1. Shop With A Timer: Avoid wasteful and expensive browsing by marching into stores with firm deadlines. Looking for a single item? Remind yourself it's time to leave by setting your cellphone to ring after five minutes.

2. Reward Your Effort: Need a little extra motivation to research that insurance you should have bought months ago? "Just like diet and exercise, slogging through the details of dreaded, uninteresting purchase decisions is hard work and requires some investment of time and energy. Set up the amount of time as well as the actual time, such as 2:30-3:00 p.m. on Sunday, that you will solely use to focus on evaluating the purchase details. Note this in your calendar along with a "treat" for sticking to the details and honoring your time commitment. Knowing that you have a reward for a job "well done" (or at least, "done") will help motivate you through the nitty-gritty of this kind of shopping situation."

3. Enlist An Expert: Alpha Consumer recommends enlisting an expert before making a large purchase, paying for outside help if necessary. Most of the "expert advice" available for sale is already hiding on the internet. Don't open your wallet without first training to become an armchair expert.

3 Ways to Be a Smarter Shopper [Alpha Consumer]
(Photo: goodrob13)

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Just wanted to let you know, armed with the Consumerist and a signed credit card, I thwarted the Best Buy minions who wanted to enter my driver's license information into their "fraud prevention database" in Virginia. When asked for ID, I pointed out the card was signed and that as a condition of their arrangement with Visa they could not demand identification. I demanded a manager who sided with me and processed the transaction without identification. Interestingly, I was not asked to sign at all (even the final receipt) which makes me less secure in Best Buy's transaction policy.

That's right. If your credit card is signed, retailers are not allowed to require any additional ID with your purchase. To do so is a violation of their contract with the credit card company. Violators can be reported by consumers to their credit card companies, and possibly have their accounts taken away.

With the high number of retail database breaches this year, do we really need to be giving these chumps any more of our personal information than we have to? I'd like to keep my digits out of the hands of the Russian hackers as long as possible, thanks.

(Photo: Getty)

1. Look for the old larger sizes still on shelves.

2. Compare unit costs
This is the number in the upper left of the price tag. A lower unit cost means a better deal.

3. Buy based on best value.
Reposition your thinking; instead of identifying yourself as "I'm a Corn Puffs guy, I've got to have my Pops," rationalize your thrift by saying, "I'm a money-saving guy, I've got to buy the best deal." Be willing to brand jump.

These tips won't completely negate the shrink ray, but at least they can partially counteract its effects.

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We know shipping accidents happen, but what's unacceptable about J.Crew's response is how they keep putting Kimberly off instead of working with her to resolve the problem.

My credit card was charged on the day of purchase for the full amount of my order. When I first called on the 8th the rep had suggested for me to wait the full 7 days, I did not have a problem then with the wait. On the 11th I checked their website and noticed the aforementioned status change that led to another call immediately.

I was refunded $49.99 on the same day on the item that was supposedly returned but I never received, but their rep did not even want to look up my address to see whether or not it was sent to the wrong address. When I insisted that he check, he told me that they had the correct shipping address but I should wait 10 days to call back anyways.

It's not like Kim's a novice shopper who doesn't know how shipping works. Now the question is: is there anyone at J.Crew who knows how shipping works? You two should talk.

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1. Make A List! Shopping lists top every saving strategy we offer, and for good reason. Lists make for routinized, disciplined shopping.
2. Don't Fear An Empty Fridge: Food grows mold, not interest. An empty fridge is a strong sign that your buying matches your consumption.
3. Approach Deals Skeptically: Just because an item screams "Two for One!" doesn't mean that you need two. Make sure the item is something that you'll use, and something that won't expire quickly.
4. Avoid Supermarkets For Perishables: Buy your vegetables, meats, and fish at local establishments. You'll spend less per visit, while honing your comparison shopping skills. In our neighborhood, the Korean vegetable stand is usually 30% cheaper than the supermarket around the corner.
5. Buy Non-Perishables In Bulk: If you can store them, buy your pasta and rice in bulk. Just don't try to buy more than one bag at a time.
6. Buy Quality Products: Somewhat counterintuitive for those who focus exclusively on the bottom line, but if you pay more for a high-quality ingredient, you're less likely to let it go to waste.
7. Grow Your Own Herbs And Salad: Herbs and salad expire quickly in the fridge. If you have the space, grow your own and save.
8. Buy Whole Vegetables: Bagged lettuce? Washed carrots? Like any vegetable, they start to decompose as soon as they're processed.
9. Be Storage Savvy: Keep your food fresh with proper storage. If you're a fresh fruit lover, invest in an ethylene gas guardian to stave off spoilage.
10. Plan Your Meals: Planning is a key part of list building, and one of the best ways to prevent abandoned foodstuffs from clogging up your fridge.
11. Cook! Don't just follow recipes. Real cooks now how to whip that extra bit of coconut milk or leftover celery into a tasty meal.
12. Cook In Bulk: Since you're already at the stove, double the recipe and save the leftovers.
13. Use Your Freezer: Freezers are more efficient when they're full, so fill 'em up.
14. Learn To Love Leftovers: Mmm, leftovers! But seriously, don't throw away perfectly good food.
15. Watch Your Portions: The less you eat, the less you spend. If you have trouble eyeballing portions, consider buying a scale.
16. Learn From Your Parents: Your pappy's pappy would smack you silly for your wasteful ways. Says Sheila Tremaine, 81, "We never threw anything away, because if you didn't use everything up you had nothing to eat. People just seem to have lost that skill."
17. Rediscover Packed Lunches: Dust off that old He-Man lunch box and take your meals to work. Why waste $5.95 on a lunch special when you can eat from your own fridge?
18. Equip Yourself: "Make your own bread. It's quick, easy and so much better tasting than shop-bought. It's also much cheaper. Make your own ice cream, it's a doddle. Invest in a mincing machine as an attachment to a food processor, and turn the leftover roast lamb into a base for shepherd's pie. While you're at it, invest in a sausage stuffer and ask your butcher for some sausage skins when you buy the pork."
19. Don't Trust Use-By Dates: If it isn't soft cheese, pate, seafood or processed meat, then it will last for a while. "Chicken, raw meats and fish will all look and smell unpleasant long before they're actively unsafe (as long as you cook it thoroughly, chicken, for example, is good for at least a week past its sell-by date). Apples last for months; potatoes are fine as long as you chop the green shoots off before cooking; tins and jars will last decades if not centuries; hard cheese is indestructible; and dry foods will last for years too."
20. Become A Freegan: If all else fails, ditch your wasteful ways and become one with your urban landscape.

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• See if the holiday applies to local taxes, too. Check with your state tax commission to see what your town offers before you hit the local mall.
• Check for exemptions. Find out which items the tax holiday excludes before putting together a shopping list.Review your receipt to ensure that you don't get charged.
• Shop online when your state is having a sales-tax holiday. Any retailer that charges sales tax for purchases shipped to your state must waive it, as long as the order is processed within the holiday time period.

Some States Extend Sales-Tax Holidays This Summer [Smart Money]

— FREE MONEY FINANCE

(Photo: ImNotQuiteJack)

From the WSJ:

Among the beneficiaries of those shifting dollars is Aldi Group, a no-frills, deep-discount grocer that operates more than 900 stores in 29 U.S. states. The chain, based in Germany, used to shun television advertising, but it recently ran a series of national commercials stressing its low prices on private-label products. The campaign's slogan: "Shop Aldi Smart."

Last month, a survey by Retail Forward showed that consumers were doing 25% more of their spending at deep discounters like Aldi than they were a year earlier.

Have you started to shop at more stores like Aldi?

Retailers Recalibrate Pitch To Strapped Consumers [WSJ]
(Photo: Morton Fox )

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Kevin says:

I just had to take a picture and send it to you. Maybe we should start shopping at Winn Dixie?

Oh, I don't know, Kevin. Perhaps you should reward Publix for their unflinching honesty? Or something?

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1. Make a list and stick to it. Lists focus your shopping and are the single best way to save money.
2. Compare unit pricing, not box size. As with good things, good prices sometimes come in small packages.
3. If you only need a handful of items, use a basket, not a cart. Empty space cries to be filled.
4. If it's not on your list, don't pick it up. According to Paco Underhill in Why We Buy: “Virtually all unplanned purchases…come as a result of the shopper seeing, touching, smelling, or tasting something that promises pleasure, if not total fulfillment.”
5. Shop at the edge of the store. That's where the healthier, cheaper items hide.
6. Disavow brand loyalty and swear allegiance to the lowest price.
7. Consider generics. You usually get the same quality, without the unnecessary branding.
8. Learn to love coupons. With practice, you can buy almost $150 worth of stuff for $5.
9. Make one big shop, rather than several small ones. You'll save on gas while inoculating against wasteful spending.
10. Buy from bulk bins. Why pay for packaging and marketing when you can reach right in and scoop out exactly what you need?
11. Check your receipt. Don't let an errant scan ruin your hard work.
12. Shop alone. Science shows that we spend more when we're with company.
13. Track your spending so you can see what's eating your money. Committed receipt hawks can spot price cycles to help guide their shopping.
14. Eat a meal before shopping. Shopping on a full stomach tamps down impulse spending and keeps you focused on your list.
15. Shop without a car. Nothing limits spending like knowing you'll have to carry your goods home.

Saving at the Supermarket: 15 Great Grocery Shopping Tips [Get Rich Slowly]

(Photo: Getty)

Cash-strapped consumers and businesses are coming up with creative ways to fight higher costs. One practice gaining popularity: the ancient custom of bartering.

That's right, before there was money, there was bartering. And it's back, baby.

The rise of bartering for goods and services means consumers are now trading for such things as wedding services, tombstones, breast augmentation and Botox treatments. The cash-free transactions are often facilitated through the Internet and barter exchanges, which are third-party record keepers that coordinate trades between business owners.

In the past two years, membership in trade-exchange businesses has climbed 10% to 15% annually compared with 5% to 8% annual growth prior to that, says Mr. McDowell. He estimates his members do $3.8 billion to $4.3 billion in trades a year.

Obviously there are potential pitfalls to the process, but you are generally giving up something that costs you very little, such as expertise, for something that would cost a great deal more if you were to buy it outright. So with prudence, this seems like a good and viable option for saving money.

But how widespread and practical is it really? Has anyone reading this used bartering to save money and/or afford something they might not be able to purchase?

Web Barterers' Tricks of the Trade [Wall Street Journal]
— FREE MONEY FINANCE

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Five-piece set includes headboard, footboard, wood rails/slats, dresser and mirror.

That's right, the bed is actually three pieces. That nightstand and other dresser must have wandered onto the set accidentally.

Scott, who tipped us to this, writes, "So to Value City, a bed = 3 pieces? Sheesh! Why not consider each side rail a piece and call it a 6 piece set!?!" Great idea! We think we've discovered a whole new way to increase profits without raising prices: segmentation. Why, that dresser can be listed as a 7 piece storage system by itself, a pizza with twelve pepperoni slices on it is suddenly a 12-topping pizza, and KFC's 2-piece chicken meal immediately doubles to a 4-piecer if you count the bones as individual units.

The important thing to remember is to use misleading photographs, though, or else your customers might not take the bait.

"Classic Cherry Queen 5-PC Bedroom Package" [Value City Furniture] (Thanks to Scott!)

(Thanks to Cynicor!)

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"At the time that the woman passed away the family tried to cancel all of her credit cards, but it's believed that this one was inadvertently left out and a renewal card was sent in the mail. We think the granddaughter got a hold of that and took advantage of the situation,” said Officer Katie Flood.

Our favorite detail: the couple used the card to pay for the boyfriend's $500 DWI court costs. Grandma would be proud.

"Police: Couple Used Dead Grandma's Credit Card" [KOLN KGIN]
(Photo: Getty)

In case you needed more evidence that Direct Marketing Services isn't exactly a top-of-the-line company when it comes to data security, management, or customer relations, the breach wasn't even discovered internally:

Direct Marketing Services' CEO, David Milgrom, said the financial company Citigroup detected the computer invasion in December. By going through HomeVisions.com, another Direct Marketing Services site, hackers had plundered the database that holds account information for all the company's retail properties.

After the story broke last week, the company announced plans to contact the victims of the breach.

Direct Marketing Services says it now plans to contact the victims of the breach, but of course that's only to avoid further bad press now that the story has broken. Fortunately, they contacted credit card companies when they were first notified of the breach, so the industry has been monitoring suspect accounts and/or issuing new cards as needed. If you shopped at the Montgomery Wards website and found your Discover, for example, you may have been a victim. Congrats.

So why wasn't it reported? Because it's financially more rewarding to flout the regulations that require it if you're dealing with online transactions:

Such silence was the norm in the industry for years. But in response to fears of identity theft, 44 states have passed laws that generally require organizations holding consumer data to tell people when their information has leaked, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Clements and other security analysts say that despite those laws, many breaches still are kept quiet, judging by the data being hawked in online black markets. Avivah Litan, an analyst at Gartner Inc., believes unreported data breaches might still outnumber the ones that do get publicized.

Litan says it especially is the case with online merchants. She believes it happens because of a lack of pressure from credit card companies, which are not responsible for fraudulent charges in "card not present" transactions over the Web and mail order. Until fraud actually appears on the card, they'd rather avoid the cost of voiding compromised cards and giving consumers new ones, she said.

"What it reveals is the convoluted banking system," she said. "If this had taken place at a grocery store, we all would have heard about it."

You know what would make for some good PR? If an online company stepped forth and made a commitment to reveal data breaches in a timely manner, and hired an outside auditing firm to enforce said pledge. Instead, we'll start the countdown to a class action lawsuit against Direct Marketing Services.

"Wards didn't tell consumers about credit card hack" [Associated Press]

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My recent problems with Sears have driven me so crazy I checked to see if you had EECB contact info. When I saw all the stuff you had on Sears, I thought you'd love this story. I'll try to be short.

As background, I have an irrational loyalty to Sears. In the last 5 years I have spent probably over $20,000 on appliances, mattresses, and power tools there. I drive by 3 Home Depots to get to Sears; I want them to succeed for some bizarre reason. I don't even get it, haven't really even had great experiences, but nonetheless keep on going back. In May I tried to buy a lawn tractor, which is where the problem began.

ROUND ONE: The day after ordering the tractor online, I went back to check the order status and saw nothing. So I called Sears and they said the order had been declined by AMEX. I asked, "Was anyone going to call and tell me?" and she said, "No, we don't do that." So I called AMEX, told them to take the charge (which they denied declining), and called back to place the order live. She then told me that it would take 3 WEEKS for delivery. (Do you know how much it costs to pay someone to mow 3 acres?) Reluctantly, and accepting the situation in good humor, I agreed.

ROUND TWO: 3 WEEKS later: nothing. No call, no delivery, nothing. I call Sears, and they again blame AMEX. I explained that AMEX cannot possibly be the problem since I spoke to them live. I also noted that in the intervening three weeks, I charged a $15,500 set of airline tickets and $18,100 for a new roof, both of which zipped through without a problem. Nonetheless, I told him I'd replace the order if they didn't make me wait 3 more weeks. He put me on hold for an eternity and then agreed. I had bought the tractor on sale so I actually think he was doing some work to recreate the original terms of the sale. I told him I would not hang up until he confirmed that the charge went through so there would be no more opportunity to blame AMEX. He laughed and agreed, and we hung up friends. I suggested that they call customers when a sale doesn't go through, because that's a way to GET MORE MONEY, and he said he'd pass that along. Which he clearly didn't.

ROUND THREE: My tractor, now ordered twice, was scheduled for delivery today, so I called last night to confirm. What a shocker, same story. Now, normally I would just say screw it and order somewhere else, but (1) it takes a long time to research tractors, and I didn't want to go through that process again, and (2) I had gotten a really good price or $1299 for a $1799 tractor and I wanted them to honor the price. ALso, the sales for tractors all happened around fathers day and now I would be stuck at full price somewhere else. I should also note that one bizarre thing about Sears tractors is they have identical models where one model is on sale and one isn't. I don't get it, but the picture on the site does show them in different colors, but when you click "compare," they are exactly the same - every word, every spec. So when the woman said, I'm sorry, it's out of stock, I laughed (as did she) and suggested that they give me one of the identical ones at the sale price. She said that a supervisor could do that and told me to call back today.

ROUND FOUR: So I called this morning, asked to go to a supervisor. I explained what happened, that I've been waiting 6 weeks now for a tractor, and can't belevee that no one at Sears actually seems to want to take my $1500.

Me: I just want to know, can you get me the same or similar tractor at the same price, delivered this week. (She put me on hold and in the meantime I went to sears.com, found an identical tractor at the same SALE price, in case she was too incompetent to do so).
Manager: That's not possible, I can give you the same tractor for $1800.
Me: Why would I pay more for the same tractor? Can't you honor the same sale price you originally gave me?
Manager: Because it's not our fault the card was declined.
Me: But it is your fault, because the customer service guy told me it was not declined, and promised me the sale went through. We went through a big exercise to make sure it wouldn't be declined.
Manager: I can let you talk to someone else.
Me: No, just do what the last guy (who wasn't a supervisor) did, and give me the original sales price. You have a record of that transaction, right?
Manager: I'm not going to do that. I can let you talk to someone else.
Me: NO, LET"S JUST ORDER THIS OTHER ONE (the identical one I found on sears.com), fully ready to put myself through another round of wholesale incompetence.....sound of silence....the bitch hung up on me!

I got transferred to some other customer service line, and the first thing the woman said to me was, We don't do Sears.com problems. I asked who I could talk to, and she said, there's an email on sears.com. I asked if she wanted my $1500 or wanted to lose a loyal customer, and she said, you'll need to go to sears.com.

Please note, and I swear on this — I have always been polite, never rude, just insistent and clear in what I want. And I've asked each person why a company which loses a sale due to an (alleged) credit card decline doesn't call the customer to let them know about it, and they all say, We just don't do that. I've had $10 orders not go through other companies for one reason or another, and the company at least emails me to let me know. It's like Sears doesn't want to succeed or make the sale, or secretly delights in knowing that I'm sitting around waiting for my non-existent delivery to show up.

And to hang up on one of the last people in America who haven't totally given up on this piece of shit company? Is just plain stupid. Whatever, I guess I'll have to go to Lowes.

Really, Gregg. We'd love to tell you to write an EECB or something to Sears, but let's be honest with ourselves. They just don't care.

(Photo: So Cal Metro )

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I was contacted by Anita Strepka in corporate who told me I was absolutely correct and that the supervisor should not have refused giving me the gift card.

I was then contacted by the local general manager who asked me to explain what happened. After explaining he told me that he would send the card, but that the policy was that you have to wait in the store for at least 24 minutes before qualifying!

I told him, that according to corporate and their website the 24 minutes starts as of the time stamp on the order confirmation email. He disagreed and we ended the call. He then called back 10 minutes later to apologize and said that I was correct and he was wrong... I guess he went to their website.

So what did I learn? Not even the general manager understood a policy that has been in place for 2(?) years, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the supervisor didn't either.

The good news? Anita Strepka was awesome and apologized over and over. She said that she was part of the team that started this program, so she was well versed with the policy.I complained on Wednesday 6/4/08 and got my $24 gift card in the mail on Monday 6/9/08... not a bad response time.

Hey, everyone makes mistakes, but it's a good thing Dustin is out there keeping them honest.

I looked around the site and didn't see any handy guide for a situation that I, and I'm sure many others, are in. We have an older car that still runs, but occasionally needs work. At what point do you begin experiencing diminishing returns on your investment? I know there is no hard and fast rule but there has to be reasonable guide lines when it comes down to how much to put into an old car before its just not worth it anymore. I don't meant to make a request (especially since Consumerist helped me out before) but I think an article on this might not go unappreciated.

Brenden,

Essentially, what you have here is a math problem. There are several factors that you'll want to consider when making your calculations.

1) How much money have you been pouring in to the car? Grab all of your receipts and total them up. Then ask yourself this question: "What is the current state of my car?" If you've just fixed it up and it's going to be running great for some time, you might want to keep it for awhile. If you're barely keeping up as one thing after another breaks... it might be time to say goodbye. If you're unsure about this part of the process, call your mechanic or a trusted friend who knows something about cars. Ask if parts for your car are getting expensive, and if it is going to be worth maintaining.

2) Do you own this car? Your relationship with your car depends a lot on whether or not you actually own it. Everyone's situation is going to be different. What is the actual value of your car? Can you get anything for it if you sell it? If you're not used to paying a car payment, are you going to want to start? Run the numbers and see what this car means to you financially.

3) Does this car get good gas mileage, and what does it cost to insure? Calculate the operating expenses of your car. A newer car may save you money on gas, or it may not. It's probably going to cost more to insure. Once you know what your current car costs you, you can compare it to the numbers for your potential new(er) cars.

Now that you have an idea of what your car is actually costing you, you can start comparing it to what a different car might cost. You might find that your old car is very cost effective, despite the repairs. Or you might not. Generally speaking, however, a car you own is better than a car your bank owns. Personally, we enjoy buying slightly used cars (that we can afford) with cash. Good luck!

Anything we missed? Share your tips for Brenden in the comments.
(Photo: The Joy Of The Mundane )

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REFERENCES:
What You Should Know About Outdated Food [KPTV]Expired Items On Store Shelves; FOX 12 Investigates [KPTV]
Labelling rules [Eatwell.gov]

(Photo: whatatravisty)

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