TEXTING WITHOUT A CELL PHONE

Texting.....we don't get it....but then we're not in our teens or twenties any more. (We're stopping there, thank you very much.) What can we do? Texting is here, and we like to stay current. Well, current-ish. It's not like we're sporting skinny jeans and tats. But we digress.

Texting can get expensive unless you have an unlimited mobile plan. For us older folks, texting is a pain.....the typing keys are tiny, we can't read without our glasses, and we don't know all the 'cool' abbreviations...LOL....and we're klutzes.

Here's an article we found to help us text-challenged survive in a cellular world:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20012720-94.html

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING

We're too busy cooking and eating to post.

Team CHEAPIOSITY wishes all our Readers a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy good food with friends and family and most of all, take a moment and be thankful.

Then go out on BLACK FRIDAY and save money, the CHEAPIOSITY way.

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CAR BUYING FOR THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE TO NEGOTIATE

At Team CHEAPIOSITY, we love to negotiate, haggle, cajole and anything else we can do to get the best price for whatever we want to buy. Call us crazy. Crazy like a fox.

We realize, dear reader, that not everyone feels the way we do. Some people just don't want the hassle, and that's what retailers rely on. We don't really understand those people, but we must acknowledge that they exist. We accept it and we move on.

Car Salesmen are our favorite people to negotiate with.....let's face it -- they're asking for it. They like to negotiate hard almost as much as we do. For a refresher course in how to buy a car CHEAPIOSITY-style, go to our post: http://cheapiosity.blogspot.com/2008/05/buying-car.html.

For those who don't want the hassle, take a look at: http://carwoo.com/.

CarWoo! charges $79 for its Plus plan that contacts three to five dealers and $39 for the Basic plan that brings in bids from two to three dealers. The fact that you pay also gives the dealers some assurance they are working with a serious buyer.

Don't be frightened. And don't be a sticker-price-paying chump.

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STORE BRAND VS NAME BRAND

Consumer Reports did an article about store brand products versus name brand products. We thought the comparisons were interesting.

Take a look:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/october/shopping/store-brands-vs-name-brands/overview/index.htm

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HOW TO KEEP YOUR FREQUENT FLYER MILES SO THEY DON'T EXPIRE

Every year, Airline Frequent Flyer members lose miles because they don't manage their accounts properly. Managing your account is easy and doesn't take a lot of time. If you do it right, you can extend the life of your miles so you don't lose them.

Here are some tips:

1. Buy miles or transfer miles to a friend or family member. You don't have to transfer a lot of miles....between 1,000 to 5,000 miles, depending on the airline. Check your Mileage Program for details. There are fees involved, but if transferring mileage saves you thousands of soon-expiring miles, the fees may well prove worth paying.

2. Get a credit card that gives you miles based on your purchases. Get a credit card that is automatically linked to your Mileage Account.

3. Shop online. Go to the Airline's website and make a purchase from one of their affiliated retailers. Make sure you enter the retailer's website through the Airline website link to insure you get the miles associated with the purchase.

4. Take a survey. Many survey sites will give you miles if you complete a survey. Here are a few to get you started: www.opinionplace.com and http://www.e-miles.com.

The bottom line is that Airlines want to see activity on your Frequent Flyer accounts. Don't give them a chance to expire your miles.

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DON'T BUY IT, RENT IT.

In this economy, where every penny counts, it's sometimes better to rent than to buy. How often have you bought something for a one-time use and it sits in your garage collecting dust?

Do you know about http://rentalic.com/? Well, now you do. As the website says: Make money by renting out what you own. Save money by renting what you need. Think eBay for renting.

Take a look....it might just save you some money.

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WHAT TO DO WITH GIFT CARDS YOU DON'T USE

It is estimated that each year there are $5-10 Billion (yes, you saw correctly, billion!) in unused gift cards. WOW! That's a lot of free money for issuing merchants to keep.

But wait, Team CHEAPIOSITY to the rescue. If you don't want to buy something for the gift card you get, you can sell it or exchange it for another company.

Go to Card Pool to get the lowdown: http://www.cardpool.com/

You can also buy gift cards at a discount.

Didn't know about this one, did you?

You're welcome!

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