The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Tips for saving more money in tough economic times

Want to know how to cut your spending?

An article "How to Get Everything for Less" in the October issue of Good Housekeeping caught my eye. It offers five helpful suggestions for consumers.

The tips offered include:

1. Stack discounts and store sales.

Look for Web coupons, Web codes, and other discounts to use when you buy items on sale. Get on the frequent-shopper mailing and e-mail lists of stores you shop in frequently.

2. Shop in high-income zip codes.

Check out the second hand stores in these areas.

3. Learn the sales cycle.

Ask at stores what day of the week new merchandise is put out and older items marked down.

4. Weigh how to pay.

Pay in cash at thrift stores, and use a credit card for liquidators and other stores where sales are final.

5. Do some post-purchase research.

Sign up for price drop alerts, at sites such as priceprotectr.com, after you’ve made a major purchase.

For details on these money saving suggestions, get a copy October’s Good Housekeeping at your local newsstand, supermarket, or bookstore, or check your local library for a copy.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What were the best and worst consumer experiences you had this week?

Recently, I launched a best and worst consumer experience feature on The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.

I think looking weekly at these experiences helps us learn from our successes and mistakes.

Here are my most and least successful consumer transactions for this week:

My best consumer experience: Receiving a Priceline coupon

Recently I wrote about trying to find a less expensive airline ticket. I searched the Internet for cheaper fares and coupons.

Disappointed, I gave up and ordered my ticket from Priceline.

As I was checking out, I was offered a coupon for 15 percent of the airline ticket if I joined Priceline’s Great Fun club. I signed up. The first month was free, and if you canceled your membership before the end of the month, you wouldn’t be charged the monthly fee for the club.

I’m happy to say that I finally received my coupon for $35.70.

I didn’t receive the e-mail I was to get containing the form to fill out. I had to call to obtain it.

Then I forgot to include my itinerary so I had to send the information in again. It’s a good thing I’d kept a copy of the original mailing.

My worst consumer experience: Eating airline food

The traffic was heavy when a friend drove me to the airport for a trip. I didn’t have time to buy lunch to eat on the plane, a traveling technique I’ve been using for a couple of years now. I arrived at the gate just as the plane was boarding.

I was stuck with the food I’d brought with me – organic almonds and hazel nuts – and airline food. Since I don’t eat sugar anymore or many carbohydrates, I bought the two items that I thought wouldn’t contain sugar – potato chips and mixed nuts.

When I arrived at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, I had about a half hour to make my connecting flight. I was one of the last people to board the plane. I didn’t have time to buy dinner.

Since the flight was less than three hours, American Airlines only had snacks, no sandwiches. I bought Tostitos and salsa, which I ate with organic nuts.

I'd like to see the airlines would do something about the food they serve. It keeps deteriorating in quality and offerings.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What were the best and worst consumer experiences you had this week?

Last week on The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide, I launched a best and worst consumer experience feature.

I think looking weekly at our best and worse experiences as consumers will help us learn from our successes and mistakes.

Each week, we have dozens of consumer happenings, some good and some bad.

Here’s one each of mine for this week:

My best consumer experience – A savings of $20 using coupons

Last week, I took a friend out to dinner to celebrate his birthday. He selected Ramblin’ Jacks, a place where we could use a $10 coupon.

When I tried to use the coupon – which also can be used at another Olympia restaurant – last year, I ran into difficulty. You need to order two entrees and two drinks to get the $10 off. See my article “Read the Fine Print, Even on a Coupon.”

I was busy getting presents ready for my friend, and hadn’t put the coupon in my purse.

However, a new coupon technique saved the day. I keep my coupon folder in my car. When the coupons come in the mail, I file them.

I was able to get $10 off on the bill.

Another $10 was saved when I received an oil change at Jiffy Lube.

I remembered to print out a $5 coupon before I left home. However, when I arrived at Jiffy Lube, they had a sign out saying that consumers would receive $10 off on an oil change.

That was lucky. I enjoyed saving $10.

My worst consumer experience – Rude patrons and low-quality customer service in the library

This week, when I went to the library to pick out some books before my acupuncture appointment, I was in a hurry.

I’d listened to the talking book, “An Irish Country Doctor” by Patrick Taylor, and wanted to check out other books by Taylor.

While one librarian helped people, I waited in line for my turn. A young man came up and instead of getting in line behind me, he went to the spot where the second librarian would be seated when she returned from helping a patron.

When the second librarian walked up to her place at the counter, the young may began telling her what he wanted, but I said, “I’m next.” The librarian helped me instead. The young man looked mad.

After finding the talking book the librarian had referred me to, but not the book, I returned to the reference counter. Another line. Another young man didn’t wait in line but went to the spot where the second librarian could help him when she returned.

This time, the librarian began helping the second young man before I could say anything. I was seething.

When I finally received my turn and the librarian was showing me the shelf where the book was, I said to her that she should ask who’s next when she returns to the counter.

She ignored my suggestion. A most unsatisfying library experience.

Let me know about your best and worst consumer experiences for the week.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Are discounts for airline tickets a myth?

This fall, I’ll be visiting my daughter in Miami.

It’s time to sign up for an airline ticket, so I thought I’d spend some time on the Web to see if I could find a way to get a cheap ticket.

I know you need to be a wise consumer and start early to get a good price. The longer you wait the more the price goes up.

I called American Airlines and the cheapest ticket they had for dates and times I wanted to travel was $300. My goal was to beat that price.

I began by checking Expedia.com, Cheapflights.com, Orbitz.com, Cheapoair.com, Cheaptickets.com, and Travelocity.com.

The flights on American were consistently $20 less, which is the $20 booking fee that American charges if you call to make a reservation.

If I’d been willing to take a “red eye,” I could have purchased a ticket for about $30 less.

Next I tried coupons. I started out with coupon sites I’d listed in my post “Opportunities Abound for Baby Boomers to Cut Costs With Internet Coupons” because I knew they were reputable sites.

I tried RetailMeNot.com and Coupons.com. I was hopeful when I saw a 10 percent off coupon for American Airlines on RetailMeNot.com. A reviewer said he’d obtained the discount 18 days ago.

But alas. The promotional code didn’t work when I tried to buy a ticket.

Then I found a note on RetailMeNot.com and another coupon Web site that stated American Airlines and another airlines had requested all coupons for the companies be removed.

Next I did a search for an airline coupon on any site. Some sites merely take you to the Promotions section of airline Web sites.

I didn’t find a coupon and even ran across several coupon sites that were considered “dangerous.”

I checked the rewards program for my credit card, but I haven't accumulated enough points to receive a reduction on my ticket. The Safeway rewards program was closed on the weekend, so I couldn't check my point total.

I tried Priceline.com, Yahoo! Travel, AOL Travel, and a consolidator. Same $280 price.

After several hours on the computer, I decided to give up. I put a ticket on hold for $280 through the American Airlines Web site.

The next day, when I went buy the ticket, I discovered that I’d made a mistake. I’d signed up to go on a Tuesday when Wednesday was the day I wanted.

I had to start over.

I decided to get the ticket through Priceline.com. Although I had to leave an hour earlier, I was still able to get the $280 price.

After I completed the details for buying the ticket, a window popped asking if I’d like a 10 percent discount. I laughed and clicked on it.

Priceline said it would upgrade me to a 15 percent discount if I’d join their Great Fun club. I agreed. Membership is free for the first month and $12 a month after that unless I cancel.

I’m to receive a Cash-Back Claim Form that will be e-mailed to me within 72 hours.

We’ll see how that works, whether the form is sent and the check received.

Have you been able to find discount coupons for airline tickets? If so, let me and my readers know where to locate them.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Opportunities abound for baby boomers to cut costs with Internet coupons

Although millions of baby boomers use the Internet, they may not be aware of how to use it to locate coupon codes and printable coupons to slash their food bills and retail store costs.
 
I recently received an e-mail to sign up for a coupon Web site. However, being a cautious-consumer type, I thought I’d do research before responding. I’m glad I waited.
 
A host of new Web sites offering coupons and online promotions are flooding the Internet, according to the article “Five Best Coupon-Clipping Web Sites” on SmartMoney. While these sites offer a wide array of discounts, they're also causing confusion among shoppers, making it difficult to figure out what are the really good deals and which coupons are duds.

SmartMoney interviewed consumer advocates and deal hunters to develop this list of worthwhile Internet coupon sites:
 
Coupons.com
 
CouponCabin.com
 
CouponMom.com
 
RetailMeNot.com
 
SmartSource.com
 
Several of these sites offer short video clips on how the coupon offerings work.
 
When looking through these Web sites to see what’s offered, I saw that, like newspaper coupons, the grocery store coupons were mostly for processed foods, over-the-counter drugs, paper products, and cleaning supplies. While saving money on these items is great, boomers shouldn’t rely on processed food to be a mainstay of the diet.
 
The CouponMom.com site featured Stephanie Nelson, founder of site, in a shopping spree where $137 worth of groceries cost $25. Nelson used coupons for items that were on sale. She also buys three copies of the Sunday paper so she can get three coupons for each item she wants to buy. When Nelson bought three or four items, she was able to get another one for free.
 
Nelson’s “super shopping trip” reminded me of the reports of coupon queens from days past.
 
Despite the shortcomings of coupon offerings, it’s worth it to try out Internet coupons as grocery prices continue to rise to see if you can save money.
 
September is National Coupon Month.
 
Last year, consumers saved $3 billion dollars with coupons, according to About.com.
 
Coupon users report an average of 7 percent savings on their grocery bill with coupons, a survey by the Promotion Marketing Association reports.
 
The number of American adults using online coupons rose by 39 percent, to 36 million, between 2005 and 2008, according to a survey conducted by Simmons/Experian Research and Coupons Inc. Online users account for nearly one-quarter, 24 percent, of the total 148 million consumers who use coupons, compared to 22 percent market penetration as of last year.
 

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

35 ways to cut your food bill

Like many boomers, you're probably feeling the pinch of tough economic times.

If you're looking for ways to reduce your food costs, here are 35 suggestions:

1. Go through your checkbook and credit cards to see how much you've spent in the last one to three months on food eaten at home and in restaurants. Check the USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food and determine the level of spending you'd like to reach. Four food plans are discussed:  thrifty, low-cost, moderate-cost, and liberal. The amounts are for food eaten at home only.
2. Set up a meeting with members of the household to determine what changes can be made and who will do what jobs.
3. Plan menus for a week. Making menus means there will be less food wasted and shopping trips can be reduced.
4. Use a shopping list based on the menus when buying groceries.
5. Compare prices among stores using weekly ads.
6. Compare serving prices among brands in the store.
7. Find ways to reduce or stretch the amount of meat served. Eating more beans, lentils, and rice is one way to do this. Serve salads as a main dish to make meat, chicken, and fish go further. Serve omelets loaded with vegetables as a main dish.
8. Cook from scratch more. Use less processed food.
9. Buy store brands rather than more costly brand names.
10. Check out buying in bulk. Food co-ops and some grocery and health food stores offer bulk items. The savings are astounding on spices.
11. Eat out less often. Look for buy-one-entree-get-one-free coupons for restaurants. Be sure to read the details on the coupon. See my article Read the fine print, even on a coupon. One survey indicated boomers eat out three times a week. The national average is 1.9.
12. Buy the largest containers or packages of food that you can use before it spoils. Large items generally cost less per serving than smaller ones. Be sure to compare the per serving costs.
13. Buy fruits and vegetables in season. See if you can find a farmers' market with good prices or check to see if farms in your area sell directly to consumers. Try u-pick opportunities and freeze the fruits and vegetables. I love to u-pick raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.
14. Try thrifty food recipes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
15. Make your own master-mix for items such as pancakes and biscuits.
16. Try collecting coupons to see if you can find any that will help you save money. Many coupons are for brand name food and using them may be more expensive than buying the store brand. Keep coupons in your car.
17. Cook more of a main dish and eat leftovers for lunch or freeze the remaining amount for a dinner next week.
18. Take a class in cooking vegetables with herbs to bring new, exciting variety to your meals.
19. Grow a vegetable or herb garden. If you don't have a yard, try container gardening or a community garden.
20. Invite friends to share in a cooking party. Make meals you can freeze to use later in the week.
21. Don't shop when you're hungry, or take children with you to the store.
22. Invite friends for a potluck rather than an expensive dinner party.
23. Compare prices for organic food so you can begin or continue to eat it. See Rebecca Blood's blog, Rebecca's Pocket, to learn how she lived on the amount of money food stamp recipients receive using organic food.
24. Serve smaller portions.
25. Eat less food.
26. Cut out sweets and chips.
27. Make your own salad dressings.
28. Try tofu. It doesn't have much flavor so mix it with beans, lentils, or rice, sauces, or herbs or spices. See the Savvy Vegetarian for Basic Vegetarian Tofu Recipes and Tofu Tips.
29. Cut alcohol consumption.
30. Avoid fast food and junk food.
31. Cook oatmeal, corn meal, and rice cereal you buy in bulk instead of eating more expensive, processed dry cereals.
32. Figure out an alternative to drinking bottled water. Research how much it would cost to filter water in your home, or buy distilled water at a food co-op or store.
33. Make your meals attractive. Serve foods with different textures and colors.
34. Pack lunches rather than eating out.
35. Review "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" to make sure you're meeting nutritional needs with your new, cost-cutting plans.

Let me know if these or other tips are working for you as a busy boomer consumer.

Tomorrow's Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide will offer comments on Why Food Prices Are Rising.

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Read the fine print, even on a coupon

When a friend and I made arrangements to meet for dinner last week, we decided we’d check our coupons and see if we could save money on the outing.

After our review, we selected a local restaurant that offered a $10 coupon. This wasn’t as good as buy one meal, get one free, but the restaurant was nice and we decided it was good enough.

When we ordered and presented the coupon, the waitress pointed out that we each needed to order a drink for the coupon to be effective: Order two meals, two drinks, get $10 off. Fair enough. I ordered tea like my friend.

When the bill was presented, we received only $5 off. Why, we asked the waitress. I had ordered a crab melt sandwich, which was on the Vegetarian/Light Fare section of the menu. I hadn’t ordered an entrée like my friend.

We sighed and paid the bill, leaving the standard 15 percent tip because my friend had worked as a waitress and my daughter had friends who worked as servers, so it’s what we always do.

We were chatting for a few more minutes before we were ready to go, and the manager came over. She asked if everything was all right.

No, we said. We were upset about the misunderstanding about the coupon. The manager asked if we wanted the coupon back to use it again. My friend said no. She wouldn’t be coming back before April 30, when the coupon expired. I said, yes. I might use it.

The manager said we could have the $10 coupon back, but she'd take away the $5 credit we'd received. We sighed again.

In thinking it over, the manager should have given us $10 off our bill for the coupon. It was the waitress’s job to point out that ordering a Vegetarian/Light Fare selection didn’t meet the terms of the coupon. I could have ordered an entrée.

The lesson? Read the fine print, even on a coupon.

See the Web site of the Coupon Information Corp. for details on how to use coupons.