IKEA has decreased the prices on dozens of household items: A sofa that sold for $1,199 last year now retails for $899; a coffee table selling for $29.99 last year now sells for $19.99; a TV unit stand, formerly $150, is available for $99; and so on.
Saving & Spending
135 Money-Saving Resources and Tips, Special Holiday Season Edition
Just in time for the annual busting-of-the-budget tradition, here’s a round-up of holiday season tips from around the web that are aimed at getting you all jolly by saving you some cash.
Way Cheaper Than E-Readers
Electronic book readers like Barnes & Noble’s Nook are selling for around $260, if you can get your hands on one of these hot-selling gifts at all. There are much cheaper alternatives—free, actually—although you have to deal with a much smaller screen.
Cell-Phone Bill Watch: Introducing the $350 Early Termination Fee
For some smartphones, the fee for jumping ship and canceling your service plan early is now a whopping $350.
eBay: Over a Million Zhu Zhu Searches Last Weekend
If you’re keeping score, eBay tells me that on Black Friday alone there were 350,000 searches for Zhu Zhu Pets, the holiday’s season’s hottest can’t-find must-have toy. On Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined, eBay customers purchased about 30,000 of the robotic hamsters and related items.
It’s a Deal: 40% Off from Timberland
Use the coupon code FFDEC09 for 40% off shoes, boots, apparel, and other purchases at Timberland.com, sales and clearance items included. The code should be valid through December 7.
Next Front in Holiday Shopping Price Wars: Video Games
Wal-Mart is at it again. The retail giant has knocked $10 or so off the price of many popular video games, and a holiday shopping throw-down with the likes of Best Buy and GameStop seems inevitable.
It’s a Deal: Half-Price Appetizers ‘Til Closing Time at T.G.I. Friday’s
From now through December 23, an “Appy Hour” promotion means appetizers at the bar are half-price from 4 p.m. until whenever the bar closes. More details here.
“Collective Buying Power” Site Groupon.com Flush with Cash, Prepped to Expand
Not only has the website been profitable since June, but Groupon—which announces specially discounted daily offers on everything from massages to bike tours in certain U.S. cities—has raised $30 million and wants to expand its bulk-buying collective to 50 more cities next year.
False Economy: Think You’re Saving Money? Think Again
You assume you’re being a savvy consumer by doing things like using coupons, getting free shipping with online purchases, and shopping in stores with no-hassle return policies. But are you really being taken for a sucker?
What the X-Men, Old Pantyhose, and Pregnancy Tests Have in Common
Use each of them in the right way, and you’ll find yourself in a better financial situation. In theory, that is.
Trim 10% Off Your Grocery Bill by “Eating Down the Fridge”
‘Tis the season to buy too much food—and, after the guests have gone home, to toss too much of it into the trash. Before heading back to the grocery store to fill up your shopping cart and start the whole cycle over again, take a long, hard look at what’s in the refrigerator and see if you can make do.
