Debt Free

Earning money isn't always easy, and almost everybody wishes they earned more of it. A great alternative to earning more money is to take what you do earn to the absolute limit. Stretch it like a goose's neck in a rack. You should Never Pay Retail – If you haven't joined it already, you should be a member of the NPR club. In this day and age, with warehouse stores, big box retailers, and most of all, the Internet, there's rarely an excuse to pay full price for anything. There are many ways to do this, but here are five of the best.

1. Control when you shop. You should never buy ski boats, motorcycles or convertibles in June. Similarly, avoid stocking up on Christmas decorations, ski equipment and snow tires in December. The savings from waiting to buy things until after the peak demand can be huge. Many people see the sales, but how many of you actually make it a rule to only buy things in the off season? You should, because you can save over 50% in some cases. The list is endless, weather it's due to seasonal factors or man-made holidays, you can get huge savings on virtually anything by controlling when you purchase it. You'd think this is so obvious that everybody would do it, but many miss out on the bargains you can get this way.

2. Control where you shop. This applies to many purchases, but some you may not have considered. In our area and many others as well, the price of that wonderful crude oil distillate we pay so much for can vary by over 10%, depending upon which station you hit the big 'E' next to. Yesterday I saw premium between $2.98 and $3.34. That wasn't at Bargain Larry's and Big Oil, either. They were both big brand oil stations that begin with 'S'. Plan a bit where you buy your fuel, food and almost anything else, and you'll reap big rewards.

3. Plan ahead before you buy. This allows you to avoid needing to make purchases where you may not get the best value. If you don't need things this instant, you'll usually save money. There's usually an inverse relationship between convenience and the amount of cash that gets sucked from your wallet. If you plan ahead, you can shop online and get real bargains at places like eBay and Buy.com.

4. Negotiate for everything. This may earn you the reputation of “Cheap Bastard (or Bitch)” from the workers at your local stores, but hey, who really cares what they think about your spending habits anyway. Look for goods with open (not okay for food products)or damaged packaging. In many cases, the store manager will take a percentage off if you just ask them to. Remember, it hurts to ask for a discount, and, in many cases, you'll actually get one! The key is choosing your purchases wisely. It's far easier to negotiate a discount on something that's not flying off the shelves already. You should use this technique for items large and small, and services too, such as repairs and rent.

5. Find where all the bargain items go. Many of the larger retailers, like Sears, have outlet stores where they dispose of damaged or out of date merchandise. Sometimes these are in outlet malls, but you'll find them hidden away in office parks all over the country as well. The outlet malls tend to have stores that are limited to a specific brand, while large retailer's outlets will offer a wider variety. Find that store, you'll save a bundle. In our area, Sears has an outlet store and repair shop in a large office / warehouse park, and there are fantastic deals there on a daily basis. These include tools, appliances, consumer electronics, and power equipment. Many of the goods are just damaged box and are in otherwise fine shape. Sometimes they even have sales that offer additional savings.
   

Remember, you can always pay more, but you shouldn't have too! This will help you on your quest to become debt free.