Buy a Television Now

It’s never been a better time to buy a flat panel television. What used to cost $6,999.99 now only costs $699.99. In the spring of 2002, I remember going to a furniture store in Houston, TX. While in the store, we saw a brand new Panasonic 42” Plasma television. It was the first time I’d seen one, and I was captivated. My first thought was, “Wow, I want one”. Then, I looked down at the price tag - $6,999.99. My jaws dropped, and second thought was, “Look at that price, Wow, that’s a lot.” It was the first time I’d ever seen a Plasma television as they had just recently became available. I really wanted one, but I knew there was no way I could afford it. I saw that same television in the Sunday ads for $699.99. I know what you’re thinking, “well that was 8 years ago”. While that’s true, the point still stands; televisions are a lot less expensive now. I’d even venture to say, flat panels and plasma TVs are now affordable.

I bought my 52” HD television in 2006 for $1500 and that was a great deal back then.

Take a look at this:

The above television is a LCD HDTV 1080P with all the recent technologies (minus the 3D capabilities). Excellent color & quality picture as well as PC-IN & HDMI hook-up, which means:

1. You can connect your laptop or computer to the television
2. You have Blu-Ray capabilities with up-converting video quality

You’ll never guess who’s selling this HDTV at such a great price: Circuit City! Yeah, I thought they closed the business too, but they still have products available online.

Keep in mind, the televisions I'm referring to don't have the "3D" or Quattron. Please refer to my earlier blog written on October 7, 2010 to find out why.


Smart Spends tip: Take advantage of the great deals on high quality electronics that don't have the latest technology gimmicks

Impulse Buying

Ever heard the term? Maybe. Have you ever done it before? Probably. Here’s an example scenario: you’ve just finished grocery shopping. You have all the food and home supplies you need and you get in line at the cash register. There are a few people in front of you and you have to wait. You look to your right and you see your favorite magazine, so you pick it up. Then you move closer as one person has finished and the next shopper proceeds to ring up their stuff. What do you see next, and ice cold pop (or soda if you’re in the south). Hmm looks good. So you get one. You move a little closer to the front of the line, and what do you see? Your favorite candy bar or snack, and you grab a few for the road.

The items in check-out line are what grocers call, “Impulse products”. They are low-cost, high margin products that they can sell at a relatively cheap price. They’re compact and easy to grab. Which means, they’re great for tempting people to grab them “last-minute” and “on-the-go”? Just think about it, when’s the last time you saw a single Twix candy bar on sale in the grocery aisles. Most times you won’t…Why? Because, it’s during that time, most shoppers are taking their time. You’re more likely to see a bulk pack of Twix in the grocery aisle and a single Twix in the check-out line.

The best is when they sell candy “2 for $1”, you really feel like you’re getting a deal then. But the catch is, you really don’t need it. When’s the last time you drove on the way to grocery with “candy bar” on your grocery list? You probably never have. You go in, with the intentions of buying groceries and get suckered into buying snacks while waiting in the check-out line because they’re cheap, fast and easy.

FIGHT THE URGE AND DON’T SUCCUMB TO IMPULSE PRODUCTS!

Books on Sale for a $1.99

Every single day, thousands of people purchase books from Barnes and Nobles. Ninety plus percent of them pay FULL PRICE for their books. Have you ever purchased a book online? Did you notice that fine print that says " X number of books from 1.99"? Probably Not. Why? Because you see the blaring red price for $12.20, and that's what you assume the best deal price is. Well, I'm here to tell you IT'S NOT.

For most books posted on http://www.bn.com/, there's a small print under "Add to Cart" that states "....used from $1.99". Do you know what this means??? Of course you do. So let me explain why you can get them so cheap: The used books are not sold by Barnes and Nobles, they are sold by smaller book stores/distributors. All used books available are rated. After clicking on the link, "...used from $1.99", a list is displayed of all available used books with the book's rating, plus the rating of the company offering it. In a lot of cases, if you buy a book rated "Very Good" or "Like New", chances are you will get a BRAND NEW BOOK FOR $1.99. Granted, this does take some risk, but come on, isn't it worth saving $10 or more for the potential to get a brand new book for under two bucks. I think so.






So, next time you're in the mood for a new book, consider checking on BN.COM. Find out if you can get that book for $1.99. If so, get it, and enjoy your "Smart Spend".