Getting Great Deals

When it comes to getting deals I don't mind doing a little digging. The deals are out there just waiting for you to find them.

Email Lists - 
Some of the easiest ways to find the very best and sometimes super secret deals are to get on email lists. Companies will send out "members only" emails to those on their lists. There are very few places that don't have some sort of a mailing list. If they don't say anything about it you might ask. Email lists are not hard to subscribe to and sometimes the savings are substantial! You will be subjected to lots of emails so if you don't want your regular email cluttered up I suggest an alternate email address dedicated to joining lists.
Gmail is my personal favorite and you can join for free.

Job Related Discounts -
Depending on the job you do you might be entitled to a discount. I know that Verizon gives a discount to teachers and those who have companies that contract with them. JoAnn's and Michael's give teacher discounts. If you are over a certain age you can often get discounts. Military? Yep, you get a discount at Lowe's and Home Depot as well as other places. You never know where you can get a discount so don't be afraid to ask!

Sale Papers -
This may seem like a no brainer but if you keep a serious eye on the sale papers you can sometimes cash in. Companies are becoming more competitive for customers. I know that Wal-mart will match any price in a sale paper. If you have a store you like but the sale item you want is at another store don't be afraid to bring the sale paper to your preferred store and see if they will price match. The worst thing to happen is to hear them say no. You can always go buy from their competitor.

Online Shopping -
Ebay, Etsy, Craig's List and even Goodwill are great online places to shop. You can get new and used goods often for pennies on the dollar.

Swaps -
One of my personal favorites. Get your girlfriends together and decide what the swap will be. Will you swap purses and shoes or clothing and jewelry? You could also do a pot and pan or dish swap. This is a great way to get "new" items without having to search. You also know where the items came from if you are leery of purchasing second hand items.

Garage and Estate Sales -
Enough said. Truly garage and estate sales are my love. There is nothing better than trolling through dusty boxes for treasures!

Free Books on Amazon dot com -
Love to read? Go to Amazon dot com and type in "free kindle books" and see how many pop up! I suggest you get a snack before embarking on the journey. You will sit for a long time as you scroll through page after page of free books for your reader. If you don't have a Kindle you can get the app for your Android product.

Paperback Swap -
I did another blurb about Paperback Swap but it is such a great thing that is worth repeating. Their website gives all the information.
NOTE: This is also the portal for DVD Swap as well as a CD swap.

Blogs -
Many of the blogs I read have a section dedicated to finding free or greatly reduced items. You just have to take the time to find these little gems.

Facebook-
Believe it or not facebook is being used more and more to push businesses. If you have a facebook page and you "Like" their page they will sometimes give you free items or great discounts.

If you have any great suggestions for free or reduced items please feel free to let me know!