Smart Shopping

One Step At A Time

I’m spending the day as both a speaker and an attendee at More magazine’s annual Reinvention Convention, and although we’re just barely past breakfast, I had to jump on the blog and share a little of what I’ve learned from some of the amazing women who are here today.  More…

Ask Jean Thursday: Crazy for Coupons

“I’m constantly looking for ways to reduce my bills. I always read about how consumers save hundreds each year by using coupons. I clip the ones I find in my Sunday paper, but I’m not saving nearly as much as I know I could be. Where else can I find coupons? How much can I expect to save?”

-Janet, New York

Coupons, it seems, are everywhere these days. One look at today’s New York Times piece about the “Clip and Save Renaissance,” and you’ll see that in the past year using coupons has become, dare I say it, the cool thing to do.

According to the Promotions Marketing Association, consumers are saving $3 billion per year by using coupons. But how can you get your slice of the pie? You’re on the right track clipping the coupons you find in your Sunday paper (that’s where 90% of coupons are found, according to the PMA). But, according to Charlie Brown, co-chair of the PMA Coupon Council, there are lots of other places you could be looking. “One of the largest sources of coupons is in the store itself. About 5% of coupons are distributed there. Some stores have them where they’ll print it with the deli meat or cheese. You’ll see them on the package themselves,” says Brown. Surprisingly, Brown says that only 30% of these in-store coupons are ever cashed in.

Scouring the web for coupons can also net you some great deals. “The Internet is a huge growing source. There are very legitimate sites that are set up only for distribution of coupons,” says Brown. Sites such as RedPlum.com, Coupons.com, and CouponShack.com all offer coupons on everything from groceries to apparel. One of my favorite tricks to get discounts or coupons when shopping online is Googling the item I want to purchase along with the words “promotion code,” or “discount.” If you don’t have a specific product in mind and are just looking for the discounts in general, PromotionCode.org is a great place to start.

If you want to get the most out of coupons you’re going to have to put in a little bit of legwork. “Our studies show that if you More…

A GM Guarantee

The brakes might have been put on the government’s Cash for Clunkers program, but GM isn’t so anxious to give up a chance at another strong month of sales. That’s clearly the reasoning behind yesterday’s announcement, geared to consumers who might be on the fence about purchasing a new automobile.

What did GM roll out? A 60-Day Satisfaction Guarantee, which gives new customers the opportunity to trade in the vehicle they purchased if they’re not satisfied. As long as the vehicle has less than 4,000 miles on it, customers can return it between 31 and 60 days after purchase for a full refund-including tax.

If you’re interested in trying out a new GM vehicle, risk free, act quick-the offer ends on November 30th. Still not crazy about spending a bundle on a new car? The real deal might be found in the barely-used vehicles returned to the lot after the November 30th cutoff date.

And note: The deal doesn’t apply to Saab, Saturn, Hummer or Pontiac models.

Mini-Money-Makeover Mondays

Yesterday, Hoda, Kathie Lee and I sat down with our first mini-money makeover candidate, Kelly Whalen. Watch the video below to see how we helped her to reign in her weekend spending and be sure to tune in next Monday as we help another viewer makeover their finances.

Guest Post: Staycations…There’s No Place Like Home

This week pirates invaded my town. Trust me though; this isn’t as scary, or as strange, as it sounds. Every summer, Alexandria Bay, my small, tourist town in the summertime paradise known as the Thousand Islands (read the NY Times story on the area here), hosts one of the country’s oldest pirate festivals. For ten days, pirate invasions, pirate parades, and skits to reenact the antics of Bill Johnston (seen with me in the photo at left)-an actual pirate who hid from authorities in a cave in one of the Thousand Islands for almost a year- entertain thousands of tourists.

But what does a pirate festival have to do with money? Well, in a word, lots. For my town, this festival is a major economic driver of an economy that relies, for the most part, on income generated during the summer months. While people from all over attend Bill Johnston’s Pirate Days, this year, many people from not-so-far-away see the festival as the perfect opportunity for entertainment while on a “staycation.”

“Staycation”, seems to be the buzzword of the summer. A staycation is defined (yes, I said defined…staycations have become so popular, that they now have their own dictionary entry) as a vacation where one takes time off at or close to home. According to a recent poll by Harris Interactive, almost 60% of Americans say they are looking for ways to find less-expensive activities to fill up their summer days. Nearly 50% of survey participants said they’d take vacations closer to home.

In an economic climate where everyone’s trying to save a little more, staycations are a chance to take a break from the everyday, without spending a bundle of money. If you’ve yet to take a staycation this summer, there’s still time. Here are some tips for finding cheap fun that’s close to home:

Find a Festival: Visit Festivals.com, where you can search for festivals in your area by city or state, many of which are low-cost or even free.

Fun at the Fair: There are very few places where you can eat a deep fried Oreo, take in a concert by a big-name entertainer and marvel at a sculpture made of butter all in one day. Tickets to your state fair will cost around More…

Wallet-Friendly Wardrobe Tips

When it comes to your wardrobe, saving money is as easy as knowing what doesn’t need to be in your closet. Join Jean tomorrow (on Oprah Radio at 12pm EDT; SIRIUS Channel 195 or XM Channel 156) when she sits down with “What Not to Wear” co-host Stacy London to talk about how you can save money and still look fashionable.

Recession-Inspired Deals

Consumers are more and more reluctant to spend money these days, as they should be. It’s hard to part with your cash when you’re worried about losing your job. This morning, I was on Today talking about the tactics retailers are using to lure you into stores. What deals are out there, and should you take the bait? Watch the video to find out:

Deals, Deals, Deals

Last week I appeared on Today to join Forbes Editor Bill Baldwin (one of my former bosses) discussing a story from his shop about things you should buy before the recession ends.  Essentially, these are things where prices have fallen because of lack of demand.  But as the economy improves, they’re expected to go right back up.

I started fishing around and found some deals that weren’t on his original list.  If you are one of those people who have already stocked the emergency cushion, maxxed out the 401(k), gotten the health and life insurance you need, feel your job is secure AND you STILL have money to spare, look no further: More…

Ask Jean Thursday: Cash for Your “Clunker”?

This week’s question comes from Mark in Waukesha, Washington. He writes:

“We have a car loan, which will be paid off late this summer to early this September. We are considering getting rid of a 1998 Oldsmobile SUV due to gas prices. Is it a good time to buy a new vehicle or a used vehicle or should wait until auto industry quiets down?”

Answer: With the auto industry in turmoil, there are some exceptional deals out there if you’re looking buy either a new or used vehicle. If you plan to have your car loan paid off in the coming months, and you’re in otherwise good financial standing, it could potentially be a good time for you to take advantage of the deals available to consumers.   More…

Guest Post – Eat Cheap Thanks to Recession Specials

I mentioned in my first post that I have a bad habit of emptying my wallet by going out to eat. Although I’ve cut back a bit – the pain in my back tells me my money would be better spent on a new mattress – I’m still managing to hit my favorite spots a few times a month.

How? I don’t know about you, but in my Brooklyn neighborhood, the restaurant deals are flowing.

On Tuesday nights, my fiance and I can bring our own bottle of wine to our favorite Mediterranean spot, saving us at least $20 – $30. On Thursdays, we can get a free entrée at a local French restaurant if we buy another entrée and an appetizer (Although not a deal I can take advantage of, this same restaurant lets kids eat for free on Friday nights). There are more than a handful of restaurants in Manhattan – including David Burke’s Townhouse, where an entrée at dinner will easily run you upwards of $30 or $40 – offering three-course lunches for less than $25. More…