Friday, April 1, 2011

Anatomy of a Frugal Failure



Follow with me here as I explain EXACTLY how to save money by shopping around for the best deals.



Realize that Amelia needs new Crocs for the summer; somehow, out of the twenty pairs we own, none are her size.

Remember reading about a great deal on a money-saving blog, can't remember which one. Google it.

Find the deal-Zulily-$14-and they have the color she wants, orange. Score! Get all the way to end of checkout and realize that with shipping and taxes, they cost almost the same as regular price ($22 v $24) at any website. Maybe there is a coupon code. Retailmenot. No codes.

Surely I can do better than that. Go to several other websites to see if they have orange Crocs for a good price. All prices on orange are the same ($24). Search coupon codes for each site to find the best deals, including shipping. If you sign-up for emails from Crocs, they will send you a code for 20% off. Done.

Call Amelia over to the computer to ask which of the two shades of orange she prefers. She then notices the only other pair of shoes that come in orange, a pair of sandals, full-price, of course ($34). She really likes those better. I think they are a lot cuter too. Hmm. Maybe she can wear them as dress shoes and for church as well, thereby saving money by only needing one pair of summer shoes.

So: $34-20% off = $27.20 + shipping

Not too bad, for a pair of shoes that should really count as TWO pairs, since she can wear them for play and church.

In the midst of this, Olivia hears us online shopping (the only kind we do out here in the country), and comes over. I remember that she also needs new Crocs for this summer. She spots the same pair of sandals, loves them too. No interest in the $24 pair. Of course. I was planning on buying her generics whenever I saw them cheap (Dollar Store, $5). But wait! It says down there that if you buy two pairs of shoes from Crocs, you get free shipping! Second pair into the cart.

So $34 x 2 = $68

$68-20% off coupon = $54.40

$54.40 (actually spent) - $22 (price of original deal considered) - $5 (price planned on for Olivia's shoes) = $27.40

And that's how today is the day in which I lost $27.40 by shopping around for the best price.

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