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The Internet has long been a haven of availability, variety, and tax-free shopping. When purchasing any big-ticket item, many residents across the country choose to shop online because, even after shipping, tax-free items are far less expensive than their local counterparts. However, states are slowly cracking down on tax-free Internet buys. (more…)

credit: denn

When you’re trying to save money, it’s easy enough to stop going out to dinner or cut back on a vacation - but going to the supermarket is something that you can’t avoid. But here are some tips on keeping your supermarket bills lower:

• Go to the supermarket less. It’s an obvious tip, but we sometimes get caught up in rushing into the supermarket on the way home from work to grab something for dinner. Make a list, plan ahead, and try to get it down to a weekly shop - perhaps with a smaller trip mid-week for fresh fruit, vegetables and bread.
• Stick to your list. Don’t buy anything that’s not on your list, unless they’re staple items at a bargain price. Eating before you go to the supermarket also helps you stick to the list and avoid impulse buys because you’re stomach’s rumbling.
• Don’t be a brand snob - basic brands or supermarket own-brands are always cheaper but not always lower quality. Plenty of studies have shown that nobody can tell the difference. The packaging may not be so pretty, but it’s how it tastes that counts.
• Know the supermarket’s tricks. Remember that they are trying to make you buy more - that’s why they put all the candies and magazines near the checkout, so you’ll see them while you wait. They also put milk, bread and other staple items in far away spots so you’ll have to walk through the whole store. And sometimes the “specials” at the end of the aisles are not specials - check the prices to be sure you’re actually getting a bargain.

Do you even know your credit score? It’s a very important number. If your score is just two points below the most desirable scores of 700 or better, it can cost you thousands of dollars in interest on a home mortgage.

Your credit score is the number one tool that lenders use to determine the interest rates you’ll pay for credit cards, car loans and home mortgages. Consumers with scores below 600 are typically charged high interest rates, and if your credit score is really bad, you may be not be able to borrow at all.

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A lot of people think that they could never buy clothes online. Concerns about the fit, the real color or whether the style really suits them keep a lot of people heading to the mall when their wardrobe needs some work. But it’s worth investigating because purchasing clothing online can save you a lot of money - which means you can buy more clothes!

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