Are all these deals truly saving you money?

[cata5]

I just looked at my cc statement and for the 3rd consecutive month it has been about $300 more than my average for last year (before internet deals)

Since xmas, I did buy all new sheets, towels, and lots of kitchen stuff that I never would have just gone out and purchased. I also have bought all party paper goods for the year, all birthday presents for extended family and some back ups for friends birthdays, some xmas gifts,a computer monitor and a bunch of gift certificates for meals...

I also bought way too many clothes for my kids. Their closets are full! And a few things I should've sent back...
We have tons of toys that we didn't really need.You get the picture...

I'm enjoying the heck out of this, but is it all necessary?

I'm spending alot more, getting ALOT more for my money, but what am I going to do for the rest of the year when deals pop up and I don't have anyone to buy for, or no money, or no room to put it? What do you think? Is it really a good thing?

[Jaxxie]

Know exactly what you mean Cata, when i first found DOD it was like being in shoppers heaven. I got in on the Mother nature deals, the staples deals, Quill, the drugstore dove blanket, target, etc... I felt like i was "contributing" to the house and atleast my purchases were frugal. And everyone was getting really great presents. And i got to meet new friends, the UPS man, the Fed EX girl, the postman..LOL

I have since discovered, i don't need anymore pens, any more "drugstore" type stuff and the dogs DO NOT need anymore toys. But when your ordering this stuff and the total is only 10 bucks or so, you think wow what a great deal.

I now keep all CC numbers far away from the computer. Have cut many of them up and am starting to take the attitude if they don't already have it, then too bad. I still look in the internet deals everyday, but I treat it as window shopping. LOL Atleast for the time being.

[beffie]

I'm fairly new to DOD, but I've been a "bargain hunter" all my life [I'm the youngest of 5 kids raised by a single Mother] and my Mother taught us how to get the most for our money.

I try extremely hard to just stick to bargains that we need. Although sometimes I will get something that we would not have been able to get if it weren't for the "great deal" [I'm waiting for my new George Foreman grill from Amazon.com : $19.99 + free s/h - $20.00 GC = FREE!!!].

I have been stocking up on birthday gifts [toys-"Thank you!!!"---Target.com! and Spiegel.com!{Ultimate Outlet}] for May, June, and July. I've got Easter covered, and I've gotten quite a bit of Christmas presents already. I am currently looking for birthday gifts for August - December!

I am always careful to consider our monthly budget, and to STICK TO IT!!!

I keep a small monthly amount that is for me to spend "How I see fit!" [Which is usually on everyone but me... I need to look into that! ] But I'm always on the look out for great bargains. There are quite a few I've skipped because I had already reached my budget limit!

JUST BE CAREFUL!!!

[ftmom]

We have been saving for a house, so my motto lately is if its not free, its not for me. That includes ebay, which has been really hard.... But I spend no money, I have no credit card bills, and I am a step closer to getting my house. Then I will fill it up with tons of junk- I have too much already!

[bethie_alane]

cata,
same with me, before DOD my bills were low, i think when someone is new to DOD they kinda go crazy and buy a lot online...
i don't buy too much online anymore, occassionaly a CD (sometimes even with s/h it is cheaper than b&m)

in the beginning i did lots of drug store deals and book stuff.....

now, unless it is a good deal i don't bother....
sometimes i buy from [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] or [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] becausei know my sizes exactly (my woredrobe is pretty much all of their stuff) and they have $ off or % off coupons that make it a little cheaper than going to the real store....

i do buy most of my x-mas gifts online just so i don't have to go to the mall...

beffie is right, make a budget of maybe like $20-$50 that you will spend online a month and stick to it... you'll realize sometimes how impulsive we can be when we see a good deal

good luck!

[sweetcindy]

I have one card and only use it on very necessary things...but I do have a weakness for Thomas Kincade stuff!!! LOL
I spend cash on everything I can, saving up money for big items...definitely makes you think twice before spending. I used to fall for a good deal whether I needed it or not...ended up with too much stuff! I am weeding it out now because I am moving...and I think.."What ever got in my head to buy this???" LOL
I think you have to keep in mind what you really want to buy, what you need to buy and stick to it...I won't be buying much online for a while...moving is doing me in here! LOL Security deposit, moving truck, cleaning supplies, curtains, appliances...ugh...I won't have any "slicker" money till May or June!!! LOL

[jazminenorthrup]

Okay, okay maybe I DO have enough drugstore supplies (and cosmetics and kitchen items and party supplies) to last for at least 10 years. I just wanted to stock up and I couldn't resist all the good prices. I don't hold DOD or any website responsible though b/c I have always acted this way when Target, etc. has those post Xmas sales. Talk about a Christmas card collection! I am trying to hold off purchasing more things that I don't truly need. But it is hard!!! I guess what happens to me is that the big items that I really need (i.e. new car, new furniture)are so expensive that I feel that I will NEVER be able to afford them. But - I can buy another slightly used VHS from half.com for little money. An indicator should be those CBB Paris boxes that I haven't even opened yet...

[beffie]

What sweetcindy said about "saving up for big items..." that is a great idea!

Not only will you have time to consider "to buy or not to buy"...but if you get a good deal on it [ $ off, % off, etc. ] by using a CC, what about interest??? How much of the savings get "eaten" by the interest you end up paying???

But if you save $$$ up for it, THEN buy it directly with cash [or pay by CC, BUT you then have the cash to pay on CC right away = little or NO interest!!! Doesn't hurt your credit rating either!!! ], and you can still probably find $$$ or % off's to use!

[BAMBI98541]

Well one thing me and my dh is going to do since i like to spend money lol is with my web. card im getting from freeride i c you can add funds for a bout a dollar so hes going to put my spending money on that and for the free offers that end up not being free/ rebates wont charge the debit card. then i know the money is spending and i can afford it and I know i wont have to worry about spending too much its just i like to spend money even if we cant afford it now i know just how much ill be able to spend. if theres not enough money on the card for something i just want then i know i have to wait and pass up the deal. Which with me thats good cause i buy stuff for the kitchen or where ever and i just had to have it end up using it once and wish i did not buy that. if i have to wait i think about it and maybe decide i really did not need that.

[sweetcindy]

Beffie, Yep! That is exactly what I think! I love clearance racks at Penneys, Kauffman's...so if I find a 50.00 sweater for my girl for 5.00 and use a CC, I will end up paying full price anyhow!!! It defeated the whole purpose for me. So now I pay the cash and really get a great deal!
I use the CC for car repairs, absolute emergency things and once in a while, just for a pick-me-up...the cosmetics counter! LOL I know I spend too much on Estee and Clinique but I figure I save so much with coupons and deals that I can afford to treat myself! Ok, I am making excuses, I just love Estee Lauder!! LOLOL Nothing like spending 100.00 on perfume and makeup to make you feel like a million bucks! (not to mention look like a million bucks! Great stuff! LOLOL)
But, like I said, gotta buy fun things like appliances now...ugh...so no mall for me for a few months! LOLOL

[TEAMHOZIE]

Bumping to keep it in front for a while longer.

[The Bunny]

I went a little nuts at first. But I have a very strict policy of paying off my credit card in full each month and that helps keep me in line. I do eBay, and have decided that I will pay only through PayPal and I do not fund my PayPal account in any other way than by selling through eBay and from payments I receive by PayPal from a secret shopper site I use. I have started concentrating more on reward sites (Freeride, My Points, Beenz, etc.) and try to get paid in web certificates. Then I build up the web cert balance and use it for something big (like a plane ticket, a treadmill, etc). I try to stay away from the Internet Deals section unless I am in need of something very specific. I have even curbed the number of freebies I send for -- will I really use it or will it just go into my junk drawer with dozens of other useless goodies?

[cata5]

I totally agree about not getting into debt by using credit cards. Fortunately, I am able to pay off my card(only use 1) every month.

I remembered that I had bought some things for my mom and sister that they will be paying me back for so that explains some of the extra.(I really love spending their money!) I also bought those walmart gift cards that I always forget to use.(!!??) I know, weird. Anyway, so that's still money I have.

I started coming here when the xmas deals were starting to come fast and furious so I got caught up in that. When you see how fast everything goes you have to make a quick decision-no sleeping on it. Lots of impulse buying.

I think even when buying impulsively I pay more attention to prices and total spending when shopping online than when shopping in the B&M...

I can honestly say I don't have anything on order right now...and have passed on many good deals lately. I keep looking tho and try to help others too. I'm almost ready to go back to the freebie forum which I have avoided after getting alot of things I REALLY didn't need and some additional snail mail as a result. I do have some nice freebies too...

I consider it a SLOW time for deals right now. Does it fluctuate alot or does it remain "slow" until fall again?

[autumn96]

All of you poor people who have no disipline when it comes to finances.

I am proud to say I NEVER buy things that I don't absolutely need. I utilize DoD resourses to cut down the money I would have been spending anyway...... kind of like a financial advisor..... yeah, that's it.

As a matter of fact, I happened to be shopping for 24 cans of popcorn at the exact time someone posted that great Target.com deal. Oh, the luck!

And whatever would I have done without the small fortune of "state of mind" products I received for the 11 total orders for Planetrx.com freebies?? That was pretty savy. A years supply of feminine products, makeup, shampoos, sun block and the 2 identical bathing suits for my dd, was well worth it when you factor in all the free products I received. I mean, what would I have done with those empty boxes that now serve a useful pupose as storage for those products.

I also now own 2-extra, small-sized George Foreman grills, because if the Jumbo family sized one I have in the kitchen is ever not enough cooking area for myself and my 4yr old, I can just run downstairs and search through all my "deal boxes" and find the extras...... wasn't that thinking ahead?

Now don't get me started on Tavolo..... I mean, we all know that you can NEVER have too many spices, curries, sauces, and of course TRUFFLES! Not a penny there I wasn't already gonna spend!

Maybe i might have gone a little overboard spending $6.40 for the Tekno Kitty that my dd wants for Easter.... but hey, it WAS $39.99, so with the GCs I had for Amazon, I figured... lets splurge a little...

...Unlike the printer I just bought yesterday... Thanks to Jcrosby. No splurging here. I mean it's only good for printing pictures.... and I can't use it without my PC because though I have a digital camera and a video camera with Photo shot.... neither is compatable with the printer. And my current printer is less than a year old..... but believe me, I really DID NEED this.

I bought a Tiki hut from the Speigel outlet. Not only did I get a great price for something my daughter needed for... uh...educational purposes, but I also saved on having to pay for entertainment..ei/renting a video or going to a movie or taking my daughter to Discovery Zone... because I had plenty of FUN entertaiment for 2 hours while setting up the easy assemble Tiki Hut..... my daughter also was entertained as the roof of the house repeated fell on mommys head....lol...now you can't buy that kind of fun with a mastercard.

Now I could go on, and on, and on, and on..... oh, and on..
but why make you all envious.

So, as I make my way around the maze of boxes in the store room... oh, and one of the extra bed rooms too.... I will keep you all in my thoughts, and hope that you too achieve the state of disipline that I have.



[Edited by autumn96 on 03-26-2001 at 05:32 PM]

[lovemydogs]

Oh Autumn, you are too much!! You totally crack me up, and boy can I relate!! My linen closet is so full of "deals" from Planet RX that I can't find a thing without wading thru all the pain relievers and shower gels, etc.!! Boy, aren't we savvy!