Clothing

If you just have to have the new fashion before it goes on sale, work the system. At the beginning of a season it can be hard to find a discount better than 20-30% off. Buy from a store with a...

If you just have to have the new fashion before it goes on sale, work the system. At the beginning of a season it can be hard to find a discount better than 20-30% off. Buy from a store with a liberal return policy - try for 90-180 days. Hold onto your receipts and when your clothes are 50-70% off at the end of the season, go back to the store and ask to do a "return and rebuy." This way they will return your original purchase (at the price you paid before) and let you "rebuy" it at the new, lower price. The result for you? A credit back to your card, or store credit for your next purchase. Another option which your store may allow: buy the item at the clearance price, and come back another time with your original receipt (from the first purchase) to make a return. Just be aware not all stores allow this practice, and some don't allow returns on clearance items, so be sure to review the policy first. Many store clerks don't mind helping you get the best deal so just ask them for advice.

Between retailer sales, coupons, online cash back programs, and more, there's no excuse for getting stuck paying full price. If you find yourself at a store with no discount in hand, ask a store...

Between retailer sales, coupons, online cash back programs, and more, there's no excuse for getting stuck paying full price. If you find yourself at a store with no discount in hand, ask a store associate. Often they have extra coupons nearby or another special discount they can offer, especially if you say you will otherwise have to leave to come back another time. If you just can't resist, be sure to note the store's return policy and keep the tags on your garments until you are ready to wear them. In the meantime, try to find your coupon and make a return trip to the store. Ask them to apply the discount to the purchase you already made.

Shoppers who have The LOZO know to always try to use coupons whenever they make a purchase. Some stores are quite stingy with the coupons they offer, so you're happy to get your hands on any of them....

Shoppers who have The LOZO know to always try to use coupons whenever they make a purchase. Some stores are quite stingy with the coupons they offer, so you're happy to get your hands on any of them. But some stores are known for frequently issuing coupons with various discounts and minimum spend thresholds, so you might have several available at your fingertips. So the question then becomes, "how do you maximize your coupons to save as much as possible?" LOZO has the answer!

Most stores have a policy that you can only use one coupon per transaction, so to get the best discount you'll have to split up your purchases. If a store is not busy they are usually happy to ring up the transactions separately at the register, one after another. In other cases you might need to take separate trips or go back in line. Once you figure out what the extra savings will be worth, you can decide whether to go through any extra hassle.

The first thing you need to do is assess the value of each coupon to figure out which is worth the most. That's easy to do when you are comparing coupons like $5 off $25 vs. $10 off $25, but harder when the coupons are in different "flavors".

LOZO recommends first adjusting everything to the equivalent "percentage discount" so you can compare apples to apples.

Then you start by trying to use up the best coupon first. There are a couple of cases when this approach might not be the best strategy for you, so we recommend double-checking before you checkout!

Click on this tip to read more details and see some real examples in action.

You've probably seen offers that look something like this: 20% off $25 in merchandise OR 30% off $40, OR 40% off $60. The industry term for this is a "tiered offer" since you have...

You've probably seen offers that look something like this: 20% off $25 in merchandise OR 30% off $40, OR 40% off $60. The industry term for this is a "tiered offer" since you have different tiers you can climb to get to each next savings level.

Generally speaking it is very worthwhile to try to get to the top tier of these promotions, because your savings rate effectively multiplies on the extra items you add to your bag to hit the tier. For example, the extra $20 in items to get to the highest tier only ends up costing you $8 more -- that's like getting 60% off the extra items!

Now it's generally not a good idea to buy something just because you have a coupon or other type of discount. But it helps to do the math so you at least know what the real cost will be for the extra items. In cases like this the extra 60% savings might be too good to pass up. It can be a good opportunity to add an item to your basket that you were going to buy at some point anyway, or one that you know you might have to return.

Typically if you return an item in an offer like this, you won't fall back into the lower tier.  So if you bought $60 in items and got the 40% off, then decide to return half of the order, you still end up with 40% off the items you hold on to.  Check with your store as to whether this violates their policy but traditionally this has been an allowable practice.

So how much can you save by maximizing the tiered offers?

Suppose you shop three times in Tier 1 (20% off), each time with $75 in your basket. You'll end up paying $60 for those items over the three trips. If you instead buy all $75 at once making you eligible for Tier 3 (40% off) you'll pay just $45 for the same items. That's a 25% extra savings! If you spend $300 annually for you and your family with offers like this, that extra savings adds up to $75 per year!

It seems like summer has only just begun and, yet—believe it or not—it’s time to start planning so you can get the best savings on all your back-to-school supplies.

Since it is summer,...

It seems like summer has only just begun and, yet—believe it or not—it’s time to start planning so you can get the best savings on all your back-to-school supplies.

Since it is summer, though, we’ve tried to make this as easy as possible for you by compiling all of the best back-to-school tips right here, in one place. So, grab yourself a nice cold glass of lemonade (or iced tea or beer or whatever floats your boat) and get comfortable… we’re about to make your back-to-school planning as easy as it gets.

Oh and a quick note: this article focuses on getting the younger ones ready for school. If you’re looking for money-saving tips for the college-bound kids in your life, check out our education section.

Ok, have you got your beverage of choice? Are you comfortable? Good. Here we go:

1. Separate the “Must Haves” from the “Nice to Haves”: First things first, make a list of what your kids actually need. Now, the emphasis here is on need. If their sneakers are in tatters, sneaks go on the list as a “must have”. If they’re just a bit worn, list them as “nice to have”. If you’ve got the budget to get new ones, great. If not, you’ll know that these can wait until next year (or even later this year) if you need to. The same goes for school supplies too. Hopefully, your children’s teachers will give you a list of supplies that are necessary. Even better if they identify the items that are needed versus those that are optional. If a teacher hasn’t done this, don’t be shy about asking.
2. Create a budget: Ok, I know I’ve probably lost some of you on this one. You’re probably saying, “Wait a minute? Didn’t this guy just tell me I should relax?! How am I supposed to relax when he’s talking about budgets?!” Take a deep breath. Take a sip of that lemonade. And now, let’s ease into this. Creating a budget doesn’t need to be painful. Honest. Give yourself some leeway and keep it simple. Step 1: quickly rattle through your list and jot down what you think each item will cost. Don’t worry if you’re right or wrong—all we need right now is a ballpark, so take your best guess, jot it down and keep moving. Step 2: Add up all the items on your list and see how the cost compares to what you can actually afford to spend. Step 3: Re-visit that list and see where you can scale back (for example, maybe you can find those boy’s sneakers for $19 instead of $25). Ok. At this point, some of you are probably within your budget. If so, congrats! If not… don’t worry about it for now! Put the list aside and keep reading. The rest of these tips will help you get those costs down to something more manageable.
3. Take advantage of amazing back-to-school doorbuster-quality deals (without getting suckered into the not-so-amazing deals): Most of the big brand stores—whether it’s for clothing or for office and school supplies—will run weekly deals leading up to the start of school. Here’s their trick: they advertise a HUGE deal each week, such as 1 cent pencils and 10 cent notebooks. These deals are so good, the store actually takes a loss on the sale. Why on earth do they do this? Because they plan to entice you in with the HUGE deal and then get you to spend the rest of your budget on the not-so-huge deals. Don’t fall into that trap! Instead, scan all the weekly listings and hit the stores that have the best prices on the items you need. You can stock up on most items for next-to-nothing. We don't recommend incurring extra expenses for gas or wasting a lot of time, but if it's convenient, hit these stores every week and stock up on all of the inexpensive items and pretty soon you'll have covered just about everything on your list without spending much at all.  If you see other good deals along with the huge deals, go&

These three tips will put you ahead of the virtual pack for your online shopping!

Tip #1: Fill your cart (or list) in advance! With doorbusters online you need to buy fast to get in before...

These three tips will put you ahead of the virtual pack for your online shopping!

Tip #1: Fill your cart (or list) in advance!

With doorbusters online you need to buy fast to get in before the inventory runs out. Save time by filling your online shopping cart in advance of the sale, and setting up an account with your address & payment info. If you can't add the item to your cart, trying creating a shopping list instead. Check back in once the sale goes live, and the prices should update automatically. Now you can checkout in the virtual express lane!

Filling your cart is also a great way to find sales you might not have even known about. Add any items you have your eye on, then see if the price changes in your favor!

Tip #2: Don't forget cash back & coupons!

In the mad rush to visit each online stores, you might leave some easy cash on the table. Before you visit the site, use one of these links to access your stores. You'll still get all of the same deals, plus a bonus cash back rebate automatically posted to your Ebates account after you purchase.

Here are quick cash back links to three popular stores: Walmart, Best Buy, Sears.
Find all cash back offers here.

And not to sound like a broken record, but ALWAYS USE A COUPON!

Find all the latest coupons here.

Tip #3: Sign up for alerts!

One great way to find out when your treasured item is online and ready for purchase is to setup an email alert (you can find a link on individual product pages of many online stores). Sign up for alerts for all of the doorbuster and other hot deals you're after and get notified when it's available. It's not a perfect system - sometimes the alerts can be delayed by crucial minutes - but a nice alternative if you'd rather not spend hours refreshing the pages by hand!

Happy Thanksgiving, and Happy Shopping!

Holiday discounts have been around for weeks, and the terms “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” have been more than a little overused this year. We expect this to continue with promotions like...

Holiday discounts have been around for weeks, and the terms “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” have been more than a little overused this year. We expect this to continue with promotions like “the return of BF/CM” deals, right through the Christmas holiday.

All that said, you can still expect to find some new deals on the upcoming “real” Cyber Monday—the Monday following Thanksgiving—when online stores offer deals to e-shoppers who still have some things left on their list.

This is our complete guide to getting the best Cyber Monday deals, including classic tips that'll save you money year-round and some tips specifically for Cyber Monday.

Part two of our guide to Black Friday, covering everything you need to know to get the best deals with the least possible hassle. Whether you're planning to hit the stores or shop online from the...

Part two of our guide to Black Friday, covering everything you need to know to get the best deals with the least possible hassle. Whether you're planning to hit the stores or shop online from the comfort of your home, we've got the tips that'll help you save time and money.

From Buxr.com on 05/17/13 Take $20 off a $40 or more purchase with coupon code at checkout. Exclusions may apply. TOG Shop makes it easy to shop for brands you trust, including Foxcroft, Leon...

From Buxr.com on 05/17/13

Take $20 off a $40 or more purchase with coupon code at checkout.

Exclusions may apply.

TOG Shop makes it easy to shop for brands you trust,
including Foxcroft, Leon Levin, Koret, Alfred Dunner, London Fog and more

From Buxr.com on 05/17/13 Save an Extra 40% off Sale Styles with coupon code. Sale styles already reduced up to 70% off. Discount applies to $0.97 styles only..
How to Get the deal: Free...

From Buxr.com on 05/17/13

Save an Extra 40% off Sale Styles with coupon code.
Sale styles already reduced up to 70% off. Discount applies to $0.97 styles only..
How to Get the deal: Free Shipping on orders over $50

From Buxr.com on 05/17/13 Take 25% Off $50+, 20% Off $40+ OR 15% Off Everything with code BUY2SAVE. RUUM offers top quality clothing for boys, girls & toddlers with bright colors to help brighten...

From Buxr.com on 05/17/13

Take 25% Off $50+, 20% Off $40+ OR 15% Off Everything with code BUY2SAVE. RUUM offers top quality clothing for boys, girls & toddlers with bright colors to help brighten their day! Free shipping over $77

From Buxr.com on 05/17/13 Take 25% Off $50+, 20% Off $40+ OR 15% Off Everything with code BUY2SAVE. RUUM offers top quality clothing for boys, girls & toddlers with bright colors to help brighten...

From Buxr.com on 05/17/13

Take 25% Off $50+, 20% Off $40+ OR 15% Off Everything with code BUY2SAVE. RUUM offers top quality clothing for boys, girls & toddlers with bright colors to help brighten their day! Free shipping over $77