Don't Fall for the Clearance Scam

I found this gem on Pinterest. Sad, but true.

Trust me when I say this; no one that I know (other than maybe my mom) gets more excited when they see the words “clearance” or “on sale.” But, I soon learned that seeing those words doesn’t always mean that I will find a great bargain. Stores know that those are trigger words for penny pinchers like me and that I will come rushing over to any section that has a clearance rack. 

Here are some tips to remember when you find yourself at a supposed “sale” or “clearance.”

      1.       Check the original price and the now, sale price.

      2.       Inspect item(s) for damages.

      3.       Make sure at the register that the items ring up for the correct price.

      4.       If they don’t, say something!

      5.       Don’t be afraid to change your mind if the price isn’t what you expected.

Now, if you know exactly what item(s) you are looking for there is a website that you can use to find the stores that offer the lowest prices. Similar to price comparison sites such as Travelocity.com and Kayak.com, there is a price comparison site for shopping- http://www.pricegrabber.com/  . 

Until I did some research, I had no idea that this site existed. When shopping online I would do comparisons the old fashioned way…go to site by site individually and write down the prices that I find and choose the cheapest one. This site does all of the hard work for you and provides the store with the lowest prices available. 

I hope that this is helpful and remember that “clearance” doesn’t always mean that you are getting a great deal.

What’s Better Than Saving Money?

What could possibly be better than saving money? Here’s an idea- how about making money? Sounds good to me.  After a quick brainstorm session, I came up with a few ways that college students can make money.

 Obviously, I don’t suggest any kind of sneaky, under-handed pawn shop deals, but there are plenty of other ways to make a few bucks here and there. One way that I make money while at school is by selling text books either to our school’s bookstore or to individual students. In the past I have sold to both and I feel that the profit is better when selling to individual students. The bookstore has to make money to sustain, so they are less likely to give you a fair amount for your textbooks. 

Always sell your text books at the beginning of a semester.

Another way to make some money is turn in aluminum cans. I know as a college student, if I took a stroll around campus I could find a ton of cans. Although the amount per can you get paid isn’t much, it will add up quickly. Locating a drop-off site is the first step, next you want to prepare your cans for drop off. It is best to crush all cans to prepare to turn them in. More cans will fit in a bag when they are crushed. Some states also still accept glass bottles for money. 

One final way to make money is to sell your old, un-used electronics. For example, when you receive an upgrade for your cell phone, you can sell back your previous phone. Usually this is in exchange for store credit or the money can go towards paying for your upgrade though. If you would rather see cold hard cash, try selling your phone (or other items like iPods, iPads, and tablets) to places like Game Stop or even online (Gazelle or E-bay).  These places are also great for selling video games and DVDs. 

 I wonder how much my boyfriend's X-Box & iPhone is worth?

So, as you can see, it isn’t that difficult to make some extra money…and we all know making money is way better than spending money.

To Try & DIY or Just To Buy?

The ever popular social media site (geared for ladies) Pinterest has got a lot of its users feeling crafty. Unfortunately, not everyone’s Pinterest projects turn out so well. For lots of hilarious examples check out these web pages: 

 http://www.boredpanda.com/funny-pinterest-fails/

http://www.pinterestfail.com/

http://epicpinterestfail.com/

Recently, I thought that maybe I should give a Pinterest project the good ol’ college try. I was running out of shaving cream and I had been seeing a lot of pins with images of homemade shaving cream. Spoiler alert…not my best idea.

I did a lot of research, looked at several pins and even Google searched “how to” directions for making shaving cream. Even though I found many different recipes, I came up with a shopping list with the most common ingredients. I headed to one of my favorite stores, The Dollar Tree and ending up spending around six dollars.  A generic eight ounce can of shaving cream costs $1.29.  So far, not so good.

The common ingredients in a DIY Shaving Cream Recipe

I followed the instructions step-by-step and after I let the mixture sit for about an hour my final project was created. Shaving juice! That’s, right…juice.  Not cream.

My shaving cream juice.

My intentions were to save money, not waste money. So here’s the moral of the story- sometimes it’s not only easier, but smarter and cheaper just to buy the product you need instead of trying to make it yourself.

A Penny Pincher’s Favorite Stores

As school comes to an end and summer is quickly approaching, I find myself thinking about a lot of things. Obviously, I’m thinking about my future career…Where will I get my first job as a college graduate? Where am I going to be living? What is the dress code going to be like at my job? Dress code!? Oh crap, I’m going to have to get new clothes.

Obviously, shopping for clothes is not on the top of my list right now, but once I find the answers to my first few questions I will definitely begin looking for some items to freshen up my wardrobe. When the time comes, there are a few stores that I will be sure to hit. As a frugal, college student I hardly ever go shopping at department stores. If you have read any of my other blog posts, you know that my first stop is most often Goodwill. If I can’t find what I need there then I hit some of my other favorite stores. 

Rugged Warehouse, Burke’s Outlet, Plato’s Closet, and Marshalls are really great clothing stores that usually have some stellar deals. As always with bargain shopping, it is important to fully check the items you want to buy for damages. The difference between Plato’s Closet and all of the other stores that I mentioned is that Plato’s sells gently used clothes. They offer cash or store credit to people who bring in used “name brand” items. Plato’s is pretty picky about what they accept. Therefore, if you find something in the store it is usually good quality. 

Here is a video on how Plato's Closet operates: http://www.platoscloset.com/how-it-works

Out of all of the stores that I mentioned, Marshalls is probably the most expensive. A lot of items that they sell are overstock.  Typically, their items aren’t damaged or “last season,” the factory just made too many of them.  As a result, their prices don’t tend to drop that much from normal retail price but be sure to check out their clearance racks for some major steals.  

I'm digging that green dress! It is work appropriate, but also good for a dinner date.

Rugged Warehouse and Burke’s Outlet are national chains that offer some amazing deals. *Burke’s also goes by Beall’s in some states. These stores sell a mixture of damaged goods and overstock. Burke’s/Beall’s offers incredible savings on the last Thursday of every month. Every item on clearance has a color coded sticker on the tag. Each color represents a percentage of savings. The savings go from 10-95% off the lowest advertised price. Their already low prices make it possible for a customer to purchase pieces of clothing for less than $1. 

I’m sure in the next month I’ll be stopping in these stores hunting for the best bargains. Next time you find yourself in need of a wardrobe update, try to find one of these stores near you and pinch yourself some pennies.

Don't Forget to Donate

Two bags of clothes, ready to be donated!

 Not everyone has to face struggles such as running out of hangers or closet space. Some people face a little more serious issues- such as having clean clothes that fit appropriately. I know that I have always been incredibly blessed and that I have never gone without anything in my life. I also know that there are many people that aren’t as lucky or as blessed as I have been. 

I had always grown up giving my hand-me-downs (or clothes that I had grown out of) to my younger sister. Starting in my early high school years though, I started buying a lot of my own clothes with money that I earned working. Whether or not it was the right thing to do, I felt like if I was paying for my own clothes then I should decide what happens to them after I grew out of them. From then on, I gave my sister some of my “hand-me-downs” and the rest I donated to Goodwill. 

I always feel a lot less guilty about purchasing new clothes after I donate some clothes that I no longer wear.  Other places that accept clothing donations are homeless shelters, churches, schools, and soup kitchens. 

 It doesn't take too long to go through your closet and drawers and pick out clothes that don't fit or items that you no longer wear. Collect them in a bag and next time you are running some errands, take them anywhere that accepts donations.

So, next time you feel like you need a little retail therapy, consider those who can barely afford to put a shirt on their back.  There is no better feeling in the World than the satisfaction received from helping others.