The Internet is both a good and bad thing for shoppers. I can do it whenever I want, it's very convenient, and I can do it from the comfort of my own home. I save time, gas and time. What could be better?
The same things that make online shopping so great are also what make it so bad for the budget or my financial goals. If there is a down time, I can just browse sites and see what is out there. It's so easy to buy, I can just browse, select and then press one little button to buy and then it arrives a short time later. What could be better?
But, the same reason why I avoid malls and other shopping centers is to avoid temptation. If I don't see it, then I'm not tempted to buy, and I'll never miss what I never see, which is why I never really adopted going to the mall as a pastime.
If I do find something online that I want, then I can at least mitigate the damage by doing a bit of due diligence and search for the lowest price and then see if I can find additional discounts. I tend to fill my cart first, then see if a rebate is available. Favorite sites are ebates and fatwallet. Sometimes one site offers a slightly higher discount than the other. I find that the rebate is slightly more reliable through ebates than fatwallet and the customer service at ebates is much better.
What is an ebate? It's like a rebate but it's for online retailers. Generally, it's an affiliate program where they (ebates or fatwallet) likely get a percentage of your purchase and they in turn pass a portion or a percentage back to you. One requirement is that once you decide to purchase you have to go on to their site, select the merchant and then there is a tracking ticket as you are pushed to the merchant's site for the purchase. Generally, the discounts are between 1% to 5-6%. Sometimes on special occasions, it can go up to 15%. Once you purchase from the merchant, you get a notice from ebates or fatwallet letting you know how much you will be getting back from the merchant.
Redemption varies. At fatwallet, after each purchase, the cashback is pending for a period of time (generally after the return period is over), and once it's available you can designate where you want them to send you the cash (it can be a gift certificate or cash to your paypal account). At ebates, they generally send you the cash after each quarter, but only if you have at least $5 worth of cash back.
I have to admit, I was a bit creeped out when I first learned about these sites and I didn't like the idea of someone tracking where I went and what I purchased, but I got over it quickly when I realized how much I was saving.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Value of Time
Earlier, I posted about starting a garden, but then I thought, what was the "true" cost of having a garden?
Each tomato plant cost around $4 and the strawberry plants cost around $5 for a set of 3 strawberry plants and I hope to yield enough to cover the cost of each plant. But, I started to think about the cost of my time in terms of tending to the plants, making sure I gave them enough water, picked the fruits when ripe (before the birds or squirrels got to them).
If I were to calculate the time and energy spent times and the yield versus the cost of the same fruit and vegetables at the market, would I actually come out ahead? Probably not. I didn't pick low maintenance plants. These plants needed to be watered daily, pruned and the fruit had to be picked. In any case, it didn't really matter in some ways. There are intangible benefits to growing my own food. I feel some some satisfaction in growing my own food and having fresh fruits and vegetables that I know is pesticide-free. Also, I feel like a little kid. I love watching the whole process. The trees and plants bloom and flower and then I can see tiny buds that eventually turn in fruits or vegetables.
I'm eagerly waiting for the figs to ripen. Can't wait.
Each tomato plant cost around $4 and the strawberry plants cost around $5 for a set of 3 strawberry plants and I hope to yield enough to cover the cost of each plant. But, I started to think about the cost of my time in terms of tending to the plants, making sure I gave them enough water, picked the fruits when ripe (before the birds or squirrels got to them).
If I were to calculate the time and energy spent times and the yield versus the cost of the same fruit and vegetables at the market, would I actually come out ahead? Probably not. I didn't pick low maintenance plants. These plants needed to be watered daily, pruned and the fruit had to be picked. In any case, it didn't really matter in some ways. There are intangible benefits to growing my own food. I feel some some satisfaction in growing my own food and having fresh fruits and vegetables that I know is pesticide-free. Also, I feel like a little kid. I love watching the whole process. The trees and plants bloom and flower and then I can see tiny buds that eventually turn in fruits or vegetables.
I'm eagerly waiting for the figs to ripen. Can't wait.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Garden
We needed to do something with our backyard. It's pretty bare and we haven't decided what we wanted to do landscaping-wise, so I decided to put in a small garden. Our cherry tree needed a pollinator and so my interest in a with a garden started.
I was always curious about growing our own food, but I always procrastinated. I wondered how much of a commitment it would be to tend to the plants, water them, trim them, and gather the fruits and vegetables. Plus, I had to contend with my black thumb. Also, I wasn't sure when was the best to plant.
Browsing OSH and them Summerwinds Nursery, I decided to take the plunge. The following plants came home with me: brandywine heirloom tomatoes (3), squash, strawberry (6), a couple of blueberry bushes and a lapin cherry tree. I had no idea there were so many varieties of cherry trees and strawberry plants! Let's see how this works out.
So far, I've been watering the plants on a daily basis and I don't think any of the plants have died so far. The tomato plants are starting to bear fruit and I can't wait until they ripen. I was a bit worried about the weather (it was so cold for so long and then suddenly summer appeared), but the plants seem pretty resilient.
I was always curious about growing our own food, but I always procrastinated. I wondered how much of a commitment it would be to tend to the plants, water them, trim them, and gather the fruits and vegetables. Plus, I had to contend with my black thumb. Also, I wasn't sure when was the best to plant.
Browsing OSH and them Summerwinds Nursery, I decided to take the plunge. The following plants came home with me: brandywine heirloom tomatoes (3), squash, strawberry (6), a couple of blueberry bushes and a lapin cherry tree. I had no idea there were so many varieties of cherry trees and strawberry plants! Let's see how this works out.
So far, I've been watering the plants on a daily basis and I don't think any of the plants have died so far. The tomato plants are starting to bear fruit and I can't wait until they ripen. I was a bit worried about the weather (it was so cold for so long and then suddenly summer appeared), but the plants seem pretty resilient.
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