Author Archives: Annie Korzen

DEALCATCHER: NOT YOUR MOTHER’S COUPONS

May 8, 2010

So many coupon sites and mommieblogs are restricted to small stuff like supermarket mac ‘n cheese, diapers, and pet food. I just found this terrific money-saving site called Deal Catcher. They point you to online coupons, products, sales, reviews, and rebates on a variety of items including electronics, home appliances, computers, clothing, housewares, and even groceries for the mac ‘n cheese crowd.

The site is updated throughout the day.

Here some cool samples from today’s offerings:

A 2-2/3-cubic-foot Haier compact refrigerator/freezer combo for $93.54 at Amazon after $129 savings. Free Shipping.

Dell Inspiron 13 13.3-inch Laptop with Pentium Dual Core, 3GB Memory, 250GB HD, Slot DVD Burner + $15 Dell GiftCard costs $399. Original price was $619

Oakley Vault Felon Sunglasses $50. This is reduced from $150.

Me Like!

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ALWAYS QUESTION THE PRICE

May 3, 2010

I had a buzzing in my ears, and the doctor gave me a prescription for a nasal spray. When the pharmacist told me it would cost $135, I was one flabbergasted frugalista! This was not a medicine that the doctor guaranteed would cure me. It was more a case of “Try this. It might help“.  I don’t find that reassuring enough to make a three-figure investment.

I called Jan Drugs in Canada, and their price was around $90, as was my Medco prescription plan. I was getting crankier and crankier, and finally decided to call the doctor to see if there were any other options. The nurse who picked up was as outraged as I was, and he kindly offered to put aside some free samples for me.

So I went from $135 to zero. Not bad, don’t you think?  I guess it never hurts to ask. Especially since the spray doesn’t seem to be doing much.

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WEB DESIGN AND FREE KIDNEY

April 28, 2010

I have been remiss about posting new entries, because I’ve been busy creating a new website. It’s called Annie Korzen.com and is a me me me site describing all the various things I do: write, act, lecture, and teach public speaking. Please check it out.

The average cost of creating a website is about $2,000. I, of course, did it for much less, with a little help from a friend who got low-cost guidance from a cousin who’s a pro. Then I wondered if one could get a site designed for free. I looked on Craigslist.com and sure enough, someone was offering that service. He was a graphics student, and wanted something for his portfolio.

I KIDNEY YOU NOT

Speaking of Craig’s List, last night I gave a Bargain Junkie presentation, and asked the audience if they had scored any fabulous freebies online. One woman told of a friend who had been waiting for a kidney transplant for 6 years, and finally found one FOR FREE ON CRAIG’S LIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some good Samaritan was making an offer she couldn’t refuse. She is now alive and well with a brand new kidney. The donor is now looking for someone who needs a partial liver transplant. It strikes me as a bizarre form of altruism, but why look a gift organ in the mouth?

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A JEWISH EASTER

April 13, 2010

Churches have all kinds of frugal fun.  The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan has everything from symphonic concerts, jazz recitals, and – my fave – the annual blessing of the animals where you can watch the procession of wild and crazy pets like camels, tortoises, and llamas.  

Churches all over the country offer all kinds of community programs, and let’s not forget BINGO!

My husband, Benni, and I are secular Jews who happen to like gospel music, and Hope Lutheran Church in Hollywood was advertising an Easter Sunday concert service.  We had been to many of their rummage sales, and the people seemed friendly.  We weren’t disappointed.  The atmosphere was joyful, and the music outstanding.  Check out the video.

Hope In Hollywood

Plus, I learned that they work to improve the lives of women prisoners, so we gave a donation.  I may be a frugalista, but I have my generous moments!

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SAVING MONEY AT WWW.RUBBING NICKELS.COM

April 7, 2010

I just discovered a cool frugalista site called Rubbing Nickels.  I like them because they gave my book a great review.  I also like them because they list a variety of useful cheapo deals on travel, entertainment, eco-living and all that good stuff.

I also like their motto: “Cutting back while moving forward.”

One site they wrote about is called Dinner Garden.org. This is an organization that provides people and community groups with free vegetable seeds and growing tips for cheap gardening in whatever space they have available: patios, backyards, schoolyards, community lots, and church lawns.  “They envision a nation where front lawns, empty lots, medians, parks, schools, churches, and community centers devote space to fruit and vegetable gardens.”  Sounds good to me.

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TRAWLING FOR BARGAINS

March 29, 2010

I hate to go shopping when I need something.  I don’t enjoy having to race against a deadline to find the right thing at the right price.  I prefer to buy stuff when I spot a good deal, and then I have it when I need it.  

My son was wandering through the mall a few weeks ago, not looking for anything in particular.  He noticed that Macy’s had a one-day special: a rack of men’s pants for ten dollars each.  Being his mother’s son, he happily snatched up four pairs.  

My friend Jay regularly checks the clearance sections at Target.  The merchandise in these areas goes from 30% to 50% to 75% off, based on how long it’s been sitting there.  

He knew I needed a small space heater and bought me a box of two for $14.95.  He found a large patio table for himself for seventy bucks.  It had originally retailed for almost $300.  He’s also gotten fountains and other garden accessories at rock-bottom prices.  

Jay also trawls for specials in the grocery aisles.  Last week he scored 8 boxes of cereal for a buck.  That’s a lotta corn flakes!

Through a combo of Radio Shack and Amazon, Jay got four Tivo units (He kept some and sold some) and two one-year subscriptions.  After discounts and rebates, he actually earned $100.00.   He finds a lot of these electronics deals on Fatwallet.com.  

Jay also buys lots of Christmas stuff after the holidays, when they are greatly reduced.  Those greeting cards will be just as effective next year.  Santa won’t go out of style anytime soon.

Off-season shopping is also a good idea for fashion.  February and August are the big clearance months in clothing stores.  Emporiums like Loehmann’s add further reductions to their already discounted goods, so the savings can be major: like $20 for a $200 top.  Of course, if you insist on being up-to-the-minute in the latest styles, you will have to pay full price at the beginning of the season.  Different strokes…

The website Money Saving Mom lists current supermarket and drugstore coupons.  I buy very little processed food, so a lot of this packaged, chemicalized stuff is of no interest to me, but I can always use a free toothpaste!

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BOOK LOVERS

March 22, 2010

HITTING THE STACKS

Public libraries are one of the biggest cultural bargains around.  Not only do they offer books, magazines, CDs, videos, and internet access, but they have lectures, exhibits, classes, and special events for kids.  Also, they have terrific book sales where the prices are low, low, low.  Plus, I’ve never met a librarian who wasn’t willing – even eager – to help with my stupid questions.

I take advantage of the library system right in my home office.  Let’s say I read a review of a novel that sounds interesting: this is usually a psychological mystery written by a woman that takes place in a gloomy English village. I just reserve it online, and my local branch contacts me when the book is available.  Easy as pie. (An expression I’ve never really understood: what’s so easy about pie? I think pie is difficult.)

 

BOOKS ON THE WEB

I just heard about a book site that functions like Netflix.  It’s called BookSwim.  You sign up for a certain number of books per month, keep them as long as you want, and postage is free.  Another popular site is PaperBack Swap.  You post books that you are offering.  When someone responds, you mail it to them and then your can choose any book on the site and it will be sent to you with free shipping.  They also list hardbacks and audiobooks.


THE USUAL SOURCES

I get most of my books where I get most of my everything-else: yard sales, thrift shops, and rummage sales.  I also borrow from friends.


GROUP READS

Many of my friends belong to book clubs.  This is a great and inexpensive way to combine intellectual stimulation with snacks.  It’s not for me, though, because some of the choices are non-fiction, and I have very little interest in the real world.

One day I’m going to organize a Shakespeare book club.  I’ve read and seen many of the plays, but always feel that I’m missing a lot of it – especially the jokes: there are too many puns based on unfamiliar words. I need help.

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BARGAINING: DOS AND DON’TS

March 18, 2010

I did a radio interview this week with Keith Lucas on Castles Team Radio.  The other guest was John Hamilton, who teaches people the finer points of negotiation.  His website is Keep Negotiating.com.  John is very smart and insightful: I know this because he enthusiastically agreed with all the points I made – and vice-versa.  Here are a few issues we discussed:

  • A lot of people are embarrassed to question the price of something because they’re afraid of looking Cheap.  As I’ve said before, there’s a big difference between being Cheap and Frugal.  There’s nothing shameful in trying to get the best price for something, but it is evil to have your house guests turn blue because you refuse to turn up the thermostat.
  • John correctly pointed out that negotiating is not only about the price of something.  There are often more personal elements that come into play.  My friend Laura was house-hunting and found the place of her dreams: a sprawling ‘60s home on a hill with a striking view.  The house was not in great condition, but Laura is passionate about mid-century architecture.  The competing buyers saw it as a teardown.  Laura was the only one who promised the elderly woman seller that she would respect the integrity of the design, and gradually restore it to its original glory.  She got the house even though the other offers were higher than hers.

I buy so much stuff that I’m forced to have a ginormous yard sale twice a year, with hundreds of tasty items. It’s a great opportunity to study people’s bargaining skills. Here are some approaches I do not recommend.

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IF YOU HAVE TO COOK

March 15, 2010

I love making Thanksgiving dinner: I invite a dozen people, take a few days off, and wiggle my butt to The Buena Vista Social Club while I brine, baste, and braise from morning till night.  My favorite part of this ritual is setting the table: I try to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere with all the vintage linens, glowing candles, and sparkling crystal that I’ve picked up on cheap at rummage sales.  Once a year (or, more truthfully, once every few years) I am a domestic goddess.

EFFORT-LESS

Everyday food preparation, however, is a rushed, harried, nerve-wracking chore that consumes time I’d rather spend at something more profitable, like listing my garage sale finds in eBay.  If it weren’t for Thanksgiving, I would gladly pay extra for a house without a kitchen.  You know that show, Thirty Minute Meals? Who’s got thirty minutes? (For someone who resents cooking, I do spend a lot of time watching The Food Network. Go figure.)

But we can’t eat out every night – or so Benni claims – so I try to create meals that are quick, cheap, and healthy.  The good news is that the most beneficial foods are also the least expensive.  A curried tofu-veggie stir-fry costs a lot less than a roast leg of lamb, and doesn’t clog your arteries like the meat-and-potato diet I grew up with.  The same goes for the linguine with pesto sauce that I make from my home-grown basil.  Here are some lazy-ass recipes from my I’D RATHER NOT BE COOKING files.

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THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER: LOCAL MERCHANTS

March 10, 2010

CLEANERS AND TAILORS
I had an ink stain on a silk cocktail dress.  My fancy neighborhood cleaner wanted twenty dollars, with no guarantee that the stain would come out.  I had only paid two bucks for the dress at a rummage sale, so I decided to shop around.  I tried another local place, and they assured me ink stains are impossible to remove.

I left my neighborhood and went to a dry cleaner in a less genteel area.  They removed the stain on the spot, and charged me eight bucks.  I also discovered that their tailor charges half of what I pay my local seamstress.  Location, location, location.

AUTO REPAIR
We have found this same location rule to be true of auto mechanics: prices are lower in blue-collar neighborhoods, and the quality of the work can be excellent.  Of course, it takes a little time to get there, and I sometimes succumb to laziness and pay extra for the convenience of nearby shops.

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