Bargain Hunting Blog

New Customers Wanted

Every retailer needs new customers to survive and grow. For this reason you can often find discounts that are available to new customers only. The most common example of this is the discount on cell phones you receive when you change cell phone providers. I just got a new Blackberry for $99 for switching to AT&T, had I purchased it new without switching to AT&T it would have cost over $300.

There are a couple of ways to find new customer offers. First you can try an online search for the specific type of new customer offer you're looking for. If that fails contact the retailer and ask if they have any special offers for new customers. If you end up contacting a retailer be persistent, because they really do want your business. Also I'll post any new customer only deals I come across on BargainBookmark.com. If anyone else reading this has any suggestions please feel free to post them in a comment.

TV's Big Secret: HBO's The Wire

HBO has had several series that have simply taken off and become pop culture sensations. Shows like The Sopranos and Sex and the City have become wildly popular and have received wide spread critical acclaim. I love both of these shows, especially The Sopranos, but HBO has had other shows that have been equally good in quality, but have not experienced the same level of success. Amazing shows like Rome and Deadwood have come and gone with relatively little fanfare. This brings me to the point of this post. One of HBO's very best TV shows is finishing up its final season as I write this. The Wire has received a lot of critical acclaim, but it has not really caught on with most HBO watchers and the general public. Perhaps the problem is the subject matter. Much of The Wire unfolds in the streets of inner city Baltimore. The show takes a hard and often uncomfortable look at the workings of a major US city. From the out of control drug trade and under performing schools to union unrest and political ineffectiveness and corruption, the realism and honesty with which each of these issues and more are dealt with is unprecedented. I won't say anymore about this awesome series, my hope is that anyone reading this will take the time to check it out. The fifth and final season is about halfway through as I write this and all of the seasons episodes are still available on HBO on demand. Previous seasons are on sale at the HBO Store.

When to Bargain Shop

There is a right time for everything, especially when it comes to bargain hunting. Online sales always occur at relatively predictable times of the year and month.  If you schedule your shopping around these times, you will almost always find the best prices. Here are some things to remember.

End of a Season Shopping:
Probably the most obvious time to find deals as the enemy, oops I mean retailers, try to clear shelf space for the next season's stuff.  Start looking for all sorts of clearance sales and general discounts toward the middle of any season. The items you find might not be usable until next year, but hey there's no better time to get a deal on those fancy skis than at the end of winter. The after Christmas clearance sales are the best example of this pattern. Everything must go to pad holiday sales numbers and make room for spring merchandise.

Shop Before Every Holiday:
I'm not sure why, but holidays are a magnet for sales, and I don't mean the obvious shopping holidays like Christmas and Valentine's Day. I'm sitting here writing on the Friday before President's Day and every third commercial on TV is a President's Day sale. Need more proof? I just did a simple Google search with the words "presidents day sale" and got over 400,000 results. President's Day isn't unique at all in this regard. Retailers depend on holidays to give you an extra reason to buy. They have even gone as far as to create holidays (hello Valentine’s Day) to get you to open your wallet. St Patrick's Day is the next holiday on my calendar, I’m ready are you?

Shop at the Beginning of the Month:
Starting a sale at the beginning of the month is a convenient thing for many retailers to do. I guess they figure it's easier to market a sale that begins on March 1st, than it is to market a sale that begins on a date like the March 13th. The 1st of the month is a nice round date that is easy to sell and remember. So remember, look for new sales at the beginning of the month, and expect sales to end before the end of the month and often on the last day of the month.