More penny-pinched people are turning to garage sales to bring in some extra money — and clear out the clutter. A story in the Los Angeles times offers tips for both buyers and sellers.
Looking for garage sales in the Wichita area? Be among the first to find out what sales are planned by signing up for The Eagle’s free garage sale e-newsletter. It goes out on Wednesdays and includes all the garage sale ads that will appear in Thursday’s paper. Sign up here.
My friend Nicole was shopping at a Wichita discount retail store recently and was admiring a handbag. An employee walked by and noticed the scenario. Nicole asked her how much the bag was. “$12,” the woman told her. A short time later, it came to their attention that the bag actually had a $20 sticker on it. “Would you buy it if it was $12?” the woman asked my friend. That evening, Nicole was sporting a brand new bag that she snagged for 40 percent off.
This might not be the typical negotiation process underway at retail stores nationwide, but negotiating is a tip the Washington Post offers when it comes to looking great during a recession. Check out their other tips, which may challenge you to shop outside of your comfort zone.
Are your old appliances driving up your energy bill? Don’t have the cash to replace them? You may qualify for state financial assistance replacing them.
Those looking to cut unnecessary spending from their budgets likely have considered getting rid of cable TV altogether. The San Jose Mercury News raises a few questions you should ask yourself first, including:
The bottom line is making a decision that’ll save you money … not one that will force you to incur unexpected costs.
The “Supermarket Guru” Phil Lempert offers on his Web site recipes, tips and ideas to save money on groceries.
A recent article combines some of his suggestions with those from chefs and retailers. Check out one of the tips that I found most helpful:
Find inexpensive recipe ideas from Pampered Chef (their featured recipes cost about $2 per serving) and USDA, which offers a function in which you can search for affordable recipes that cost any amount per serving or total recipe. (A recent search surfaced 408 recipes that cost less than $2 per serving.)
Andi Alexander, a Goddard High senior and intern for The Eagle’s features department, wrote a column about how she turned curtains into a couture dress for a school dance.
Andi, who hopes to pursue a career as a fashion stylist, makes resourcefulness look good.
I’m reminded a bit of the scene from “The Sound of Music” when Maria makes dresses and outfits from print curtains for all of the Von Trapp children. Nearly 45 years later, the idea is still appealing. Andi’s dress looks much more chic than Leisl’s, don’t you think?
If you don’t have the design skills but love the idea of transforming something you already own into a fashion statement, check out the book “Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt”.
We’re all about passing on tips on how to squeeze more out of your budget. Today’s Eagle has another 25 ways for you to start stretching your funds.
A sampling of the ideas:
Share your ideas on cutting expenses below.
The CBS Early Show had a useful report this morning taking a look at a high-tech twist to a longtime way of helping cut costs: coupon clipping.
View the video:
The report included links to some handy sites:
Those hunting for a bargain in the Wichita-area who don’t know about B-Bing! will want to sign up to save up.
B-Bing! is one of The Eagle’s free e-newsletters. For this one, fashion aficionado Bonnie Bing highlights local sales, great deals and practical steals in local stores.
It’s free, and anyone can sign up to receive it every Tuesday by visiting Kansas.com/newsletters.
Here’s an excerpt from this week’s newsletter.
Hairy deal
Both the east and west locations of The Hair and Shampoo Center are having a Stimulus Package Sale. Get 15 percent off any retail item. The west location is at 10231 W. 21st St. and the east is at 3750 N. Woodlawn.
Last chance
Christy at Christiane’s Closet, 517 N. Lorraine, says that all fall clothing is 70 percent off and accessories are 30 percent off. She wants to clear out her fall items to make room for all of the spring goods she’s ready to display.
Such a deal!
Brenda at Nouveau in Bradley Fair shopping center just loves telling people how much they’re saving. All fall clothing, shoes and accessories at the store are 75 percent off. Don’t forget to look at great transitional pieces on those racks.
Fun at Frou Frou
Betsy at Frou Frou, 8340 E. 21st, says many shoes at the store are on sale 25 to 40 percent off. Some are fall styles, but you can find others that will work for transition and even a few summer shoes.
Find ways to save money on transportation, insurance, banking and credit, housing, utilities on “66 Ways to Save Money,” a publication from the Consumer Federation of America and the Federal Citizen Information Center of the U.S. General Services Administration.
You can view an online version of the brochure to find helpful tips, including these two: