Perfumes and fragrances have been used by many cultures over centuries with one goal in mind: to incorporate fascinating scents that smell really nice. Scents have the power to change your emotions, mood and even elicit good memories. A pleasant fragrance is a sign of goodwill and for others, it is a tool to draw in a potential mate. In the 21st century, scents are also used to define character and personality. For many, wearing a suitable scent is like wearing a piece of clothing. Fragrances have become part of us and their role cannot be underplayed.

Today, you have thousands of choices when it comes to perfumes and colognes. These scents are also readily available over the Internet. To this end, your favorite fragrance is only a click away. Buying perfumes and scents online is easy and convenient. However, to choose the best scent, you must arm yourself with the right information on various scents and their attributes. This guide breaks it all down for you. This way, you can buy a perfume confidently online without smelling it first. To build your buying confidence, start by learning about various fragrances and notes.

What exactly are fragrance notes?

Fragrances are mainly created using three layers of scents. This trinity of notes work together seamlessly and they are; the top note, the middle note and the base note. Every layer of note serves a distinct purpose and below is an explanation on the same.

Top notes

As alluded to above, the topmost scents are perceived first and they are the top notes. They are normally strong scents which evaporate quickly owing to their volatile nature. These notes are commonly described as sharp, strong, fresh and assertive. Some of the most common top notes to find in perfumes and fragrances are ginger and citrus scents.

Middle notes

Once the cover or top notes have evaporated or dissipated, you will smell the middle notes. These scents are therefore seen as the body or the heart of the fragrance. They are also known as heart notes. They are used to mask the base notes which will be highlighted below. After the fragrance has been applied, you will find that middle notes may take 2 minutes to an hour to appear. Rose and lavender scents are the most common middle notes of many fragrances.

Base notes

These notes are known to form the depth of any perfume. After the first two notes can no longer be perceived, the base notes hold the compounds together. These deep scents are usually perceived after 30 minutes because they are heavy in nature. Scents extracted from plant resins, musk and vetiver are some of the top examples of base notes used to create fragrances.

Different kinds of scents and their perfume strengths

Scents will carry different depths and perfume strengths. You may choose a very strong scent or a light one depending on your preference. Below is an overview and classification of various scents to find online.

Splashes – If you really want a light touch of scents, splashes are the best way to do it. They usually contain 1 to 8% perfume. Some people call them mists.

Eau de cologne – These are scents that will carry anywhere between 3 to 8% perfume. They are stronger than splashes and are great for making a bolder statement.

Eau de toilette – These fragrances are much stronger than the above two types. They contain 5 to 15% perfume.

Eau de parfum – If you are looking for a scent that delivers up to 20% perfume, this is a great choice.

Solid perfume – These scents will have up to 15% perfume and come in form of balms. They are usually made from oil and bees wax bases.

The major scents to find in fragrances

A main classification of fragrances categorizes scents into four kinds. This includes citrus, floral, oriental and woodsy scents.

Citrus scents are known for their fresh appeal. They are considered clean and tangy. If you love citrus fruits and how they come across, you might have a liking for citrus fragrances.

Floral scents are mainly rosy and are associated with female perfumes. They are delicate and soft; and having a floral theme can really showcase your personality and give you a feminine appeal.

Woodsy scents will give you very strong and deep notes that are woody. Sandalwood and patchouli notes also have that earthy and woodsy appeal.

If you have a thing for vanilla, musk and oriental resins, then oriental scents are made just for you. They are more powerful than floral and citrus scents and are great for making a strong statement.

How to choose your personal scent

Every person has a preferred scent, just like they have a chosen style of wearing clothing. Indeed, if you are actively wearing fragrances, you have an idea of what pleases you. However, if you are new to scents, it is critical to choose a style that will speak about your persona. The scent should enhance who you are and give you the confidence and vitality. If you are not sure what you like, below are a few tips to get you started in the right direction.

– If you are feminine and prefer something romantic and delicate, you will be more inclined to floral scents. These are some of the most preferred by women and men who want to showcase their femininity. Floral scents are appealing and will ignite the right mood to your delight.

– On the other hand, if you prefer something sexy and edgy, you should look into woodsy scents. This is a sure way to be bold and unapologetic with your notes of choice. Both men and women can find the right sexy scents online.

– For those who adore simplicity, keeping it clean is the right thing to do. Citrus scents will go a long way in helping you display what you are all about. This is certainly a minimalist approach that is bound to boost your presence.

– If you are looking for a contemporary, bold and edgy scent, choosing oriental fragrances will work very well with your agenda. These perfumes are daring and help you highlight your persona as a go-getter and as a fashion-forward person.

The ultimate guide to buying perfumes and fragrances online

1. Choose the scents the suit you best

The guide on scents and notes provided above will help you decide what suits you. In this respect, you want to choose a fragrance at an online store that works for you. If you want to try out new scents, use the information above to land on the most preferred scent. From floral to oriental and citrus, there are so many options available online.

2. Always shop from a trusted online seller

Not all online shops will sell you high quality products. In light of this, you have to be very careful about the platform you use. Some manufacturers will sell their scents directly to you over the Internet. However, many online shops will carry products from an assortment of manufacturers. Read reviews and see what others say about the online retailer. Some due diligence will go a long way in choosing the best shop.

3. Take advantage of sample programs

Yes, there are companies that allow you to smell the perfumes and fragrances first, before buying them online. These programs will see you receive a few samples of the scents available or those you are interested in. Therefore, if you like to shop with the traditional comforts of testing the product first, you can do so before buying perfumes online. Just search for sample programs in your chosen location or area. You really have nothing to lose this way.

4. Consider your budget

Perfumes and fragrances can fit into an array of budgets. Cheaper scents do not necessarily imply low quality. However, some very poor quality scents are sold at a throw-away price by some online shops. Therefore, know the budget you are working with. Then, match your desired product without compromising the quality. If you prefer designer scents, you will definitely have to part with more money. Avoid replicas or counterfeit designer brands. Instead, choose niche brands that have affordable products of the right quality.

5. Get all the fragrance information before buying

As hinted above, you must always know the notes used to create the scent you want. Go a step further to learn about all the ingredients used. Information on application of scents is also crucial. For example, learn about the best summer scents or scents for spring. Look at the product packaging and even branding. All these elements must inform and appeal to you accordingly. Know how to use the scent as well and what to expect with the fragrances therein. An online seller who does not provide comprehensive information in this respect will be doing you a disservice.

6. Get familiar with the return policies

If you need to return the perfume, how do you go about it? This information will be provided in the policy section of the online seller. If it is a good policy that will allow you to get quality products, you should definitely agree to those policies. If you feel like the policies are too rigid, you can use another website to your delight. Also, learn about the shipping duration in addition to the shipping charges.

7. Go for offers and discounts on perfumes and fragrances

Scents that are discounted are great because they save you money. Many online shops will have great deals that you cannot miss. Take full advantage of this even as you test new scents in the market. Also compare scents on various platforms and see the differences that can help you save money. This way, you can determine quality as you read through user reviews on various sites.

Quick fun facts about perfumes

– Scientific evidence has shown that scents can alter your mood for the better. If you want to relax, use lavender and if you want an energy surge, use citrus.

– Animals have provided raw materials to make perfumes for a long time. Examples being musk, honeycomb, civet, castoreum and ambergris. By the way, ambergris is vomit from whales. Derived from the intestines of sperm whales.

– Plants are awesome sources of scents. Seeds, wood, fruits, leaves, resins, roots, barks and lichens can all be used to formulate new scents.

– Perfume is a word derived from the Latin language ‘per fume’ which means ‘through smoke’. In the early days, perfumes were made using spices and herbs including coriander and frankincense.

– The most expensive perfume ever was sold for $1 million. The DKNY Golden Delicious fragrance bottle was created by the noted designer DKNY in collaboration with jewellery designer Martin Katz. The money was donated to charity.

– The perfume industry is worth nearly $50 billion worldwide.

– More and more people are opting to buy their perfumes and fragrances online. This is mainly due to the variety, convenience and access to high quality scents.

Although online shopping has created tough competition for traditional retailers, buyers still have to be very careful when placing orders online. This is the reason many people like to buy from Brick and Mortar stores. They are afraid of being scammed. Therefore, we have put together this article to share with you a few important things to keep in mind when buying online. Read on to find out more.

Check the Seller Authenticity

With the passage of time, more and more online stores are appearing on the internet, and most of them are doing legitimate business. So, you may want to make sure that you buy from authentic online stores. If you want to verify the authenticity of a website, you can choose from a lot of tools.

Online Identity

Apart from checking the credibility of a website, make sure that the website has a verifiable identity. Although it is not possible to eliminate cyber crime from the world wide web, you can take a few easy steps to verify the identity of online retailers.

Payment Method Safety

Once you have confirmed the authenticity as well as the identity of the retailer, your next move is to ensure that the seller offers multiple payment methods. After all, you must be comfortable sharing your credit card numbers with the retailer. Apart from this, the seller should provide a receipt and invoice against each order.

Shipping

With online shopping, it has become a lot easier for buyers to get whatever they want at their doorsteps. Although it is a great service, it can be quite challenging at the same time. Therefore, you may want to check your address to make sure it is correct. If the address is wrong, the goods will be delivered to the wrong address and you may have to face delays.

The Return and Refund Policy

The online store you have selected should have a solid refund and return policy. You can return the goods if they are faulty or don’t meet your needs properly. At times, the retailer forgets to update the website to make sure that the store to reflect the availability of different items. If you have placed an order for an item that is out of stock, you should be able to get a refund. Therefore, you may want to contact the store to know about their refund policy.

Customer Reviews

Lastly, you may want to read online reviews left by other buyers. Based on these reviews, it will be much easier for you to find out what other buyers have to say about the quality of the product. Ideally, you may want to choose products that have a star rating of at least 4.5 out of 5.0.

Long story short, these are just some of the most important things that you want to consider if you are going to buy your desired staff online. The next time you buy something online, make sure you consider these simple pointers and you will always be on the safe side.

Many people believe Family Discount Cruises are nothing more than a myth. This group tends to be more likely the inexperienced, infrequent traveler. If you are interested in booking a family vacation cruise you should disregard this popular myth. Believing that family discount cruises do not exist could cost you a lot of money.

Dismiss the myth. Family Discount Cruises do indeed exist and are saving families thousands of dollars while enjoying fantastic, fun filled vacations aboard some amazing luxurious cruise ships.

No matter the economy, people look for discounts, deals and other ways to lower the cost of their vacation. Today, wise shoppers use coupons and other special offers to save money on goods and services. These same shoppers seeking to save money on groceries and other retail goods can save a good deal of money when booking a cruise vacation.

When booking a family discount cruise, there are a number of different options. Before deciding on your next cruise you should investigate every one of them. You’ll be surprised at how many cruise ship discounts are out there.

The most popular and easiest way to find discounts on a wide range of family cruises and vacations is only one click of the mouse.

Simply do a Google search for “Family Discount Cruises” or “Discounted Cruises” and you will find many resources.

Caveat Emptor!

Don’t make a hasty decision. Delay any bookings until you exhausted all options available. There are different resources at your disposal and you should take your time to investigate all of them.

Discount travel websites are popular for finding discounts on cruise and other vacations. Some well known travel sites are Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz to name a few. With regard to travel websites, you are encouraged to exhaust your search completely before providing them with your personal information.

Some people feel comfortable contacting the cruise line directly, particularly if they are looking to take a last minute cruise. One word of caution here. Be aware that the cruise line will not book your cruise. They will always refer you to contact a professional travel agent..

If you belong to a membership club, you should investigate any deals they may be offering. In addition to roadside vehicle assistance, auto clubs provide special deals on a wide range of vacation travel. Another well respected membership club regularly offer great deals to senior citizens.

One alternative to researching Family Discount Cruises is to work with a professional travel agent. Travelers that work with professional agents do so for the personal attention and service not available with travel websites and membership clubs. These professional travel agents operate locally and online.

Another travel myth is that travel agents rates are higher than their online competitors. This is not true.

That myth is totally unfounded by experience. The professional travel agent industry control a large block of travelers and because of their tremendous buying power they do indeed get preferential treatment from every travel vendor.

Cruise lines rely on the profession agents in order to get more of that agents customers. In fact, some well established and well respected travel agencies receive unbelievable deals that are not available to the general public.

With a small amount of time and research or professional assistance you can easily find many low cost cruises.

Why miss out on the fun and excitement of cruising, when you now know there are plenty of Family Discount Cruises available.

You just have to know where to find them.

Since it’s the third largest city in the US, Chicago is filled with tons of inexpensive hotels. Whether you’re visiting the Windy City for business or entertainment, you have a variety of rooms and suites to choose from. Thanks to the impressive public transportation system, you might not even have to rent a car. Just look for Chicago hotel deals online and compare the rates.

A lot of experts recommend staying in “The Loop”, or downtown area, as it is close to much of the action in the city. Some of the affordable hotels in downtown include Central Loop Hotel, River Hotel, Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront, and Hotel Felix.

You’ll definitely want to visit the “Magnificent Mile”, which is the best place to shop in IL. There is no shortage of name brand shops, luxury boutiques, discount stores, and more. If you are interested in the Chicago Blues scene, consider staying south of the Loop. During June, the Chicago blues Festival fills Grand Park.

You might want to look into Chicago hotel deals at historic buildings like the Whitehall Hotel, Staypineapple at The Alise, The Drake, and Warwick Allerton. These hotels have been around for at least 100 years and offer the perfect mix of historic Chicago with modern amenities. The Palmer House (Hilton) also has a romantic touch and features two popular restaurants, a health club, and spa. It’s also very close to other restaurants and shopping.

A stay near Grand Park might be worth your while if you want to visit sites like the Museum Campus, the Art Institute, Buckingham Fountain, Soldier Field, Shedd Awuarium and Adler Planetarium. A few budget hotels to consider include Chicago’s Essex Inn, Virgin Hotel, Jaslin Hotel, and Holiday Inn Chicago. There are literally 100+ accommodation options within a 2-mile radius around Grand Park, so you shouldn’t have any problems finding Chicago hotel deals in this part of the city.

Recommendations for Chicago Hotel Deals

No Chicago accommodation guide would be complete without mentioning Wrigley Field. If you want to see the Cubs play, a few suggestions include Hotel Versey – Days Inn, Villa D’ Citta, Hotel Lincoln, or The Majestic Hotel. While there are others, these are the ones that offer budget accommodation.

Baseball season isn’t the cheapest time to visit Windy City. If you’re flexible with your dates and don’t mind missing out on seeing the Cubs play, you might want to wait until winter to visit, unless there is a convention in town. The months of January – March tend to be the best times to find Chicago hotel deals. Whenever you decide to book your trip, consider opting for a vacation package that also includes airfare.

Interested in online discount codes? Don’t turn your chance to save a ton of money on your trip. You can find Chicago hotel deals by browsing the site or using the search engine. You can narrow down the results and just look for accommodation in certain areas of the city, or view the options by price.

While perfumes make one smell good and attractive, they tend to be expensive and unaffordable for many. The good side is that there are a number of ways in which you can use to bag your favorite smellies for less:

Go for smell-alike designer brands

Designer brands are usually very expensive. One of the main reasons why the brands are expensive is because the manufacturers tend to spend a lot of money on advertising.

The good side is that there are many other perfumes that smell just like the designer brands but come at cheaper prices.

To find a smell-alike you need to research in the review sites. Here you will see what different people have to say about different fragrances.

If you have a favorite designer brand that you love, you should search for its smell-alike and you will save a lot of money. For example if you love coco mademoiselle (£66.50), you should go for its smell-alike, Lidl suddenly Madam Glamour (£3.99).

Search all major retailers in one click

Due to the need of many people to compare different prices, tech gurus have come up with websites that allow you to compare different prices from the major retailers.

Here you only need to enter the name of the perfume that you are looking for and click “compare”. Clicking on the button provokes the website to search all the major retailers allowing you to quickly find the retailers selling the perfumes at low prices.

Go for unboxed perfumes

Just like every other boxed products, boxed perfumes are usually more expensive than their unboxed counterparts. This means that for you to save money, you should go for the unboxed perfumes.

If you are buying the perfume as a gift and you want it to look elegant, you should buy a nice-looking gift box and put the perfume in it. You can even tie a nice tie around it and it will look very elegant.

Take advantage of coupons and discounts

During weekends or holidays such as Christmas, many sellers tend to use coupons and vouchers to lure customers to buy.

If you have a favorite perfume that you always wanted to buy but always found it expensive, you should visit your local store and see if you can afford it by taking advantage of discounts and coupon codes.

Buy online

Online stores usually sell their products much cheaper than their offline counterparts. The reason for this is that the stores usually don’t need to have pricey shop fronts with fancy displays that are meant to draw you in. The online stores also don’t pay monthly rent; they usually pile their products in warehouses and sell them cheap.

When buying online you need to do a lot of research and identify the stores selling the products at low prices. In addition to prices, you should also compare the sizes of the fragrance bottles.

Scout out for extra gifts

Many stores usually offer extra gifts with the perfume especially around the New Year and Christmas. Before you buy your perfume you should look out for free gift deals.

Stores offering the “free gifts” usually require you to buy gift sets which include the fragrance. The most amazing thing is that the gift sets usually tend to be much cheaper than the fragrance alone.

If you are unsure of where you can get stores offering the gift sets, you should go online. Here you will find many search tools that will allow you to easily find the gift sets within your budget.

These are the tips that you should put in place for you to buy the perfumes at low prices. When buying you should be careful and ensure that you buy them from reputable stores that won’t rip you off.

Lots of people have seen the benefits of ordering stuff online. This also includes ordering food and getting them delivered straight to your home. Most fast food chains now incorporate online ordering into their services and even restaurants are getting into the act. Perhaps you have even experienced doing this at one point. So perhaps, you may also be aware of the advantages that come with ordering your food online which also goes the same for other non-food items. For one, the virtual realm doesn’t sleep, unlike the actual marketplace. Hence, you can place your order at any time, although there are some stores that probably won’t delivery 24/7.

Second, nothing beats the comfort of doing your shopping online, especially your groceries. Lots of housewives have switched to doing this because it allows them time to do their other chores. Instead of wasting time rushing off to the supermarket and waiting long lines, you can just load up your online shopping cart, checkout the items, and wait for them to delivered straight to your doorstep. Third, you get to score lots of great discounts and possibly get your food items at way cheaper prices than in the supermarket. It’s especially true if you’re diligent in scouring the virtual marketplace for discount coupons, promo codes, and other hot deal. Plus, if you’re a first-time customer, lots of online stores love to give complimentary discounts as well.

However, as much as there are lots of benefits, there are also a few drawbacks. We cannot help having them because this is the virtual world after all. In other words, these risks come with the territory. One, you cannot really see the items in actual. When it comes to groceries, this can sometimes be a bit vital. You cannot check the labels for expiry dates, ingredients, and such. So to remedy the situation, stick with those online stores that actually provide complete product descriptions. It’s also highly recommended to do your shopping in general with trustworthy sites. The risk is even greater if you’re trying out a new product, so it’s good to check out sites giving away free samples first. Two, you cannot transact with actual cash. This can present a bit of an inconvenience, especially if you’re trying to refrain from using your credit card.

Nonetheless, a lot of food chains and restaurants allow cash-on-delivery orders. Some online stores selling groceries do as well. But these would usually apply to those stores which are within your neighborhood. This means that if you are going to order non-perishable food items, like maybe canned goods or candies and chocolates and they have to be shipped from outside your area, then you definitely cannot pay with cash. Lastly, even with today’s sophisticated technology, there are still glitches when it comes to paying for your food items online. Errors in billing are pretty common, even when seemingly secured channels are being used. Of course, established online stores will refund you, but you still have to go through some steps. So, just exercise the necessary caution needed when ordering anything online.

One of the biggest costs associated with dog ownership is food. Some expenses are negotiable. Your dog will probably sleep just as comfortably on an old, folded up comforter as that expensive memory foam dog bed, but good food is a necessity.

To keep dogs happy and healthy, owners should provide them with food made from high quality ingredients that meet the lifestyle requirements of the individual pet (e.g., puppies need puppy food and overweight pets should be on calorie-restricted diets). There is an element of “you get what you pay for” with dog food, so higher quality foods do tend to be more expensive. But, with just a little bit of effort, owners can save a lot of money without compromising their pets’ health. Here’s how.

Pick Your Dog Food Wisely

Dogs do best when they are on a consistent diet. People like variety in their meals, but there is no benefit to constantly switching the type of food you feed your dog. This can also increase the risk that a dog will become finicky, always waiting for the next tasty tidbit that will come with tomorrow’s meal.

Most dogs thrive when they eat high quality, but not necessarily super-premium dog foods. If you don’t eat organic, does your dog need to? And some manufacturers spend an awful lot of money on marketing niche products, for example foods that are supposedly designed for particular breeds. You pay a premium for these formulations, but in all honesty, they are overkill for most individuals within the breed.

So look for a dog food that is moderately priced but still contains ingredients that sound like real food. Two brands that fall into this category are Iams and Purina One. These products also have the advantage of being widely available.

Comparison Shopping and Coupons

Once you have found a food that works well for your dog, comparison shop. Prices can vary widely between retailers. Consider becoming a member of a wholesale operation like Costco or Sam’s Club. These companies will usually let you into their facilities as a guest so you can check out what they offer. Walmart, Target, and Kmart also tend to have good prices on pet food, as can the large pet retailers like Petsmart and Petco. In general, you will pay more for food at the smaller pet boutiques, but they do tend to carry a wider selection of premium or specialty pet foods. Don’t forget to sign up for any reward programs that the stores offer.

Watch for advertisements run by your local retailers; dog food often goes on sale. And keep your eyes open for coupons. Online sites like retailmenot.com or couponcabin.com are a good way to keep on top of current offers. Simply Googling your dog food’s name with the word “coupon” is another simple way to see what’s available. The manufacturer’s own website is another excellent resource. Many offer coupons to encourage people to try their products.

Stock up

If you’ve found an excellent price on your dog’s food, stock up if you have the storage space. Most pet foods have a shelf life of around a year. Check the expiration date on the bag, and buy as much as you think your pet will eat by that time. As a general rule of thumb, larger bags of food are much less expensive by weight and volume in comparison to the smaller bags, and dry food is always cheaper than canned.

Don’t Forget the Internet

While many of us use the internet to shop, buying pet food online is in its infancy. But, this can be a convenient and cheap way to get many of your pet supplies, including food.

The big comparison shopping sites like nextag.com and shopping.yahoo.com are a great way to find the lowest prices on food. Simply type in the exact product you are looking for, and voila, up pops all the information you need. Make sure that you are comparing apples to apples, however. Look that the prices all correspond to the same size bag of food and don’t forget to add in shipping costs for those sites that don’t offer free shipping and tax, if applicable.

Amazon.com offers a wide selection of pet food, as do the major pet retailers petco.com and petsmart.com. Other options to consider include petfooddirect.com, petflow.com, 1800petmeds.com, and nationalpetpharmacy.com. If you are having trouble finding a website where you can order your dog’s food, go to the manufacturer’s website. Many have links to retailers that offer their foods.

Beware, however of fly-by-night websites. Shop only from reputable retailers to ensure you receive high quality products, not knock-offs. The websites should have a prominently displayed customer service phone number. Call and ask a few questions. You just want to get a feel for their legitimacy and customer service. You can also see customer ratings on sites such as Yelp.com or look up a company on the Better Business Bureau’s website bbb.org.

Special Situations

Some dogs do require very specific diets to manage medical problems, and these products tend to be more expensive than typical dog foods. If your pet is on a prescription diet, you can still shop around. You do not have to buy the food directly from your veterinarian; he or she must provide you with a written prescription if you ask for one. Many of the websites mentioned above (e.g., petfooddirect.com and nationalpetpharmacy.com) sell both over the counter and prescription diets.

If you feed your dog a homemade diet, use the same techniques to reduce cost that you use when shopping for your own groceries. When meat goes on sale, buy a lot and freeze it. Frozen vegetables can be used in place of fresh and stored for much longer periods of times. But don’t be tempted to buy low quality ingredients or make unapproved substitutions to what would otherwise be a nutritionally balanced recipe. These types of changes may save money in the short term, but often lead to health problems and expensive treatments in the long run.

In conclusion, you never want to skimp on your dog’s food, but there is nothing wrong with spending your money wisely.

Most of the personal finance books and blogs talk of saving money by being a smart and frugal shopper by using coupons, buying one get one free, perusing sales circulars or checking in to the merchants phone apps; but I have yet to read any advice on what to actually do with the amount of money that you save.

If I just merely acknowledged that I saved half-off retail price on a pair of sneakers which is about a $40 savings then that’s one thing, but that just keeps the balance on my checking account higher by $40. I would probably just find another item to spend that $40 on since it is technically free right? Get more retail bang for my buck so to speak.

Instead my hack strategy recommendation is to discipline yourself to sweep that $40 you save into your savings account.

Here is an example, I just saved close to $23 on my last trip to the grocery store via coupons, store sales and using the grocery stores club card. The amount that I saved is right on my receipt $22.84. I use my rewards credit card to capitalize on getting some travelers miles which I will pay off as soon as possible when I get home. But while at the grocery store I use my phone to transfer that $22.84 that I would have spent had I paid full retail and that goes fright from my checking account to my savings account.

I make it a habit to earmark these savings whether I save $2.25 or $100+ when it comes to money and savings, small amounts no matter how small you may think will eventually add up to tangible results. This strategy has enabled me to really “beef up” my savings account and it is a painless way to save as well.

To be able to do this you will need

1. A checking account as well as a linked savings account preferably from the same bank or credit union

2. Your bank or credit union must have online banking so you may transfer money from your checking to your savings. Ideally if your bank has a phone app that allows transfers then that is even better. You do not want to wait that long to make your savings transfer; do it while the feeling of victory of saving money is still fresh.

Think of it as a score-card for showing how much you save on purchases.

If you are planning to buy a new car, you can either go to your friends who can recommend a good car company or just do it yourself. Nowadays, there is a new trend with regard to buying cars-and that is buying them online. This is the fastest way of buying a car. You do not need to go to the car stores yourself. Buying online only needs a little time surfing the Internet. Plus, you will not have to leave the comforts of your home.

However, just like any other venture, buying a car online has its advantages and disadvantages. It is important that you be aware with regard to this matter. Having the right knowledge with regard to this will guarantee a quality choice of buying a car.

Advantages of Buying a Car Online

*It saves you time and money

Yes, online buying of cars will save you money. You do not need to go to nearby car outlets. All you need to do is to open your computer and surf the Internet. It requires less time and less effort and means lesser money spent. The lesser the money you spend, the better. You can instead invest you money on some other expenses like the maintenance of your car.

*Wide choice of cars styles

Online purchasing offers you a wide array of options to choose from. Different styles of cars are offered even just on one site. A site contains almost all the new and unique models of the time. It always has the trendiest options. Online purchasing provides you with a wide range of choices with just a click of a button.

Disadvantages of buying car online

*You can’t test drive the car or check its exterior and interior parts

This the major disadvantage of buying a car online. You can’t hold or test the car yourself. Testing is a very important because it will determine if the car is at par with other when it comes to performance. If you cannot test it, how sure are you that it will work well? You also can’t examine by the quality of the car parts firsthand as compared to going to nearby car outlets and examining the car of your choice.

*Risks of not knowing the supplier

This is also one of the dangers of buying a car online. You have to be sure that the company or site isn’t into fraud. Online buying includes widespread swindling that victimizes thousands of people around the world. Check the site for authenticity before buying anything.

*Spending more money in shipping fees

Shipping fees and taxes are sometimes not included in the prices that are posted on the website. This is a risk in buying online. Instead of saving money, you may end up spending more.

Put the aforementioned into consideration before purchasing online and you can be sure to have a well-thought decision.

Golf can and should be affordable to everyone. The personal enjoyment and life lessons golf provides often make it a transformational experience for those who are lucky enough to have the opportunity. It is time to spend less on golf, and open that opportunity to a much wider group of people. In my first article, I will explore ways to do exactly that.

Here are 3 ways to bring the high cost of golf back down to Earth.

1) Buy used equipment. Equipment is very important in golf so if your budget is small, please don’t go out and purchase off-brand clubs just because they’re shiny and new. You’re almost always sacrificing quality when you’re buying cheap new clubs. Trust me your game will suffer for it. You’ll be much better off waiting for the right deal on a used set. There are classic designs like the old Ping i2 irons that will surely outperform cheap new starter sets. Golfsmith pre-owned, Craigslist, eBay, and your local pro-shop are some good places to start when looking for affordable used clubs. I recommend going in to a golfsmith or equivalent (TGW etc.) so that you can narrow your search by hitting clubs in person. They generally have good used deals but you will usually get a better value in a non-retail environment like eBay, Craigslist, or your local golf course. When I first started, I was using some dirty old 1970s blades (blades is a generous term), with an old-school red plaid bag that resembled something more like an arrow quiver made from a red Scottish kilt. At the time, I had no idea why I was getting so many comments and jokes from random people at the course; then again I had no idea the difference between a 5 iron and a 9 iron. Luckily, I ran into the PGA Golf Pro who helped straighten me out after having a good chuckle at my “equipment”. He ended up being very helpful and just happened to have a $50 set of irons that he was selling for one of his clients. The client had recently upgraded and left his old clubs for the Pro to sell in the pro shop. This is not uncommon; sort of like a mechanic helping to sell a client’s car. So get out there and find a great set of used golf clubs at your local course, golf retailers, or on the internet. Golfsmith is still one of the best places to test a variety of used clubs.

2) Hit thrift stores to save money on attire. You may be surprised, but literally EVERY thrift store I’ve ever been to has $30 – $80 golf shirts for $3-$6. Think about it, a relatively high percentage of golfers have a lot of money. What do rich people do with their lightly used stuff? Give to Charity. The great thing is, there’s not a lot of competition at these places for golf attire. Golfers just don’t shop at thrift stores and non-golfers don’t know that some of these shirts retail for $80 bucks. So, here’s what you do:

a. Go to your local thrift store

b. Hit the racks that have polos and slacks and search one by one for the highest material quality and best brands. You’ll find a lot more put-backs than keepers, but there will be gems in there if you can spot them.

c. Make sure you wash the clothes well before wearing.

d. Now it’s time to step on the course looking like a million bucks. Remember, no one knows it’s second hand; they just know you have good taste when it comes to golf clothes.

Saturdays are often good days to go thrifting and will usually have strong potential for sales. Thrifting is all about having fun and searching for things that are undervalued. Be prepared to leave empty-handed; there aren’t amazing finds every time. If you get skunked, don’t let that discourage you – just check back after they get a couple of new shipments in. Trust me, you’ll save money, look great, and have fun doing it.

3) Get creative with your rounds and your practice – it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money every time. When you want to play the course, play twighlight golf in the evening. Most golf courses charge significantly less in the evening. Many courses also will let twighlighters play until dark – so if you move quickly, you can get extra holes in. Cheaper rates for extra holes? Now that’s making your dollar stretch.

When it comes to practice, spend time going to the course to work on just chipping and putting. This is absolutely FREE and essential to become a better golfer. It will help your scores improve, increase your enjoyment, and ultimately save you money. When you’re at the driving range, take your time and make each ball count because you’re paying roughly 5-10 cents for each one (usually $3-$4 for a bucket of 30-50 balls depending on location). To get the most out of every ball, make sure to take several practice swings and visualize hitting the ball on each of these. The goal is to get the same feedback from your practice swings as you do from actually hitting. This can essentially give you 2-3 times more impact from your practice, without spending more money. Practice smart to become a better golfer and save money doing it.

Until next time, stay thrifty my friends —

The Thrifty Golfer