Land of the free (shipping)

Yes that's right! Today's topic is rebates, coupons and free shipping [thanks for the tip Liz]. When going shopping it pays to looks for the above mentioned items. When shopping at the store Linen 'n things I was asked if I had a coupon. Sadly I did not and I am afraid I probably overpaid as a result. Every retailer has some sort of deal on: 20% off the highest priced item, free shipping for orders over $75, or 15% off the total. I have found a site that lists such deals called retailmenot which is great for online shopping. I don't buy anything now without checking this site. The other cool thing about internet shopping is that if the company is out of state you don't have to pay taxes (which can save you a bit of money). Rebates are painful as you pay the higher amount at the store then you need to post the manufacturer a rebate brochure, copy of the receipt, barcode from the box and various other paperwork before they will post you a cheque in 8 weeks time.


Retailers are also big into pushing membership. I have joined up with 4 different supermarkets (Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Lowes, Costco), the local health food Co-op, and 2 booksellers (Barnes & Noble, Books-a-million) just to get the weekly specials. My keyring and wallet are overloaded with tags and cards that need to be scanned during the purchase process. I'm not sure that this membership thing inspires the loyalty they may be looking for but it enables me to buy goods at normal prices.