5 Saving money methods that may not work.

Impulse buy offers are not just limited to the items in the check out line. These five saving money methods bank on your impulses and may not always work.


1. Free Shipping.
The company may have added the shipping cost to the price. Find out where the item may be found locally or other places online for less. Many well known brands have a store locator button on their website. Keep in mind also, online companies ask for credit card information.

 
2. Free trials and first time customer sales.
It’s like a relationship, they show a good first impression, but over time you find flaws. This is also the obligation guilt tacti: “…look what we gave you, you should give us back something.”, preferably through buying.

Ask questions such as: when does the free trial start? Are they including business days, when you received the offer and do they offer any other satisfaction guarantee policies? 


3. Automatic Withdrawals (ACH) for bills and payments.
Are you sending a certain amount or does the company take any amount? Prices change. If you send a certain amount, you can get a past due notice. If the company takes any amount, errors can happen. The cost of their convenience could turn out to be more in price and time to fix and they have your account information.

If they offer a better rate only if you do it, ask them for that rate anyways, they can say no, but now you know they are able to give that rate and you may choose to go elsewhere for a better deal.


4. Coupons and Clubs
Coupons are designed to make you look at more items to consider buying more. How much time did you spend to find and collect coupons towards your next growing shopping trip? If you have brand loyalty, check to see if their website has an online coupon too.

Clubs send you constant notices on all the items in their latest offer. Minimize the memberships, including the cards that go with it. It’s another card to carry and runs the risk of it being lost or stolen. Instead, ask if your photo ID is all that is needed. Most times, it’s sufficient to do an account look up in person. 

Your information is now in their database and they can sell that list to other marketers, who may solicit more items to you. 

5. Group rates
Unless it’s guaranteed all parties involved are willing to pay and able to follow through, it doesn’t work. Call the company offering the group rate to find out their requirements. See if people can come as a group and pay the company directly. This can minimize loss of giving one person collecting money before or giving your information, including credit card numbers online. Create a sign up sheet, try to get more than the required amount to cover the one or two who may not follow through. And plan more than a month ahead. 

Group rates lure you to buy more. For example: two for one deals and ten and more discount examples. Even the frequent buyer punch cards with a reward at the end, entices you to the ultimate prize, in order to get the discount or prize at the end, you have to buy a lot.


 A lot of these impulse offers aren’t necessarily cost effective unless you pause to re-consider if it will be worth it.