Today’s post comes to you after a recent conversation I had with a friend about saving money. We were discussing the use of coupons to save on everyday items such as groceries and household items when my friend mentioned that she has a hard time finding discounts on bigger items she needs for her household because they aren’t the type of items that normally come along with coupons. An example of this is when she needed a new dryer. It was a buy she needed to make immediately, but none of our local stores were running sales at the time.
Sales can be great, but they are not the only way to save money on big ticket items. Today I thought I would share a few tips with you on how we save money on everything from furniture to car parts and everything in between.
Consider The Floor Model:
Start with your local stores. If you’re looking for a particular item such as a couch call your local furniture stores and ask about any display models they are willing to sell. Many times when stores bring in new shipments they change out the display models, and you can pick one up at a great discount. As always make sure you inspect the piece of furniture before bringing it home, but in most cases you can pick up a couch, chair, or many other pieces of furniture that do not look like they were ever used on the floor. I’ve saved hundreds doing this!
Also ask about models that are being discontinued. Discontinued leftovers can often be purchased for discounts even if the store still has a nice stock left.
Purchase Wholesale:
If you’re looking for household items that you use regularly at a discount look for a wholesaler. This can range from wholesaler club stores to mail order and online wholesalers. One misconception about wholesalers is that you must be a business to receive the discounted prices and you must purchase bulk items. This isn't true at all. I've called many wholesalers to see if they will sell directly to me, and most of the time they will. You just need to ask! I've purchased DVDs, brake pads, baby supplies, and cleaning supplies from wholesalers for great discounts without ever having to buy in bulk.
Pick Up A Scratch & Dent:
When looking for appliances you can save mega bucks by checking out the scratch and dent section. Most home improvement stores and larger appliance stores have a scratch and dent section, and these are items that are greatly discounted due to cosmetic defects. Don’t let the words “cosmetic defects” scare you because you’ll be surprised at what you might find. We found a refrigerator discounted $1000 because it had one small ding in the side. Because the fridge was black you didn’t notice the small ding unless it was pointed out to you!
Scratch and dent sections can also contain items that arrived at the store in packaging that was damaged, but the appliance is in perfect working order. My washer was in perfect shape when I purchased it, but because the packaging was pretty much destroyed during shipment the washer was discounted $400!
When purchasing a scratch and dent item ask the store about warranties and return policies. Most will supply a 30 day limited warranty or return policy, and the manufacturer’s warranty is still good as long as the damage is only cosmetic.
