I’m beginning to wonder if I did my Christmas shopping a bit too early. In the last couple of days I’ve been getting e-mails from companies I purchased gifts from alerting me to their free shipping offer. I wondered if this offer was just for previous customers as a ‘thank you for buying from us’, but when I checked the Web sites I found the offer was good for everyone. Maybe next year I’ll wait till the last week to shop. And I thought being organized meant your saved money!
Don’t know if anyone else has been noticing this but more companies want you to renew services and subscriptions earlier now. I’ve been getting e-mail alerts that subscriptions etc. are going to be expiring in three months, even six months from now. Are they worried we won’t have the money at that time? Or thinking if we renew now, we won’t have time to shop around for better prices, or sit and think about whether or not we really need this or that magazine? I used to see these early renewal notices from time to time, but they always had some incentive attached to them. Renew your subscription to our magazine and we’ll give you two extra issues, renew now and get two year’s subscription for the price of one. But I’m not seeing that these days. Are those days long gone? Do companies want our business but can no longer afford to give us little bonuses for being loyal customers?
As the year winds down and you’re faced with renewing subscriptions and services, it’s a great time to think about whether or not you really need them? I have memberships in a couple of writer’s organizations that are going to be raising their prices January 1st and now I’m thinking what did I get from my membership last year? Would I be better off joining another organization that may net be more work and hence pay for the cost of membership?
And magazines, do I still enjoy reading them? Do I have time to sit down and really read every single article or am I just skimming them and then putting the magazine into the recycle bin? The cost of one membership or magazine doesn’t seem like a budget buster, but when you sit down and add them all up, canceling just one or two can free up money to put into another venture, maybe one that brings in money.
For money saving tips visit www.gardenandhearth.com/Bargain-Shopping.htm and www.gardenandhearth.com/EatingWellonaBudget.htm
Don’t know if anyone else has been noticing this but more companies want you to renew services and subscriptions earlier now. I’ve been getting e-mail alerts that subscriptions etc. are going to be expiring in three months, even six months from now. Are they worried we won’t have the money at that time? Or thinking if we renew now, we won’t have time to shop around for better prices, or sit and think about whether or not we really need this or that magazine? I used to see these early renewal notices from time to time, but they always had some incentive attached to them. Renew your subscription to our magazine and we’ll give you two extra issues, renew now and get two year’s subscription for the price of one. But I’m not seeing that these days. Are those days long gone? Do companies want our business but can no longer afford to give us little bonuses for being loyal customers?
As the year winds down and you’re faced with renewing subscriptions and services, it’s a great time to think about whether or not you really need them? I have memberships in a couple of writer’s organizations that are going to be raising their prices January 1st and now I’m thinking what did I get from my membership last year? Would I be better off joining another organization that may net be more work and hence pay for the cost of membership?
And magazines, do I still enjoy reading them? Do I have time to sit down and really read every single article or am I just skimming them and then putting the magazine into the recycle bin? The cost of one membership or magazine doesn’t seem like a budget buster, but when you sit down and add them all up, canceling just one or two can free up money to put into another venture, maybe one that brings in money.
For money saving tips visit www.gardenandhearth.com/Bargain-Shopping.htm and www.gardenandhearth.com/EatingWellonaBudget.htm
posted by The Budget Smart Girl's Guide to the Universe | 8:12 AM
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