The Information Magazine

Walk into a deli or a café and you will be greeted by a delectable selection of sandwiches and rolls all neatly arranged in the glass display cases. A closer look at the prices will reveal that each sandwich costs about $8 on average, more so when the bread is of the rustic or artisan type like Ciabatta, Panini, bagel, baguette or rye. Add a handful of fries or potato wedges and a cupful of plain salad, the price goes up to $10.

Now do the Mathematics. If you eat at least a sandwich bought from the deli everyday for lunch, an average of $160 is drawn out of your pocket per month. That makes $1920 a year. You can cut down the amount spent just for lunch by half by trying out the following ideas.

The supermarket offers a variety of choices for a nutritious home-made gourmet sandwich. Artisan bread like Panini or rustic bread like rye or multi grains like linseed and soy bread can be bought for an average of $4. The shelf life of the loaf, compared to normal commercial bread, is 3 to 4 days on average. Cheese can be a tasty and nutritious base for a sandwich. So if you buy a packet of sliced cheese for about $3 (of course the better ones cost more but can still last for a long time if sliced thinly), this can last for up to 2 weeks if consumed a slice a day. 

For the more adventurous, look for spreads such as mustard or low fat mayonnaise or even dips such as avocado, baba ganoush (I have tried this in my sandwich and trust me, it tastes so good with cheese and salami), guacamole or humus. Add in some fungi like mushroom or vegetables like zucchini or even fruit like tomato or avocado or alternate your filling with salami, you have a gourmet sandwich that costs an average of $4 each. What’s wonderful about homemade sandwich is that you can even double your lunch if you choose to and still slash your lunch expenses by half. Of course, sandwich filling is not limited to the above-mentioned suggestions. With a little bit more creativity and effort, the list of sandwich ideas are inexhaustive.

Baba Ganoush and Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

Rye bread

Sliced Cheddar Cheese

Baba Ganoush Dip

Sliced zucchini

Method

Spread baba ganoush lightly on each piece of rye bread

Add a slice of cheddar cheese

Cover the cheese slice with sliced zucchini

For variation, add salami, salmon, sautéed mushrooms or sliced avocado or tomato 

Discounting the fact that you may need to have to lunch out for formal or informal meetings, you can still save a lot on the days you eat in. The added bonus is, you get to control what you eat by eating healthily.  

Happy Valentine’s Day to all readers and happy budgeting!

You order coffee from Gloria Jeans and are issued with a Frequent Sippers Card that allows you to redeem one free regular size drink after 10 punches on the card. You are in a shopping frenzy for shoes at Charles and Keith on one occasion and your $150 purchase entitles you to a 10% discount loyalty card on subsequent visits and 20% off any purchase on your birthday month. You sign up for Myer’s loyalty programme in which you can earn two shopping credits for every dollar you spend at the store and receive a $20 Myer Gift Card once you’ve earned 2000 shopping credits. You can’t resist Kinokuniya Book Store’s 20% storewide discount on its products every quarterly for just a small fee that can be renewed yearly. These are some examples of loyalty programmes that retailers offer to win customers and establish a long-term relationship that keeps them coming back to the store. But do customers gain from these loyalty programmes? This post looks at whether such programmes offer a win-win situation for both parties.

So what’s the purpose of the loyalty card? The loyalty card tells us we belong, we are special, we are entitled to discounts, points and freebies. It’s a sign that those retailers are finally recognising the importance of their customers and giving something back. And if we also recognise it as a marketing ploy, to keep us coming back, well, we’re savvy enough to understand it’s a deal and have the liberty to choose which loyalty card we’d like to keep on using.  

Loyalty cards are worth keeping if they encourage customers to save through discounts or through reward programmes. Such cards issued by stores that you frequent come in handy as this means you can take advantage of discounts or VIP sales. You save each time you purchase something you need from the store. Alternatively, points can be chalked up and then redeemed. I know of a friend who gets David Jones vouchers from points redeemed so she can buy a dress for a special occasion or new linen. I’ve recently registered my new Woolworths’ Everyday Rewards Card that allows me to accumulate Qantas Frequent Flyer Points each time I make a purchase. This benefits me since I fly twice a year anyway. Now isn’t that great? This is what I call a win-win situation. When Woolworths’ Everyday Rewards card scheme linked to the Qantas frequent flyer program in June 2009, per customer purchase at the supermarket increased “almost overnight”, according to the Woolworths’ chief executive Michael Luscombe and reported by Australian Food News. This scheme benefits the supermarket as well as customers.

However, if you don’t shop frequently at Woolworths but begin shopping there though it is several bus-stops away from a rival supermarket just to chase your dream of a free flight by earning the frequent flyer points you are then not using the programme wisely. This is true if you have to spend around $55 000 to collect 22 000 points to win a return ticket. It also doesn’t make sense to swipe your card for the $0.04 discount on fuel and drive six blocks away to the nearest participating petrol station just to save $1.20. So before you decide to establish loyalty with a certain store, weigh out the pros and cons of its loyalty programme.  

I have reservations about Frequent Coffee Sippers or Frequent Eater cards. Coffee or food joints issue cards offering free coffee after 10 punches on the card in the hope of establishing loyalty among customers. Hence people will come back to the store for more coffee just to get the free cup of coffee or side dish as promised. This leaves me with the question of whether this encourages one to save or to spend more. I believe that it is advantageous for those who partronise such outlets daily and get rewarded in the end. Hmmm hang on……don’t such habits discourage savings? For those like me who visit such joints once in a while, such rewards just don’t work. Don’t fall in the trap of being lured to the store just to have a drink or some food for the sake of a free drink or meal.

Loyalty programmes are good, as long as they are used in a disciplined manner. If you do extra shopping because you’ll get a loyalty program discount or shop just because you want to use the loyalty card, then it might be time to think twice because you’re not saving anything. If you are using it for purchases you would have made anyway, then you’re probably getting a pretty good deal. It always helps to ask yourself if you need the item before you feel tempted to purchase anything.     

To sum up, do loyalty programs save you money? As a consumer, if you use your loyalty program well, then it will indeed save you money. The best way to save yourself some cash is to research loyalty programs and sign up with the ones that suit your spending patterns. I’ve done my research and have signed up for membership cards offered by Priceline and Fly Buys Programme by K-mart. What are your views on this?

As retailers struggle with slow sales and escalating energy costs, they may be more than willing to strike a deal to sell their products. You will be surprised at how many stores with fixed prices are willing to negotiate a price, only when asked.

Many customers may be embarrassed to ask for a lower price when buying items and some see it as offensive or undermining the seller’s integrity. There is nothing wrong with negotiating for a better price and it doesn’t hurt either. You are trying to spend money wisely here and not giving the impression of being a cheapskate. Think of yourself as a savvy consumer when haggling for a better price. You are not the only person out there doing this very same thing. The most neutral question to ask is “Can you give me a better price?” In most instances, the sales assistance will quote a lower rate. It is then up to you to take it or negotiate further to get a better bargain.

Always trying to get good deals when shopping, I never fail to ask for the best price. “Is this your best price?”, “I actually don’t intend to get this but I happen to see your product. If you can offer a good price, I will consider”, “I will recommend your store to my friends if you can give me a good price”. These are some power statements I use or questions I ask in trying to get a good deal for a product. In most cases, I do get to strike a good bargain with the seller. Negotiating a price also works well to avoid paying for more than you should especially in situations when the seller mark up the original price hoping to gain huge profits.

Here are some useful tips:

Do your research: Do some online research on the price of the product you intend to buy so you have an idea of how much it generally costs so that you won’t get overcharged.  

Be cool when negotiating: There is no reason to be loud or get angry if the seller can’t or won’t bargain with you. Keep a smile on your face.

Use the stalling tactic:  If the seller isn’t meeting your price then use a stalling tactic such as being silent or contemplating other makes and models of the same item you’re interested in. Chances are that while you are stalling the seller will come up with a way to get your business. Tell them you are going to make a purchase today somewhere and would really like to buy from them if they can do something to lower the price. If things still aren’t going well, don’t be afraid to name the price you want to pay then slowly raise the price from there until an agreement is made.

Be rational when negotiating: Don’t ask for the ridiculous such as asking for half the quoted price. In such cases, you will be given a cold shoulder than being entertained.

Be prepared to walk away: You will not get the deal you want every time. If you’ve tried all of your tricks and the manager or sales person won’t budge, then it’s time to go elsewhere for a better deal.  

This year I have decided to be a minimalist. What exactly is that? Well, the term means not spending unnecessarily by reworking on my finances and avoiding the temptation of shopping at sales. Friends laughed when I disclosed my New Year resolution knowing jolly well that it is a challenge to stick to one’s budget. Well, I will prove them wrong.

How does this resolution come about? Well, I was packing some winter clothes last month when I realized that I had more than a dozen, some of which were not even worn and some of which had gone out of fashion. These took too much storage space and were also such a waste of money for the unworn clothes were deemed as unnecessary and were the result of impulsive spending at sales. Hence, I decide to keep my possessions to a minimal for this has many positive benefits. Firstly, I do not have to worry about storage space and when the time comes to move, there will be less hassle about getting rid of them. Monetary wise, I get to save a lot more by not buying what I don’t need.

Garage sales may be one way of getting rid of things you don’t need but it is not worth the effort in looking at logistics and renting benches and advertising. Gathering the necessary items for such sales outweighs the proceeds of the sale itself. So that defeats your purpose if you want to make money through garage sales. Alternatively, having an altruistic intent by giving away unwanted items to charity will result in a peace of mind by doing a good cause and also avoiding any logistic hassles of preparing for a garage sale.

So is it possible to be a minimalist? It actually is. Here’s how:

1)                  Avoid shopping malls.

Take up a hobby such as sports, writing and photography to avoid loitering in the malls. When meeting a friend for a meal, avoid adjourning to the malls to window shop. The chances of buying something you don’t need are high. I realize that I tend to shop unnecessarily when with friends. To avoid this, suggest meeting at places away from malls or closer to nature such as the park, the beach or the scenic river. Avoid the sale signs staring at your face when you happen to be in a mall and never step into the stores if you don’t intend to get anything necessary. Chances are that you will end up with one or two items that end up unworn.  

2)                  Leave your card at home

 If you need to be at the malls for any reason except shopping, leave your card at home and bring only what you need for the day. That will avoid any impulsive purchases that may end in waste.

3)            Consider first before making purchases

This method works for me and will definitely work for you. Recently, I was with a friend who was looking for a watch. We stumbled on a variety of Skagen watches that were perfect and had soft adjustable metallic straps. I was tempted to buy one with a mother-of-pearl inlay but despite the sales assistant’s and my friend’s assurance of how fitting the timepiece was for me, I was glad I listened to my inner voice that told me to go home and consider. On doing that, I had the opportunity to think and review my budget and my needs and wants. I discovered that I had four watches in my drawer, two of which I hardly used. I certainly didn’t need another one, no matter how beautiful it was. I was glad my good sense of judgement saved me US$138. I have used this technique many times in unplanned  shopping expeditions and I must say it worked really well.

Being a minimalist will also include clearing clutter and reducing one’s possessions to free up one’s space and mind. Creating a minimalist workspace and home is one way to invite positive vibes in your life.  It is necessary to figure what is necessary and how to be content with less. One way is to simplify one’s schedule, one’s work, and living a less stressful life.

It is easy to succumb to temptations. Hence, one needs to be disciplined enough to avoid them. I certainly will stick to the above-mentioned methods to uphold my resolution of being an urban minimalist. Well, being the strong-willed me, I am positive I can be one and mind you, sticking to the resolution will give me a sense of self-fulfillment and contentment. So, being the minimalist me starts from now. Do contact me for updates:) 

As I was reading the local papers this morning, I noticed countless advertisements on post-Christmas sales that were splashed all over the pages of the paper. Stores are offering 60-70% off retail prices of items ranging from linens to bags and cookware to winter ware. These sales commence on 26 Dec right up to the first week of January. This is when retailers slash up to 70% off the retail prices of products in order to clear stocks to make way for new inventory for the upcoming year.  Such sales are a great way to buy the items you really need or to stock up and save without having to pay full price. Many people are now choosing the sales that come after Christmas as a means to get merchandise they’ve wanted but couldn’t afford to buy at the regular price. 

Before you read on, check out this youtube on Post-Christmas Sales Mania.    

Check out the local papers as well as the internet to see which stores are having post-Christmas sales and for what duration of time. Then schedule a day or two to visit selected stores where you can find the things you need.

Here is a list of post-Christmas sales strategies I have come up with:

1.  Be prepared with a list of items you need. Write down what you really need so you can just look for these items instead of resorting to buying things that you won’t end up using just because they are marked down. Stick closely to your budget and don’t get lured by items not on your list.

2.   Know beforehand the cost of the items you intend to buy. A lot of people think that a clearance item is a bargain while this may not  

always be the case. Before Christmas, take note of what you’re looking for as well as the actual price for the item. Many stores increase the price and then put a discount to make it look like huge savings.

3.   If you want to get some great deals but you also want a lot of selection, you’ll want to show up in the store pretty early on December

26th. You can get deeper discounts if you wait several days or a week for the stores to mark items all the way down to 75% off. The

down side of waiting is that the item you want may be gone if you wait too long.

4.   You can often find good buys at supermarkets and drug stores a week or two after Christmas because there’s not as much demand for after Christmas items in those stores. For example, the chocolate boxes and fruit cake that comes nicely wrapped as Christmas gifts will not be in demand after Christmas, hence the slashed prices. The same goes for attractively packaged toiletries meant for Christmas. These are indeed good bargains!

5.   Buy new Christmas decorations for next year. This seems obvious to some of us, but if you’ve never thought about it, you can usually get lights, lawn decorations, indoor decorations and other holiday-specific items for 50-75% off right after Christmas.

6. Purchase gifts for birthdays that fall in the early part of the year, anniversaries, weddings or housewarming.  You can often find wonderful gift bath sets, cologne and perfume for men and women, toys, tableware, photo frames and albums.   

7.  If you need linen, towels, clothes and winter wear, the post-Christmas sales offer great deals on such items.  

8.  Find out about the store’s return policy and warranty before you make the purchase. You won’t be saving money if you buy something that cannot be used or returned and you’re stuck with it. Be sure to check with the store for any questions about the product before  buying the product.

Post-Christmas sales are a good way to buy what you really need for the following year and end up with great savings.  Planning and strategizing are important in order to make the most of the sales and avoid traffic congestion and the crowds.  Alternatively, try to shop online for your post Christmas sales. Your local stores and malls are not the only places that offer post-Christmas sales. You’ll find some great bargains online with many of them offering low or free shipping. With online shopping you do not have to worry about long lines and heavy traffic as you can make the purchase from your home. Online shopping is convenient, easy, fun and a great way to take advantage of the sales.

I’ve made a list of the things I need and will be catching the sale on Monday morning. My golden rule is to stick to my budget.