400 for used books.

Next, I went to Amazon.com, entered the ISBN numbers into the search, compared prices from different merchants, and had generated a bill of $175. $175 for eight books that would have cost me $400 at the book store? Yes! Also, four of the eight books I purchased were brand new. One used book was new, but the shipment had gotten “sun damage” and the publisher was selling them at used prices. Even my math book, which I bought for $0.83, was in great condition, only some minor highlighting.

I don’t think college books stores are trying to screw you, but like any business they need to make their money. With Amazon, I found cheaper prices on every book I purchased and next semester when I’m looking at buying books again, I will definitely use Amazon.

Tips for buying books from Amazon:

• Make sure to buy from an established Amazon merchant. “Just Launched” sellers have no reputation, no ratings from buyers.
• When buying used, only buy “Like New” condition books. Anything lower and you may need to purchase the book again.
• Many new books come with an “Interactive CD.” Buying used it is much harder to find a seller that has the CD, but don’t worry, 99% of the time you’ll never use it in your classes.
• If it’s cheap, it doesn’t mean it it’s in bad condition.
• Order the books at least 3 weeks before the date you will need them. Many sellers will send books media mail, which may take up two weeks for delivery depending on your location.

Tags: amazon, books, college, finance, internet, money, new, research, school, tips, tricks, used

BuyMyTronics: Now Buying More “Tronics”

I sold my video iPod about four months ago to BuyMyTronics, which at the time only bought iPods. They have expanded the number of electronics they are accepting and you can now submit your cell phone or game console. BuyMyTronics rids you of the hassles of eBay and will buy any gadget: new, used, working, and even broken. The better condition and the more accessories you’ve kept for the gadget will mean more money in your pocket.

I have a couple old cell phones and an original Xbox (which has become the 360’s stand) that I was considering submitting to BuyMyTronics. The Xbox (which includes the box, TV cords, and the power cord came out to be $18.00, which is low compared to what you might get on eBay. The first cell phone I tried was a two year old LG flip phone (which included the box, charger, and charging dock). It was in pretty good condition, but BuyMyTronics would only buy it from me for $0.00, which doesn’t seem quite worth it (especially after paying for shipping). I tried my year old Motorola phone and it had the same fate.

BuyMyTronics has grown into a great site to sell your new or used gadget. Customer service, if you need help, is quick and understanding (much better than eBay’s). If you’re looking to get rid of an old cell phone, I would recommend recycling it at a Staples. The old cell phones go to undeveloped countries which feels better than a couple bucks in your pocket. Right?

Tags: blog, broken, buymytronics, customer service, ebay, electronics, money, new, old, post, used