Finding Bargains while Shopping for Antiques - Part 2 of 2

Posted by savingmoneyexpert
June 30th, 2009

For most antique shop owners, money talks so carry plenty of cash when you go out looking for antiques. This way they don’t have to mess with credit card transactions that cost them money. Many of the older antique stores are hesitant to take personal checks, especially if you are from out of town. Showing that you do have the cash with you in an unobvious way is also helpful. For example, you can count it and then say will you take $100 for it, that is all I have with me today.

It is important to remember that you will be purchasing antiques in the condition they are in. Make sure you take the time to thoroughly examine what you are purchasing. You don’t want to get home and discover what you thought was a great bargain is nothing but junk. Most antique dealers take pride in offering quality items but you still need to check. You will be disappointed if you think you are going to take home an antique in mint condition for a very low price though.

If you are looking for certain antiques, take a look around online to get a good idea of what the going price is for them. Try to negotiate something that is about 25% less than the rates you find online. Don’t be afraid to ask the antique shop owner to cut you a better price. It helps if you say something along the lines of “would you accept $100 for this”? Instead of “can you lower the price”? It definitely helps you get what you want if you are assertive but not going overboard.

Tags: Antique Shopping

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Finding Bargains while Shopping for Antiques - Part 1 of 2

Posted by savingmoneyexpert
June 26th, 2009

Many people have the misconception that antiques cost more than they can afford. Shopping for antiques is a great way to spend a free afternoon and you may be surprised at how many good bargains you come across. The hardest thing is many people don’t know the true value of the particular item they are looking at in an antique shop.

It may have caught their attention because of the style of it or it brings back happy memories. You never really know if the shop owner is trying to up the price or if you are already getting a good deal. Since you can’t quickly go to another store and compare the price you pretty much have to decide the maximum you are willing to pay for an item and then walk away if the negations don’t work in your favor.

It is a good idea to do some checking into the reputation of a given antique dealer before you even step foot into their store. You will find you are able to get good deals on antiques when you get to know the owner of the store. If you are a frequent shopper in the store you can build a good relationship. Brining in other customers to the store is something that will get noticed as well. The owner of the antique store will want to work with you on items so that you keep generating more business for them.

You will be able to negotiate the price for what you want if the antique shop is operated by the owner and not several different employees. Even though you will find more selection at antique malls, you won’t be able to negotiate the prices as much. Small antique shops can generally offer you some history on the pieces you are the most interested in.

Tags: Antique Shopping

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Finding a Bargain on a New Vehicle (4/4)

Posted by savingmoneyexpert
June 24th, 2009

New vehicles often end up with a scratch or a dent in them soon after you buy them. While this can be very upsetting you really can’t do much about it. Someone leaving their shopping cart in the parking lot of the store can result in the wind running it into your vehicle. You can find great deals of new vehicles that have some body damage such as small scratches and even hail damage from a recent storm. In most cases you will save several times what it costs you to repair the damage.

To motivate customers to make a purchase of a new vehicle instead of just looking many dealerships offer incentives like 0% financing and cash back. Make sure you find out all the details of such promotions as they may be a good way to save money or they may cost you more in the long run. Take the time to calculate all the possible scenarios so that you get the bargain you were after with your new vehicle purchase.

Tags: shopping for a new vehicle

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Finding a Bargain on a New Vehicle (3/4)

Posted by savingmoneyexpert
June 18th, 2009

October is a very good time of year to start considering the purchase of a new vehicle. This is because they want to start clearing out vehicles on the lot to make room for the next year’s models that will soon be arriving. Since many vehicle dealerships don’t see much in the way of sales over winter due to the cold and the holiday season, they are more likely to present you with the deal of the century to make the sell.

If you see other sales around the holidays they may be a good time to save money as well. The key to making sure it is a bargain is to make sure the cost hasn’t been inflated or your interest rated jacked up a percent or two to cover the promotional cost of the vehicle. Too many people get caught up in what they see on the windshield of a vehicle rather than looking at the big picture.

Tags: shopping for a new vehicle

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Finding a Bargain on a New Vehicle (2/4)

Posted by savingmoneyexpert
June 10th, 2009

There are a variety of ways to find out the book value on a particular vehicle. You can go to www.NADA.com or www.KellyBlueBook.com. You can get a very detailed price by listing the make of the vehicle, the various accessories it offers, and the mileage. This information will help you find the lowest price you can expect to purchase that vehicle for.

Next, take a close look at your credit report so you know exactly what interest rate you can expect on a new vehicle. This way you don’t waste your time haggling with the sales. See what they offer you for a price and financing before you bring your information into play. If they match or beat it then great. If they want to give you higher price or interest rate, present your researched information. If they won’t sell you the vehicle for that price with that interest rate then go somewhere else.

Tags: shopping for a new vehicle

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