Tag Archives: paid for survey

Savings for the Month of May!

may savingsThere are unique savings to be had each month of the year. Here are some highlights for May (with bonus dumb commentary!) followed by some links. Enjoy!

  • Thrift Stores: Not going to go into my love/hate relationship with Goodwill (you’re welcome) but now is the time at this and other second-hand stores. They’re stacked to the ceiling with the stuff you got rid of during Spring Cleaning. Have fun buying back your own junk!
  • Refrigerators: Just happens to be the time of year when the new models ship to store. So last year’s gleaming, untouched side-by-side gets kicked to the curb in favor of one that looks exactly like it but costs $100 more!
  • Mother’s Day: Last month was better, but if you have waited this long, skip jewelry. AFTER Mom’s Day, buy jewelry for next year. Then, put it in your hall closet, and never see it again.
  • Memorial Day: Truly, one of the more authentic holiday sales. Real savings, instead of “30% off our already inflated prices!” Best yet, immediately after Memorial Day (act fast!) all of that red, white and blue stuff is waiting to be snapped up, to use for your 4th of July cookout! If you really want to confuse your drunk guests, make sure the banners still say “Memorial Day”!

Those are your savings highlights for May. Check out some more useful links below:

Do you have any May savings secrets to share? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page! And have a great weekend!

Easter Basket of Savings!

easterEaster is upon us, and you’ve either spent a bunch of money already or you are about to. Statistics say that we will spend about $140 this year. Coincidentally, about the same amount we spend on Valentine’s Day.

The biggest expense is Easter candy, which almost 90 percent of celebrants will buy, and Easter dinner was a close second with nearly 86 percent of shoppers planning a special meal. Other items shoppers planned to buy included Easter dresses or outfits, gifts, decorations and flowers. GoBankingRates.com

So, with all that spending, where are the deals? We meant to tour around the web and found you a bunch of deals, but this single article has done that work for you, including deals at Target, Walmart, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Dress Barn and a bunch more. So, go there!

Finally, yes, there is a real, sober, serious meaning behind the Easter holiday that has nothing to do with chocolate bunnies and marshmallow peeps. To those who celebrate it, MindField Online wishes you a Happy Easter full of family and fellowship!

Last Minute Tax Fun

tax-tips-last-mBy the time next Tuesday’s blog post rolls out on 4/15, it will be Tax Day. So, consider this post to be the Last Minute!

All the helpful writers on money matters are quick to point out that there are plenty of things you can do to grab some last minute tax savin’s. So, if you are one of those of those thrill seekers who puts things off, what we call back in Kansas “Thing Put-er Off-ers” then this is the post for you. We have gathered a bunch of helpful links from around the web for your procrastination pleasure! Please to enjoy, “Last Minute Tax Tips 2014”!!

US News Money: 9 Last-Minute Tax Tips for Procrastinators

TurboTax: Tax Tips After January 1, 2014

Huffington Post: Last-Minute Tax Tips to Maximize Your Savings

Business Week: Last-Minute Small Business Tax Tips for Procrastinators

PC Mag: Tax Tips for Last-Minute E-Filers

Daily Finance: Don’t Panic: 5 Tips for Stress-Free Last-Minute Tax Returns

These look like some bits of sound advice, which is good for you because the only advice I could come up with was either A) Pssh! Blow it off, man!” or B) “You should start panicking, like, NOW!” Anyway, you’re welcome. If you got your taxes done, have a great weekend. If you’re starting tomorrow, have something else!

April Shower of Savings!

I just said that!
I just said that!

It’s almost April, and time to look at the months best bargains! Here are some highlights:

  • Electronics: It’s the end of the fiscal year in Japan, and everything must go!
  • Seasonal stuff: Spring clothing, Easter candy (after Easter, natch), Mother’s Day jewelry
  • Travel: Book cruises now, even if you aren’t traveling for months
  • Health: The New Year’s Resolution crowd has faded out, so there are bargains on athletic shoes and gym memberships.
  • Tax Time: Many retailers (especially fast food) offer a free cup of coffee here, a donut there. Check it out!
  • Home Improvement: Like we said, spring cleaning and projects, projects, projects!

Again, just the highlights. Here are a couple of helpful links for your Friday browsing pleasure.

ABC News: April Bargains to spend your tax refund on
Best Travel Deals: Best Travel Deals for April
Ben’s Bargains: Waste Not, Want Not: Best Deals to Buy in April
DealNews.com: The Best and Worst Things to Buy in April

Have you got any spending (or saving) secrets for April? Share them over at the MindField Online Facebook page. And have a great weekend!

Today’s Connected Consumer

connected
That’s her!

I found a stack of mildly interesting graphics on the web, describing various aspects of today’s Connected Consumer.

Today, consumers of all ages and lifestyles are connected to the brands and businesses they love via multiple screens and devices. In fact, 90% of all media interactions today are screen-based. This has many implications, especially for online shopping, customer service, and the nature of communication in general. Survey Analytics

There are a few surprises buried under all the bars and pies and percentages, chiefly that the connected consumer ISN’T a “tweeting twenty-something” (not that this is a bad thing...) Instead, the “average” connected consumer is a 40-year-old woman with a household income of around $60K who owns several devices.

Take a look at some of the numbers…

What are we using?

  • In addition to a PC or laptop, 43% own a smartphone and 16% own a tablet.
  • 81% are on Facebook
  • 60% use digital catalogs
  • 87% interact with retailers via websites or mobile sites, but…
  • only 4% use a retailer’s mobile app.

What are we buying?

  • #1 item purchased on tablet or PC: Electronics (about 55% for both)
  • #1 item purchased on a smartphone: Music (42%)

What do we say about ourselves?

  • Connected Consumer’s top-3 answers: Savvy, Frugal and Spontaneous

Interesting note: the #5 way that CC’s describe themselves is “Addicted.” A little self-awareness is a good thing, I guess! There are a lot more graphics with more numbers, statistics and pretty pretty colors colors HERE, so take a look!

So, do any of these numbers sound like you? The trend running through the whole thing is that this connected consuming is on the rise. Have you caught the bug? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Spring Home Improvement Fun?

Savings Tip #1: Find a bunch of giant $100 bills in the yard
Savings Tip #1: Find a bunch of giant $100 bills in the yard

It’s been a tough winter for just about everybody. And, trust me, I know it’s relative. If I tell you that here in Charleston SC, we had a cold snap where “it got down to 19 degrees one night!” many of you will laugh. But that’s a big deal here! Anyway, as spring finally breaks, we emerge from our caves to find that our lawns, landscaping, patios and home exteriors look decidedly more beat-to-crap than we remember them. Disgusted, we go back inside to the dank grizzly den we burrowed into all winter long, only to see that it has suffered a similar fate.

I’m pretty sure this is where the whole Spring Cleaning thing came from. I believe it’s as much as a psychological need as a physical one.

Of course, that takes money. That is, if you (I) have any left after watching your (my) heating bills more than double over the winter. A lot of folks use their tax refunds and – even in 2014 – over half of us plan to get one.

How will we spend? According to Zillow.com, about 60% will take on some kind of project, but we will only spend $700 on average – which is the lowest since Zillow started their survey. So, since we are being so conservative, here are some links to help you spend wisely!

Also, Walmart and Target are having HUGE home improvement sales this weekend.
How about you? Any home improvement plans? I plan to smash my thumb with a hammer and cuss a lot. Share your plans and savings tips with us over at the MindField Online Facebook page. And have a great weekend!

Consumer Culture Hall of Fame!

1981905_710425518979512_1357359628_nIf you asked me what the biggest consumer trends of the past however-many years would be, I would say cell phones are at the top of the list. I remember in 1985 being fascinated by the ONE guy I knew with a cell phone… it looked like something Radar might use to call Sparky at the 8063rd on M*A*S*H: a big blocky unit, the size of a VCR, with a shoulder strap and a wired handset.

Turns out I am correct – or, rather, one-twelfth correct. Cell phones are on the list, as compiled by the London Globe and Mail. What else is on the list? Lots of things, not just technology but also trends. Here are the highlights…

  • Everyone is a designer: And don’t I know it! For many years, I was a Professional Video Producer. Now, any Joe with a camera and a laptop can make videos that I needed a ROOM full of technology to achieve!
  • Brands are keepers of culture: Sadly true. I was looking at my second-grade class picture. Know what I didn’t see? Nike, Spider-Man, Dora, or Red Bull t-shirts!
  • Everything you need fits in your pocket: See the picture above. A guy from 1990 carries 200 pounds of crap – a camcorder, VCR, TV, telephone, dictionary, road atlas, etc. – in contrast with carrying a smartphone.
  • Life is a project to be optimized.: “I’m living life to the fullest – even with my mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis!” See also: Viagra.
  •  Technology never sleeps: Oof, I am guilty of this one. Wake up at 3:45am. Hit the bathroom. Then, check the iPhone for emails or texts.
  • Scarcity is something to embrace: Ehh, not so sure about this one. There is a certain stripe of people who think that the itty-bitty SmartCar is cool, but I don’t know any of them.
  • Connectivity is like oxygen: Want to see a super freakout? Tell somebody that the WiFi is down!
  • Nothing is from one place any more: Remember “American Made”? Now it’s “Assembled in America from parts from who knows where”… and we’re OK with that!
  • Crowds know more than experts: Who do you trust to give you the lowdown on that new restaurant – the trained culinary expert, or a bunch of Joes who post on Yelp?

So, those are the highlights. Check out the original piece for further insights. So. what do you think? Are these relevant? Are there other cultural and technological phenomena you would add to the list? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Dollar Store Don’ts!

Dollar-Store dontThe hard-hitting sequel! Or something.

As much as I love the dollar store, there are some items you probably shouldn’t bother with, as the value doesn’t quite stand up. A relative term, for sure… it’s $2.50 someplace else, a dollar here, but it’s probably only worth 79 cents. Are you actually going to make a trip back to return it? You will spend more on gas!

Nevertheless, value is value, so let’s take a look at items to avoid, as listed by Wisebread.com…

Dollar Store Don’ts…

  • Anything With a Plug: forging that “UL Approved” label is not unheard of.  About the only electrical thing I buy here is lightbulbs.
  • Food Storage Bags, Aluminum Foil, and Cling Wrap: Sometimes you have to buy 4 boxes to get as many bags or feet of wrap as you would at Walmart, so you aren’t really saving.
  • Kitchen Utensils: For a college dorm or your niece’s first apartment, maybe. For regular grownups, no.
  • Vitamins and other drugs: Not dangerous, but sometimes lacking ingredients, sometimes past their expiration and, again, there may be very few in the bottle compared to the grocery store or pharmacy
  • Toys: There are so many safety regulations for toys, and some of the dollar-store kind come from far, far away, if you know what I mean.
  • Tools: Been there. Planning to use that screwdriver exactly once? Buy it at the dollar store!

A general note, courtesy of Me: Along the lines of “how many aspirin are in the dollar bottle?” I often consider how much they had to shrink the product to make it possible to sell for a dollar. If you have to buy 3 or 4 of them, are you saving? (I’m asking!)

Also, I am generally wary of anything in the store that costs UNDER a dollar. I think “One Dollar” is a powerful psychological cue. If everything else in your basket costs a dollar, then you won’t mind (or even notice) that the can of peas you are paying 85 cents for is actually 60 cents at Walmart!

So, that’s the lowdown. Again, I LOVE the dollar store. But if you shop it smarter, you can enjoy it even more! What are YOUR dollar store do’s and don’ts? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Dollar Store Dos and Don’ts

Dollar-StoreConfession time… for me, the dollar store has replaced Goodwill as my go-to retail therapy option. My main reason? Too many times I have seen an item from the dollar store – one that cost a dollar! – still in the package and for sale at Goodwill for $1.91!

Anyway, love that dollar store! And, let’s get it straight; I refer to the one that has the green color scheme, where everything is truly a dollar or less. But I have learned that there are certain items you can feel comfortable buying there, and ones you can’t.

So I was intrigued to find this list, “10 Things You Should Never Buy at the Dollar Store (and 10 You Should)” from Wisebread.com, to see if my instincts are correct. Let’s check out some highlights from the “Do” column (with bonus dumb commentary!)

Dollar Store “Do’s”:

  • Gift Wrap, Cards, and Party Supplies: I literally discovered gift bags and tissue paper here. Magical moment.
  • Glassware, Cups, and Mugs:  Fancy? No. But do they hold liquid, and transport said liquid from the table to your face? Done.
  • Coloring Books, Crayons, etc.: As long as your kids don’t mind that the coloring book is from Iron Man 1 and not Iron Man 3. For some kids, this is really a challenge!
  • Batteries: Probably my biggest purchase. I would classify dollar store batteries as “half as good for a quarter of the price.”
  • Holiday Decorations: You’d have to talk to Sgt Wife about this but, yeah, why not?
  • Most Cleaning Products: I would say mostly the basics. Bleach is bleach, but you won’t find the 14 kinds of bleach that Clorox thinks we need to survive. Another catch… I buy this generic Febreze, but I am convinced it is about ¼ the concentration of the name brand, and I go through it quickly.

Next time we’ll look at the Don’ts. What do you think?  Are you a dollar store freak like me? What are your big purchases? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

Shopping Ninja or Shopping Noob?

Purchase Receipt and Money. Savings Concept.Here’s a fun shopping quiz (actual fun may vary) concocted by Deb Morris, the “Fru-Gal.” Your scores supposedly will reveal your shopping personality, and may actually help you change shopping behaviors and save more money!

Here are the questions…

  1. Do you enjoy shopping?
  2. Do you make a list before you shop?
  3. Do you stick to your list when you shop?
  4. Do you always buy the same brands?
  5. Where do you shop the most often?
  6. When do you shop the most often?
  7. Do you use your store’s discount card?
  8. Do you use grocery coupons?
  9. Do you print coupons?
  10. Do you use electronic coupons?
  11. Do you belong to Checkout51, Vocalpoint, Ibotta or Saving Star?
  12. Have you ever purchased grocery items free with coupons?
  13. Do you ever shop at the drugstore?
  14. Do you take your grocery coupons with you on vacation?

Each question gives you three alternative answers, with each being worth a certain point value. Add your points to find out if you are a “Busy Shopper,” (the lowest category) meaning you are too busy to cut coupons or comparison shop; an “Amateur Shopper,” meaning you realize the value of coupons and flyers but you just aren’t good at it; or an “Expert Shopper,” which means you are an expert at (wait for it…) shopping.  I scored a 10, which means I am a “Dude.” Oh well.

So, take the test! How did you do? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!