Cheaper Living

By Mark Sweetwood (Contact)

Published June 16, 2008

Each day for the next week, reporters Denise Dick and Ed Runyan are tackling the tough task facing each of us every day: "How to Beat the High Cost of Living."

My notoriety as a self-avowed bargain hunter/cheapskate prompted management to ask if I would augment Ed and Denise's wonderful storytelling with an online blog aimed at sharing some of my time-tested secrets. As I am generally boring people with my money-saving exploits anyway, I couldn't pass up this opportunity.

For the hunter-and-gatherer in me, nothing is better than the thrill of a good, cheap catch. Two things are vital for my process: A newspaper and the Internet. If you are reading this, chances are you are already familiar with both.

A case in point: I wanted to augment our Rat Pack-themed rec room  with a stereo that had a retro feel but could also play some of our old Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin albums (and have a hook-up for our iPods). From my in-person and online shopping excursions, I knew the average price would run between $90 and $200.

A couple of Sundays ago, my weekend edition of The Vindicator arrived with an ad from Big Lots showing such a stereo for just $45.

Guess who was outside the door at 9 a.m. that Sunday awaiting for Big Lots to open?

Now, here are my tips reflected in that example:

• Know what you want.

• Know what the average market price is.

• Be patient.

• Put yourself in a position to be an informed shopper by reading a newspaper and surfing the Internet.

• Be prepared to move when you spot the best price.

Sometimes, however, the best bargains are those that can catch you by surprise. On Wednesday I will introduce you to time-tested secrets that will lead to online bargains that I guarantee will impact your cost of living – for the better!

Meanwhile, feel free to share your own experiences at stretching those hard-earned dollars.

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Mark Sweetwood is managing editor of The Vindicator.