THEME PARK BARGAINS

Rollercoasters and other thrill rides provide reliable (if scary and slightly dizzifying) fun. While they go up pretty high, they always come down.

Theme park prices, on the other hand, just keep going up. Not so much fun. Even scarier.

So what's a family to do for fun this summer? Vacation air travel is practically out of sight, company's coming for the weekend, and your kids are practically possessed with visions of giant smiling rodents and carousels and water slides.

Theme Parks provide a day's escape from the routine. They're all over the USA. For those families who can't get enough heat, humidity, crowds, lines, and overpriced snacks at home, TEAM CHEAPIOSITY can suggest a way to spend less dough when you opt to go.

Of course, at this point, it should go without saying, but we'll say it anyway: DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, PAY FULL ADMISSION PRICE!

By now, this little nugget should be a part of your DNA, but just in case you missed it the first hundred times, we repeat. For you cheap-challenged, a gentle reminder. Discounts and information are everywhere. Just look.

There are websites for everything, and theme parks are no exception. We urge you to check out: http://www.themeparkinsider.com/ These guys know their stuff so give them a look. They'll tell you everything you want to know, providing ratings and detailed information about specific theme parks all over the country.

Discounts are everywhere. Check out some of these: Automobile Club of America membership perks, credit card membership perks, grocery store coupons (and don't forget to check the coupons on the back of your receipts), the theme or amusement park's website, the coupons you get in the mail, Costco, not to mention employers, organizations, banks.....you get the picture, they're everywhere.

Disney and Universal (and some other parks) offer discounts for instate guests; simply show your driver's license for proof. Theme parks are located in cities all over; check with the local Tourist Boards for more discount offers. FYI: Theme park admissions are frequently cheaper on weekdays and later in the day.

For those of you who can't get enough of these places, check out Season or Yearly or VIP Passes. If you plan on going multiple times, this may make sense for you. (Do the math, and be careful to consider any blackout dates in your calculations.) Also, depending on the area (Southern California and Orlando) you can buy entries to multiple parks and further discounts for larger groups.

WARNING: Even if you manage to save big on admissions, they'll soak you selling you overpriced refreshments and souvenirs. Set yourself a budget and stick to it. Pack a picnic lunch in a cooler and visit the parking lot at lunchtime. Give your child a certain amount of cash for the day, and let them make their own decisions as to how to spend their money. It'll cut down on the spending (not to mention the whining and the tantrums and the gimmes) and teach them some valuable lessons about instant gratification and financial independence.

So, you tried everything we've suggested and still no discounts.....give up! No. Never give up. We promise. If you search thoroughly, you'll save some money. Make sure you maximize your savings with the best discount for you and your family. At TEAM CHEAPIOSITY we do it everytime.

Oh, and one more thing. Wear sunblock. Seriously.

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BROADWAY.....THE CHEAPIOSITY WAY

This coming Sunday, the Broadway Theatre community honors its own at the Annual Tony Awards. We at TEAM CHEAPIOSITY think that everyone, whether young, old or in between should experience the miracle of live theatre. We know that not everyone can afford to visit New York and see a Broadway or Off Broadway show, but there are National Tours that come to major cities, regional theatres all over the country, stock companies, and amateur productions at your local house of worship, college, or neighborhood or community theatre. Bottom line, live theatre is out there....go find it, you'll be glad you did.

Back to Broadway.....theatre tickets are getting more and more expensive. That's were we come in. Playbill (the theatre magazine that most theatres use as your program) recently did a story on standing room and rush tickets that are sold on the day of the performance for current Broadway productions. Remember the concept, which is usually available for most shows and will save you a lot of money: http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/82428.html

So you don't want to stand in the back, huh? Okay, here's what you do. Go to: http://www.broadwaybox.com/, which lists discounted shows and provides you with the discount codes you need to get the discounts. You'll need to buy with a credit cards online. The site also features Off-Broadway and other New York events. There are other sites like this, but we've used this site and know that it works.

So you don't like buying on the internet, huh? For years, The Theatre Development Fund, has been selling half-price tickets at their TKTS booth in the theatre district. They now have a second location at the South Street Seaport. Tickets are sold for 'day of' performances and here's the link: http://www.tdf.org/tdf_servicepage.aspx?id=56.

For those of us feeling the financial crunch who can't afford a trip to New York, but still want the live theatre experience, we suggest you Google 'half price tickets.' Many cities offer ticket programs, so you can still see a show if you can't afford the high prices. Check out http://www.goldstar.com/, which services a number of cities. Also, check with your local theatre and get on their mailing list for discounted tickets. If all else fails, find out if they have a volunteer ushering group, many do....this way you can help people find their seats and see the show for FREE (our favorite word.)

We've given you the tools, so now go and experience live theatre....if you're lucky you'll see a performance you'll remember for the rest of your life!

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CHEAP & FORMAL

One of the founding members of TEAM CHEAPIOSITY has been a longtime rabid collector of clothing and costume pieces for her job as freelance theatrical costumer, part-time hobbyist, and fulltime cheapskate. She rarely throws anything away and has accumulated most of her impressive costume collection at thrift shops and on eBay. Few pieces cost more than five dollars; in fact, $2.95 is her magic price point for collecting random items; for specific garments, she's been known to spend as much as a tenspot.

This year, TEAM CHEAPIOSITY offered to clothe some high school senior friends for their Prom. Gratis. Tuxedo shirts cost savvy thriftshoppers between two and five dollars each, and over the years, she's amassed quite a pile of them in almost every size. In preparation for a show, our costumer friend recently purchased six complete sets of bowties and vests from a tux rental place on eBay for less than twenty dollars total including shipping. Tux jackets and trousers are a little rarer to find, but she's located a precious few over the years, and it's possible you can too. Black suit pants will do in a pinch. (Tux rental places update their stock from time to time; it's worth asking your local provider how and when they rotate their old stock.) Owning secondhand formal wear pays for itself instantly, and repeated use amortises the cost to pennies a wearing.

Slightly used and never-worn formal gowns are thick as fleas in thrift stores, and our collection rivals any department store. None cost more than five dollars. (Cynics can even find wedding gowns and bridesmaid horrors by the score.) We made a party of it, celebrating frugality and spending nothing on Prom. Not a cent. Our fondest hope is that kids with money to burn could donate their promwear funds to a worthy cause instead of flushing it.

Most rental places gouge graduating seniors well more than a hundred dollars for tux rental, and girls spend twice or three times that on average on dresses and shoes and the rest. We officially challenge anyone with a formal occasion to hit the thrift stores long and hard before stepping foot in a mall. Our costumer cohort spent six dollars on the dress she wore to the Emmys last year and even managed to keep the good news to herself. That part was hard. It's easy to look great for next to nothing.

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WHAT TO BUY IN JUNE.

June is busting out all over, and here are the deals to look for as the month is busting. Whatever that means.

Linens: spring selections have arrived in the stores, and now's a good time to buy.

June is also a big month for Mattress sales, which begin now and continue through the fall.

Between now and the end of the month, Furniture sales begin. Recliners are a natural choice for Father's Day gift, and retailers entice buyers by reducing prices. Towards the end of this month, stores start reducing prices on inventory to make room for their incoming fall inventory.


(Recliners? Mattresses? Linens? Are we supposed to hibernate all summer like Bizarro World bears? Sounds good to us...yawn.)

Refrigerators are good buys during the summer months. The logic? Uh, it's hot outside and your food needs to keep cold? Nope. Shoppers are busy doing recreational activities and not in the stores, so retailers lure them into stores with discounts on big ticket items. Hint: It's always better to shop around for a new appliance while your old one is still working, instead of when you need to buy a replacement because it's broken beyond repair.

Tools. Father's Day = tools. Sales on tools for Dad....you get the picture. Retailers can't think of what to buy your dad either.

Also look at the electronics ads geared towards Dad...you'll probably find some good deals there as well.

And remember....only buy what you need. Don't buy anything ever just because it's on sale!

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GROCERY COUPONS

A whopping $201 billion worth of coupons were distributed last year for food and other common supermarket items, according to the PMA Coupon Council. (Not a surprising figure since around 201 billion flyers were delivered directly to our snailmailbox.) Seems consumers redeemed only $2.2 billion in coupons, or a paltry 1% of the available discounts. CHEAPIOSITY suggests that you think long and hard about taking better advantage of those savings. Frankly, the idea of blowing almost two hundred billion dollars in potential savings makes us a little weak in the knees.

Oh sure, it's a little mortifying to be that guy holding up the long supermarket line with a fistful of coupons, but if you're organized, the savings are more than worth it. And you can always wear a disguise.

Higher food prices are ahead; the Agriculture Department this week predicted they'll climb between 4.5% and 5.5% this year, adding about $350 to a typical household's expenses. Ouch. Don't just grumble. Do something about it. Clip coupons. Use them. It's the American way.

In an effort to get your hot little hands on some of this free money, CHEAPIOSITY checked out some Web-based services that promise easy access to discount coupons. Some of the sites allow users to print coupons directly. Other services charge a fee to clip the coupons from newspaper inserts and mail them to you. You should also check manufacturers' websites; they frequently offer coupons for both new and popular products.

We were initially excited about printable coupons: free discount coupons that can be used instantly -- what's not to love? Sadly, the selection of printable coupons on these free sites was disappointing.

Sites that offer to mail coupons to users require a little pre-planning because the coupons take four or five days to arrive. These coupons are clipped from weekend newspaper inserts from around the country. When the site runs out of a particular coupon, it disappears from the site until the next week, so we learned to visit the sites on Sunday and Monday for the best coupon selections.

Selection at mail-order sites was much more extensive than that of any local paper; expanded options include green cleaning products, brand-name goods and health foods. All these sites feature search tools and arrange coupons by supermarket aisle -- meat department, dairy, etc. We found it more convenient and faster to find and select the coupons online than to clip them on our own and clean up the paper cuttings after.

Even if you aren't usually a coupon clipper, it may be worth searching for costly items at a manufacturer's own website. Among high-end items that are worth a coupon search are vitamins and dietary supplements. Click on the Special Offers tab at vitamin-maker centrum.com, for instance.

For general coupon hunting, check out: thecouponclippers.com, a mail-order service. The site was easy to search, and the selection was large, including a generous assortment of coupons for meats and health foods.

One section offers expired coupons that military families can still redeem in a program for U.S. bases overseas. And in case we over-order coupons in the future, we found a list of participating bases to send coupons to at http://www.ocpnet.org/.

Other mail-order services charged a membership fee, so users need to be sure they will order enough coupons to make the initial cost worthwhile. Membership at centsoff.com was $7.50 a year, and there is a flat fee of $7.50 for up to 50 coupons. Grocerycoupons.com, onlinecoupons.com and grocerycard.com are three mail-order services that all link to the same coupons. They also have the same company address in Knoxville, Tenn., and coupon mailing fees, but membership fees vary significantly. Grocerycoupons.com charges $9.95 a year for membership, while the other two charge $99.95. Hmm. Guess which site CHEAPIOSITY recommends.

Among free services, smartsource.com, ppgazette.com and coolsavings.com all link to the same coupons. But with no search tools, finding our way around was time-consuming, and the selections were limited.

Printing the coupons at the free sites was easy. Coupons usually print only one or two to a page. In order to print, one needs to download a free applet, after inputting personal information on a registration form.

Also, take a look at the following article on 29 Ways to Save on Groceries http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080529/LIFE23/805290312

So. Bottom line. Clip coupons. Sunday newspapers are chock full of free money. For more serious and devoted coupon clippers, the online options are there for you. Just remember: don't buy anything you don't really want or need just because it's a bargain. And if you DO decide to use coupons, keep them organized in an envelope or accordian file. And please. Don't hold up the supermarket line, fumbling for them at the last minute. This kind of bad behavior gives all us Cheapskates a bad name.

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SUMMER CAMP $MART$

For kids, summer camp is nothing more than canoe trips, swimming and making new friends, but for parents, it is no vacation for the wallet. (To be honest, some little campers are banished to the woods against their tiny wills. There, they suffer hazing, homesickness, and enough psychic injuries and insecurities to last a lifetime. Oh sure, most survive the trauma reasonably intact. Some even grow up to write blogs. Not mentioning any names. Cough, cough.) Camp costs add up quickly if parents aren't careful when making choices of where to send their children during the hot summer months.

Peg Smith, chief executive officer of the American Camp Association (ACA), says summer camps are not looking to break your piggy bank. However, it's important to know what camp will cost you -- from tuition to special fees for trips and amenities.

Don't be shy. Check into financial aid. Of the 2,400 camps accredited by the ACA, 95 percent offer "camperships," or scholarships ranging from discounts to free tuition, according to Smith. That's an increase from about 75 percent a decade ago.

Baby boomers have contributed to the campership boom, with memories of positive camp experiences motivating them to contribute at levels that have filled foundation coffers. As a parent, it's important to ask about these scholarship/campership opportunities.

Ask 'What sort of financial assistance do you provide?' It's true that camperships are usually awarded based on need, but parents shouldn't automatically assume that their income level will disqualify them. Just ask. The worse they can do is turn you down. The Foundation for Jewish Camping provides assistance at: http://www.onehappycamper.org .

Add a child. (This is impractical advice if you don't already have more than one child. It is probably not worth the expenditure to expand your family just for the camp discount.) If you send more than one child to the same camp, you're likely to get a discount. Sibling discounts can knock anywhere from 5 percent to 15 percent off the tuition cost.

Be an early bird. Early enrollment increases the odds of landing your child's first camp choice. It can also net you a deal on the overall camp cost. Early enrollment can also put you first in line to be considered for a scholarship.

Try to stay in the area. A plane ride or train trip (or even a long car ride with summer's ever- inflating gas prices) will significantly boost total camp costs. All things being equal, it's better to choose a camp that is closer to home.

However, while geography is an important consideration, parents ultimately should choose the camp that is right for their child.

Resist the urge to splurge. Most camps recommend campers bring items they likely already have, such as flashlights, sleeping backs, rain gear, play clothes, swimming trunks and sports equipment. Don't go out and make any special purchases unless you absolutely must. Parents tend to overpurchase. Get the camp list first and then think about shopping. Your little camper's success will not hinge on your purchasing a brand new designer wardrobe.

Know the refund policy. Sometimes, camp plans don't work out. Parents usually forget to ask about a camp's cancellation policy until they need to use it. Some ACA camps offer a total refund before a certain date; others will only do so in the case of an illness. Make sure you know the refund policy before you select a camp.

Ask others to contribute. More camps are offering gift certificates than ever before. Such certificates are a good option for people looking to give a holiday or birthday gift that lasts into the coming year. (Delayed gratification is a nice concept for your children, and let's face it: very few family homes need more stuff. Encourage grandparents and other relatives to help out with the camp costs.)

Help the camp (and it'll help you). Some camps offer discounts to parents who pay the entire tuition bill several months in advance of the camp session date. It gives the camp operating funds so they can do their capital project without having to utilize a line of credit with a bank and pay interest on it. Some camps also cut costs for the children of alumni.

Consider the payment option. Paying camp costs in installments could make the price more palatable. If you find a camp you really like, you should ask the camp director, 'What are my options?'" Most of them will work with you.

Create a canteen fund. With your child, set up a fund that will provide your camper with money to purchase snacks, hygiene products, bug spray, batteries and other items. Not only can this help you keep better track of camp costs, but it can teach your kids to budget their money.

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HOW TO SELL YOUR HOME IN A BUYERS MARKET

If you’re trying to sell a home in the current overstocked real-estate market, you already know that the days of white-hot bidding wars and quick-flipped condos are long gone. The National Association of Realtors says that 2008 home sales will be the lowest since 2002. And early numbers are bearing that out. Nationwide, home sales are down 24 percent from last year, while home prices have dropped 8.2 percent. If that weren’t worrisome enough, the U.S. housing inventory remains bloated and the subprime mortgage crisis has made it tougher for buyers to secure loans.

How can you make your home stand out from all the others on the market? Real-estate specialists offer the following tips:

Pick the right broker. Look for local agents who are listing, marketing, and selling in your community even if the market is slow. Ask several of them to make a "listing presentation" to discuss your home’s value, justify their numbers, and how they would market your property.Peter G. Miller, a syndicated real-estate columnist and creator of OurBroker.com, suggests that you visit open houses held by the brokers you’re considering to see how they handle a listing. Did the broker greet people? Was the home shown to its best advantage? (This includes details like removing pets. Miller recalls one open house where the owner’s roaming dog with "more teeth than a zipper" kept potential buyers from inspecting the backyard.) Once you decide on a broker, you have three types of listing options. In an open listing, you reserve the right to sell the home yourself and not pay a commission, but you also allow one or more brokers to offer the property. With an exclusive-agency listing, you have one broker but reserve the right to sell the property yourself. An exclusive-right-to-sell listing gives only one broker the right to represent you during the listing term and guarantees the broker a commission. Most Multiple Listing Services will post exclusive-agency and exclusive-right-to-sell listings.

Understand the real marketplace. To negotiate effectively, you need to know up-to-the-minute sale prices—not just what your neighbor’s house sold for last year—and the deal-making behind them. For example, two homes may each have sold for $400,000, but if one owner gave a 3 percent credit for deck repair and a new furnace, that’s a $12,000 reduction. Your agent should be knowledgeable about the details of sales in your area and be nimble enough to revise the marketing plan for your home to reflect changing conditions.

Sweeten the deal. Sellers are reportedly offering some unusual sales incentives—plasma TVs, cars, boat slips, vacations, and golf carts—but cash may still be king. For example, some sellers have agreed to pay condo maintenance fees for the buyer. "If six similar condos are on the market, and a seller offers to pay the first quarter’s maintenance fees—which run from $225 to $250 a month in this area—that $750 can help make a deal," she says. Other ideas include covering moving expenses or a month’s mortgage payment.In a slow market, offering to pay a "seller contribution" toward the buyer’s closing costs may make more sense than lowering the sales price. The closing costs include such items as the appraisal fee and title search, points to reduce the mortgage, and attorney and recording fees. Individual mortgage programs often allow seller contributions ranging from 3 to 6 percent. Borrowers need to check with lenders to see what’s allowed.

Offer a warranty against defects. A home warranty provides protection for mechanical systems and certain appliances against unexpected repairs in the first year. The cost ranges from $250 to around $400, depending on coverage. Companies that sell warranties include American Home Shield and First American Home Buyers Protection Corp.

Be flexible on the deposit. To "bind" a deal, the buyer should put down a deposit (separate from the down payment), which varies widely depending on the local market. You’d like the biggest deposit you can get, but in a slow market you may have to settle for less.

Curb your enthusiasm. Walk down your street, then walk back to your home and try to see what other people see. Tend to any overgrown landscaping, and make sure shrubs are nicely trimmed.

Use staging to enhance the home’s appeal. A professional home stager can make over your home to de-emphasize your personal taste and become more visually appealing to a broader range of buyers. Pros say the key is to clear out clutter and clean, clean, clean. Staging can extend from rearranging your furniture to preparing an entire house for sale with rented furniture and accessories. A two-hour consultation with written recommendations for do-it-yourselfers costs around $300. But a full staging of a large home could range from $500 to $5,000. Costs average around $1,800 in the Midwest, $2,800 on the West Coast, and $3,800 on the East Coast. Those fees are paid up front to professional stagers, but many real-estate agents include some staging as part of the services they offer that are covered by their commission.

Be ready to negotiate. Buyers are likely to be demanding in today’s market, so be prepared for hardball negotiating. Some brokers advise that you remove anything you absolutely can’t part with before you show the house.

Monitor and update your MLS listing. If it’s April, you don’t want the photo of your house on the Multiple Listing Service displaying a snowman on the lawn. An out-of-season picture is a dead giveaway that your home has been on the market for awhile. And with many buyers doing their first "look-see" on the Internet, the quality of the photos is paramount, too. Make sure that any unique qualities are emphasized in the write-up, which may not always be apparent, even to a broker. And proofreading the description of your home for the MLS and elsewhere is always a good idea.

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