Shopping online offers many positives: convenience – you shop in the comfort of your own home at any time of the day or night you choose; selection- thousands of stores at your fingertips; security- contrary to what many believe, online transactions with secure sites can be the more secure than handing your credit card to a sales associate, or walking through a mall and subjecting yourself to possible theft; and perhaps most inviting, the opportunity for substantial savings!
I have to admit to being a devoted online shopper. But, I am even more devoted to finding the best deal possible. There are dozens of ways to save online.
First, of course, the stores themselves often offer online discounts not available in brick and mortar (B&M) stores. Plus, the online stores that do not operate B&M stores, like Amazon.com not only discount most items on their sites, but regularly offer additional savings in the form of discounts, free shipping, or both. For the novice, try the Amazon.com Friday only sale!
Next are the “deals" sites. Most of these sites provide two or three services. First, they alert you to special savings on virtually any product daily. Next, they catalogue all of the discount codes that can be used in ordering to reap greater savings. And, third, some will even hunt down a bargain on a specific item for you. There’s even a site that posts the “Black Friday" sales at major B&M stores like Best Buy and Kmart weeks in advance, and one that posts on Saturday the grocery coupons that will appear in your Sunday newspaper supplements. It doesn’t take long to do your homework, investigate the best sites for your needs and bookmark them for use when you are ready to shop.
There are also member sites (free membership) that provide monetary rebates, or the opportunity to accumulate points for discount redemption. All these sites ask is that you click through them to reach the store site you plan to shop with. The actual rebates are usually small – 1% to 6% of your purchase. But they add up, and how exciting when that forgotten about $15 or $20 check comes in the mail every few months!
Here’s an example. I needed a new pair of black pants. I found what I wanted – style and size - at an online store. They were onsale - marked down from $29.00 to $24.00. I went to one of my bookmarked deals sites and found a discount code for 40% off any item. Then, I opened my member rebate site, clicked to open the store site, located my pants and put them in my “shopping cart. I went to checkout, entered my discount code, bringing the cost of the pants to $14.40. Shipping was $4.99 – bringing the total to $19.39. I paid no tax; I didn’t drive my car, so spent nothing on gas or parking; and the entire effort lasted about 15 minutes and I did it in my robe and slippers. Then I received a credit from my rebate site for an additional $1.54.
Sometimes you can find “stackable" codes that allow both a percentage discount and free shipping. Many of the major retailers offer consistent free shipping – some with a purchase minimum, some with no minimum. If you haven’t shopped online, but are looking at the shrinking power of your dollars, I strongly suggest hopping on the online shopping train!
Feel free to contact the author for specific site recommendations.
Written by: Gayle Wiegand http://www.GiftsAlley.com http://www.OutreachPros.com
I watch the Golf Channel and read Golf Digest religiously - there was something missing in my golf swing and I could not put my finger on it.
I was your typical bogey golfer - if I started my round of golf on a good note I usually did pretty well and would shoot mid to high 80's. If the wheels on my golf swing began to wobble I would find myself tinkering with my golf swing on the golf course - a recipe for disaster!
My golf swing was far from perfect but functional. I had incorporated an early move in my backswing that allowed me to swing the club more to the inside and at the same time fan the club face open. I learned this move because if I timed my impact just right, I seemed to hit the golf ball farther.
However this move in my golf swing was hit or miss - sometimes I smoked the golf ball down the middle of the fairway - and sometimes I snap hooked it into the woods.
So ended my 2006 golf season and still no progress - handicap 18 and holding steady.
The 2006-07 winter here in New England had been unusually cold, snowy, and LONG! - It was now spring and my golf swing still rusty from the long winter layoff.
Needless to say, I was anxious to start my 2007 golf season with high hopes of really making an impact on lowering my golf handicap from the 18 I had been sitting at for so long.
Then in early May 2007 my brother in law told me about this golf swing move he learned from an old dusty golf book that had done wonders for him - a move he said puts his golf swing on plane early in the swing.
What is this move you ask??
Read on...
The early backward wrist break!
As I began to practice the early backward wrist break my golf swing felt very weird. I said to myself "this is gotta be wrong". However I stayed with it and continued practicing this early backward wrist break.
I gradually began to notice the golf club felt much lighter as I swung...I also began to find it easier to drop the golf club into the "slot" during my downswing allowing me to really attack the golf ball from the inside.
Then I suddenly realized, "I've been yanking the golf club way too far to the inside at the start of my backswing, and now my golf swing is on plane!"
"This is why the golf club feels so much lighter; I am now swinging the golf club on plane!"
I noticed a more penetrating ball flight with my irons AND my woods...
The golf ball was now exploding of my clubface! Also, I noticed the golf ball was sounding different coming off my club face - it sounded like - "click".
And this story gets even better...
Five days after learning the early backward wrist break I carded my first ever hole-in-0ne!
To read the story on my hole-in-one, simply Google: "john lynch hole-in-one" spelled exactly as is without the quotes.
I quickly developed much more confidence in my golf swing - I now knew where the golf ball was going. This confidence transferred to my short game and I began to score on the golf course.
I was now thoroughly enjoying the game of golf!
I was no longer happy with pars; I now wanted birdies and eagles!
In three short months my handicap had already dropped to a 10 - that's 8 strokes!
My dream came true in May 2008 when my handicap dropped to 0 - scratch golf!!
All because of this one move early in my backswing!
I can truly say without a shadow of a doubt the early backward wrist break has totally transformed my golf game and I wanna shout this out to the world!!
One year ago I was an 18 handicap, I am now a scratch golfer!!
Both Gayle Wiegand & John Lynch are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Gayle Wiegand has sinced written about articles on various topics from The Internet, Gifts for loved ones and Forex Guide. Gayle Wiegand heads up a marketing communications consulting group, Outreach Pros – . She has directed projects for private industry, not-for-. Gayle Wiegand's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.