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This past month or so has net Amanda and I some great deals. We’re bargain shoppers and we’re not afraid to admit that. Here are some examples of ways we’ve saved recently. Afterwards I listed some tips on saving money. If you don’t want to read about all my deals I got, at least read the tips. They have helped us tons.

Here we go…

November 23
We stand in line at 4:30am the day after thanksgiving to purchase roughly $400 worth of electronics for about $220.

That’s $180 saved thus far on $400 of stuff.

November 30
I have lunch with my mom for my birthday. She mentions that she needs to go to H&H Furniture for something. I tag along at her request. She takes me to the scratch and dent appliance section and tells me to pick out a clothes dryer. SWEET! Ours was broken and we needed a new one. I looked a bit and noticed a washer and dryer set. Retail was $900. Scratch and dent price, $500. You may scoff at the idea of buying damaged merchandise but get this… the dents were on the sides that faced each other. Once installed in the house you can’t see the dents. My mom then upped her offer and decided to buy both of them for us. Being the bargain shopper she is, she asked for a better price. She got it. Final price, $450.

That’s $630 saved thus far on $1300 of stuff.

December ?
I asked a few ladies for some help on buying Amanda a jewelry armoire. I had a $50 budget and was led to a great product for $40 on the Bed Bath & Beyond website. It seemed to be a good deal. On my way to BB&B I stopped by Target to pick up some household stuff and saw it. An armoire with over twice the capacity and better features overall. It was on sale from $80 to $50. Needless to say, I bought it and Amanda loved it!

That’s $660 saved thus far on $1380 of stuff.

December 18
Amanda and I go to Sears to look at freezers just to see what’s available. Lo and behold we find a scratch and dent 9 cubic foot chest freezer. Retail $300. Discount price $210. After some bargaining and a few tactics I got the sales guy to $180. Nice $120 dent that is purely cosmetic. If you want the whole story read here.

That’s $780 saved thus far on $1680 of stuff.

December 26
Grocery shopping can kill your budget - or lack thereof - so Amanda and I shop strategically. We look at the different sale papers from the different grocery stores in the area. All online. This way we know where to shop, which is usually a couple different places for different items. Our most recent shopping trip got us a big pack of chicken for $5 instead of $15, buy one get one free seafood (shrimp, grouper) and cereal, cheap frozen pizzas, and a lot of the usual. Total bill was $134 but we saved $67 according to the bill. We got what we needed and stocked up on things we didn’t need yet but would need soon and would be better to buy now while on sale. We had a brand new chest freezer to put it all in. It definitely pays to plan shopping trips.

That’s $847 saved thus far on $1881 of stuff.

December 28 (Today)
My mom just moved into a smaller place. She didn’t need a house for her and two boys with both of us now out of the house so she got a house sized for her. (Smart lady) That being the situation she decided to sell her dining room table and six chairs. Up until this point Amanda and I had a 30 year old table we got free from an aunt that had a couple broken chairs and didn’t have the prettiest finish in the world. We jumped on the chance to buy this $1500 table for $500. It is nice. Seriously. It has a great finish with great carvings along the edges of the surface and the pedestal. We love it.

That’s $1847 saved thus far on $3381 of stuff.

Summary and Some Tips

Obviously, Amanda and I know how to spend less and get more. It’s not a boast, just true. We studied it. We sought out these methods. Through some great books, courses, podcasts, and conversations we learned these methods and principles and more. That said, let me quickly list a few ideas to help you save money.

1. Plan. Nothing will help you get rid of your money quicker than lack of a plan. This plan can be reading the grocery store circular to see what’s on sale, making a list and sticking to it, or deciding not to buy something until it’s discounted. Example… we waited on a freezer until we found a scratch and dent. We wanted new but not new prices.
2. Shop around. By this I don’t mean to shop more but to do comparative pricing. Look around town, call around town, look online. If you’re going to buy new, pay as little as possible. It’s easy to find deals online at places like Amazon or PriceGrabber. Doing a search at those sites will help you save big on many things like electronics and housewares. I rarely buy books in town any longer. Even with shipping they usually cost less at Amazon. I get all my camera gear through deals I find on PriceGrabber. It pays to look around a little.
3. Look for discounts. Wait for discounts. Most of Amanda’s Christmas gifts were bought at 60% off retail. I got her 9 pairs of earrings instead of only a couple because of the discounts I waited on. Used or damaged isn’t always bad. Scratch and dent items are great ways to save. Used items (like tables and chairs) are easy ways to spend less. This includes cars! You could even try yard sales and auctions. We’ve done those too.

In summary, there are deals to be had, we just have to look for them.

Merry Christmas Eve to you all!

Being a reader of RELEVANT Magazine and its associated newsletters I got word of a sale they were having. All of their books were $5 a piece regardless of the retail price. Three days ago with debit card in hand (credit cards… boooo!!) I was ready to shop. I set a six book limit for myself and had at it. Too bad I’m late talking about this as the books are back to retail price.

On the other side of the transaction is today when the package estimated to arrive next week got here. (Go USPS!)

Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven But Nobody Wants to Die by David Crowder and Mike Hogan

The conflict between the here and now and the ever after is a familiar one. Death and life are forever intertwined, as a life lived to the fullest includes pain and grief. Even more, it requires dying to self, which frees one to experience a greater joy: community. Thus explains bestselling recording artist David Crowder as he explores the complex relationship between life, death, grief and community. Drawing from personal experience, Christian theology, the science of pain and the ?¢‚Ǩ?ìhigh, lonesome sound?¢‚Ǩ¬ù of bluegrass music, Crowder applies his often hilarious voice to an inspiring message?¢‚Ǩ‚Äùdeath is not the ultimate calamity … it is just the beginning.

The Naked Christian by Craig Borlase

Ever think there must be more to a relationship with God than a list of dos and don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ts? That church should be more than a slick Sunday morning production? That religion isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t just a patch for your insecurities or candy for your hunger? Strip back the bulky layers of religion with The Naked Christian and step into something more comfortable. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s called relationship.

Written by Craig Borlase and rooted in biblical principles, this book lays bare our human weaknesses and daily struggles. It blinks in amazement at the blinding grace, love and mercy of God. It will inspire you to chase after Him, to shun the fake stuff and to do one of the hardest things within a church community: BE REAL. CHOOSE AUTHENTICITY. GET NAKED.

The Man Comes Around: The Spiritual Journey of Johnny Cash by Dave Urbanski

The Soul of an American Legend

Who Was Johnny Cash? Rock star? Preacher? Drug addict? Saint? In truth, the Man in Black lived long enough and hard enough to embody all of the above?ɬ?and much more. He was a musical legend, a one-of-a-kind communicator, an American icon?ɬ?but someone that could never be pigeonholed.

Cash’s faith in God was no different: “I’m still a Christian, as I have been all my life,” he once said. “Beyond that I get complicated.” Cash’s faith was raw, challenged, broken and messy. But it was real. Unlike any other book written about Johnny Cash, The Man Comes Around explores with vivid detail the wild highs and lows that took place during this man’s lifelong spiritual journey. It illuminates the deep, unending love he had for his music, his wife and his God.

Painstakingly researched and adorned with vivid, narrative detail, The Man Comes Around shows the impact this American legend has made not only in American music, but in eternity. After hearing his story, you’ll never hear his music the same again.

Pocket Guide to the Bible by Jason Boyett

It’s the world’s all-time best seller. It’s the most influential book in Western civilization. It’s sitting in practically every home in America. Yet few of us have a clue about what’s going on within our Bibles’ gold-lined, onionskin pages. Until now. In Pocket Guide to the Bible: A Little Book About the Big Book, author Jason Boyett hilariously spotlights the events, characters and themes of the Old and New Testaments.

All the Hits So Far by Bradley Hathaway

This book and CD capture the outrageous stories, experiences and observations of Bradley Hathaway, a fixture on the international festival and concert scene. All the Hits So Far combines his bold, honest poetry with commentary and original artwork, resulting in a rare glimpse into the mind and heart of a sensitive, hardcore “manly man” living life out loud through the microphone.

One Thing by Dwayne Roberts

We?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re created to crave. The advertising industry knows this. The entertainment industry knows this. The self-help industry knows this. We spend the bulk of our time pursuing things, feeding our own appetites for the stuff that brings us pleasure. We?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re driven by desire, and that desire is steering an entire generation away from God.

By following our endless fascinations, we?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re cheating ourselves. Why? Because we?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re called to pursue one fascination, and one only: God. Not empty religious buzzwords or trivia or a superficial 10-step program to “successful spirituality.” Nope. Just God Himself, experienced through the person of Jesus. When our true purpose is as simple as that one thing, anything less is misguided.

Join Dwayne Roberts as he issues the rallying cry of a generation seeking to look past the disillusionment, apathy and boredom with religion, and refocus on one thing: the pursuit of God.

Hopefully I’ll have these done soon and maybe write a review or at least a solid suggestion to buy the book yourself or not.

Tonight Amanda and I went to the local mall to do a little shopping for Christmas. We decided to look in Sears just to check if there were any deals to be had. Good news! There was!

We went to the appliances section to look for scratch-and-dent items. We’re not cheap, but we avoid retail prices like they were the plague. Truth be told, an appliance with a dent works just as well as an appliance without a dent in most cases. So why not save a few (hundred) bucks?!

We asked if there were any chest freezers with cosmetic defects and guess, what? A 9 cubic foot freezer with a dent on the lid was right there begging us to take it home. Not to show too much emotion I asked a couple questions and moved on down the aisle. I wouldn’t want to look like I had taken the bait and fell in love with it, would I?

The first pass put the originally $299 freezer at $209. In other words, a $90 dent. I thought that dent was worth more. I also found out that Amanda’s dad said he would pay for part of it as a Christmas present. Good news for us.

Second pass with the sales associate I asked if he could sell it to me for $150. I knew it was a low-ball, but it got the negotiations going. He said $209 was the lowest he could go. I said “Oh well”. Then he decided that he might could go lower. The might ended up being another $20 off. Good. We’re at $189 now. Still not good enough. So I decided to take another lap around the store just to think about things and to break off the flow of the associate. It’s a game I know, but it’s fun to play.

Third pass about thirty minutes later he told me that $189 was his cost. Yeah right. My hesitation sent him to the back offering another $10 off. $179 it is… sold! So I got a brand new 9 cubic foot chest freezer for 40% off. Not bad. I might could have gotten more off but that would have taken other tactics I didn’t feel like going into. I’ll settle for $179 for a $300 freezer.

Thank you, Dave Ramsey, my mom, and my small group, for helping me learn these things. I seriously suggest that anyone who can go through Financial Peace University or read The Total Money Makeover (both by Dave Ramsey) do so. The things I learned through it let me save tonight over twice the cost of the course and materials.

So next time you are faced with a retail *gasp* price, ask for a better price. Trust me, there is one.

Any good money saving stories out there?

Remember a couple years ago this huge worship event happened on Jekyll Island, GA called Worship Under the Stars? It was led by Fred McKinnon who is a seriously awesome worship leader and pianist.

Well if you went or wish you went, here’s your chance to experience this event through an audio CD and video DVD set for $5. Yes, that’s $5 for both of them together, a set, a pair (aka $2.50 each).

Here’s the set list:

1. Not To Us
2. Forever
3. You, You Are God
4. Fix My Eyes
5. Though I Can’t See You
6. How Great Is Our God
7. Restore My Heart
8. Spontaneous Piano Solo
9. Extravagant Love Piano Solo [note: only on DVD]
10. You Raise Me Up
11. Hallelujah
12. One Way (Encore)

If you’re interested, head over the HighestPraise.com and buy it. There’s also a video clip of the event just to give you a taste of what’s in there.

Christmas presents anyone?

I was doing a little browsing tonight of Wired Magazine and found this article entitled How to Hack the Holidays and Score the Best Deals Online. Not only does it have good tips but also provided links to pre-releases of the Black Friday shopping ads from major retailers such as Circuit City, Wal-Mart, Office Depot, Best Buy, Toys-R-Us, and others.

The best site I found on that list was Black Friday Ads 2007. It has categorized listing of the deals as well as scans of the ads. There was also TheBlackFriday.com, which has less features but much of the same info.

Also in this article were links to sites containing coupon codes to enter at checkout on many online sites. These were Retail Me Not and CurrentCodes.

So, go read the Wired article and save yourself some money! If you’re a Dave Ramsey fan and follower like I am, or you simply like to get a good deal, this is for you!

By the looks of things, I’ll be at Circuit City at 5 am on November 23. Will you be getting up that early? Where do you plan on standing in line? Let’s hear it!

UPDATE: Amazon.com will be having its own Black Friday sales. Wanna see what’s for sale? Click that link –> Amazon’s Black Friday sales.