Cheaper Living

By Mark Sweetwood

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.