As you may already know, I love shopping, window shopping, browsing and finding good deals be it at the stores or online. I like to think of myself as a bargain hunter (huntress?) and I usually spend only if there’s a sale as I absolutely refuse to pay full price - unless if I don’t have a choice like fixed transportation fares (coaches or trains where the fares are dependent on the distance travelled, choice of carrier and class of travel (first or second class for trains)), groceries and most food stuff. Even then, you can still find deals from the various low cost airlines or plan your journey well in advance.
For some time now, you can find deals and bargains online from the various sites such as Groupon, Deal Mates, My Deal, Milkadeal, Hulala etc etc. And yes, I subscribe to some of these sites and have enjoyed various savings (hopefully they are indeed genuine savings). You can save out on dining, health and beauty (massages; haircut/colour/perm, manicure, pedicure, slimming and even waxing), trips (packages, ground arrangement and hotels) and products (which can vary from watches, bags, inner wear, thumb drive, contact lenses) and services (pest control, house or office cleaning). You can buy practically anything and everything you want. When you subscribe to any of these sites, you’ll get daily emails updating you on the latest offers.
And of course there are the ‘traditional’ sites where you can buy products online directly from the merchant or seller e.g. Amazon and eBay. (And let’s face it: eBay is a kind of an online bundle store isn’t it as sellers usually sell pre-owned goods to prospective buyers). I have also discovered some sites and blogs where branded luxury goods are offered at a slight discount (for brand new goods) – because they were purchased in Europe - or appealing prices for vintage goodies. As mentioned before, I have nothing against bundle or pre-owned used goods, having bought some products myself. Having heard of some horror stories of eBay, I’ve only just recently joined it myself. And get this, even celebrities are on eBay!
For some time now, you can find deals and bargains online from the various sites such as Groupon, Deal Mates, My Deal, Milkadeal, Hulala etc etc. And yes, I subscribe to some of these sites and have enjoyed various savings (hopefully they are indeed genuine savings). You can save out on dining, health and beauty (massages; haircut/colour/perm, manicure, pedicure, slimming and even waxing), trips (packages, ground arrangement and hotels) and products (which can vary from watches, bags, inner wear, thumb drive, contact lenses) and services (pest control, house or office cleaning). You can buy practically anything and everything you want. When you subscribe to any of these sites, you’ll get daily emails updating you on the latest offers.
And of course there are the ‘traditional’ sites where you can buy products online directly from the merchant or seller e.g. Amazon and eBay. (And let’s face it: eBay is a kind of an online bundle store isn’t it as sellers usually sell pre-owned goods to prospective buyers). I have also discovered some sites and blogs where branded luxury goods are offered at a slight discount (for brand new goods) – because they were purchased in Europe - or appealing prices for vintage goodies. As mentioned before, I have nothing against bundle or pre-owned used goods, having bought some products myself. Having heard of some horror stories of eBay, I’ve only just recently joined it myself. And get this, even celebrities are on eBay!
I think Extreme Couponing will take some time before it really takes hold hereI have also recently found a way to better utilise my credit card points (only applicable to credit cards issued by my provider). Besides redeeming them for any of the products provided in the credit card rewards catalogue of my credit card provider (which don’t all appeal to me), I can also redeem my points for shopping vouchers at Sogo or to buy electrical items at Best Denki in Sogo. It will cost 9500 points for a RM50 shopping voucher or 200 points for every RM1 at Best Denki. So if you want to buy a rice cooker at Best Denki which costs RM150, you need to redeem 30000 points at the cashier (on the spot). Or you can redeem 28500 points for RM150 shopping voucher and purchase the same rice cooker at Sogo’s household department. Did you see that? The same rice cooker will cost you fewer points if you buy it at the household department using the vouchers. Aha, yes, I’ve figured this all out. Even if I choose to buy the rice cooker at Best Denki instead of at the household department, I won’t need as many points to redeem at Best Denki as I do if I use the rewards catalogue - the same rice cooker would cost me 49000 points if I choose to redeem it from the catalogue.
I’ve only started utilising my points this way and thus far have redeemed points at Best Denki and RM350 worth of Sogo shopping vouchers which I then used to purchase wedding gift for my cousin and farewell gift for a mate. So yeah, I find this a great way to utilise my credit card points and get the things that I want rather than what my credit card provider hopes/thinks I want. Of course all this entails physical activity on my part: walking to Sogo to get the products myself as opposed to just redeeming my points online and getting them delivered but I don’t mind the exercise. As I’ve stated earlier, this is only applicable to credit cards issued by my provider but your credit card provider may have a similar tie-up with a departmental store too and offer the same benefits.
Isn’t this great? Being able to get products at practically nothing and all based on the points you collect for your previous charges to your card? Well, I think it is and thought it’s worth sharing. I don’t think it’s wrong to be smart consumers and to exercise financial discipline, prudence and restraint but at the same time, be able to reward ourselves too when we can.
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P.S. I don’t know why I don’t already have a pair of red Converse amongst my collection. So yes, I’m now looking for a pair of gorgeous red Converse shoes. Unfortunately, they are not on sale. They cost more on eBay. Let me know if you know of any offers!
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