In the past, we've talked to you about most of these websites.
The people at Kiplinger put them all together in one article. It's also a good reminder, in case you forgot:
http://kiplinger.com/features/archives/21-web-sites-for-finding-deals-online.html
We saw this article in US News and thought we'd share:
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2010/06/07/20-things-you-should-never-buy-used.html
We've talked to you a number of times about buying a car (http://cheapiosity.blogspot.com/2008/05/buying-car.html and http://cheapiosity.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-negotiate-car-trade-in.html)
"Follow The Money" is good advice for someone trying to understand the hidden side of any business. Nowhere is this more important than on a car lot. Rows of shiny new cars on a dealer's lot make consumers believe that's where the big money is. But if you follow the trail of dollars, it leads in a surprising direction. And knowing where the profit is will make you a better shopper. The trade-in alone can be a huge profit center; the dealership can make about $2,000 in the blink of an eye.
Dealer cash is even more significant. When a car isn't selling well, the manufacturer will sometimes offer an incentive — often as much as $2,000 — but only lets the dealer know about it. This is like a wild card in negotiating, and it lets the dealer claim he's taking a loss while still actually making a nice profit.
Buying your used car can be a cash cow for the Dealership. Profits can be as much as $5,000 when they resell it. Buyers need to get Edmunds' True Market Value (TMV®) appraisal of the used car. But while TMV adjusts for regions, local markets have quirks that are difficult for the car shopper to spot. Only by thoroughly researching the market and comparing prices can you understand what a good price is for a used car. Another good tip is to go to a CarMax-type place and see what they offer for your used car. It will give you an idea of what the market is like.
While the traditional sales staff works on straight commission, Internet sales managers earn a salary plus a bonus on volume. This means that more sales — not more profit — equals a bigger paycheck. This sets up a very favorable situation for car buyers. Buy from the Internet sales manager, if you can.
Once the price of the car has been established by negotiations with a car salesperson, the buyer is routed into the F&I (Finance and Insurance) office. This is the last place the dealer can make money before the consumer leaves the car lot. However, they are really there to make extra profit for the dealership by increasing interest rates, selling extended warranties and add-ons such as fabric protection and paint sealant. How much does the F&I room contribute? In a typical deal, an average of $947 is generated in the Finance and Insurance office, according to F&I Magazine. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) estimated that 28.5 percent of the profit from selling a new or used vehicle came from F&I.
So you need a new pair of sunglasses. You've had a CHEAPIOSITY Brain Fart and are actually considering buying a pair of Designer Sunglasses for $300-500. Are you crazy? Do you need an intervention? We're here for you.
Don't do it. Here's why:
Sunglasses are (practically all) made by one company, the Italian manufacturer Luxottica–one of the biggest consumer companies that consumers have never heard of. Luxottica makes sunglasses branded Burberry, Chanel, Polo Ralph Lauren, Paul Smith, Stella McCartney, Tiffany, Versace, Vogue, Persol, Miu Miu, Tory Burch, Donna Karan, Dolce & Gabbana, Bulgari, Prada, to name a few. The company also owns Ray Ban, Oliver Peoples, Oakley, and REVO. It manufactures 70% of all sunglasses. And let's not forget to mention that Luxottica also owns LensCrafters, Pearle Vision and Sunglass Hut.
A significant amount of what you pay for Designer Sunglasses is not for the quality of the lens, but the brand name. The mark-up is 50-60%. Ouch.
For about $40, you can get a pair that offers 100% protection against ultra-violet rays. If you spend around $70, you should be able to get decent quality polarizing lenses that cut out glare. Beyond that price point, the medical benefits tail off pretty fast. If you're just chasing status, you're reading the wrong blog.
Drugstore sunglasses work just fine for most people in most circumstances. The main reason people wear sunglasses is to block out (regular) white light; cheaper sunglasses will usually do the job. And they will probably block most UV rays, if not all.
So before you got out and spend ridiculous amounts of money on Designer Sunglasses that you will probably lose, step on, or sit on.....DON'T. Another case where cheaper is every bit as good. You're welcome.
Did you know that if you travel as a Student, you can save money? If you didn't, aren't you glad you came to our blog? Now here's the dirty little secret -- some of these organizations will let you book with them if you haven't cracked a textbook in decades.
Student discounts can be 10-25% below the market rate. You can even do better with group tours.
http://www.studentuniverse.com/ - will sell to Grad Students up 35.
http://www.studentcity.com/
http://www.statravel.com/ - is very liberal when it comes to your age.
PC World has an article on software freebies we thought you should know about. Take a look:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2361876,00.asp
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