In with Outlets

As the Americans are preparing to shop on Black Friday, we Canadians are gearing up to shop for Christmas. I visited Deerfoot Mall this weekend and noticed all the outlet stores there. Among the few I visited, the Mexx outlet and Liz Claiborne outlet are the two that really stands out. I always liked the fashion and quality of the stuff that Mexx makes and at the outlet, you can save up to 70% off retail. Same goes for the Liz Claiborne where you can save some serious money on activewear, casual and golf wear. If you need ski or snowboard fashions and equipment, checkout the SportChek outlet which is clearing alot of its winter gear.

Another good stop at Deerfoot Mall is the Winner’s. I always enjoy going through the aisles where the electronics and gadgets are kept. It looks like there is stuff from the failed Sharper Image stores in the US. There you will find a great selection of iPod accessories and iHome sound systems. There are also golf balls, framed photographs of Mike Weir, Tiger Woods and more, and golf ball monogramers, putting practice cups that returns your ball automatically, golf towels, divot tools, utility belts and more.

For the big kids in us all, there are two robots to check out. iQue and a red mobile robot that can respond to your voice commands. At $79, it’s worth checking out. For the smaller kids, Thomas railway sets and accessories are an abundance there, starting at $6.99 and a mountain track set for $9.99 (selling for more at Wal-Mart). Dora, Disney princess, Hannah Montana are all waiting for little girls and plenty of craft kits are there too.

Saving Money is Knowing When to Buy

My friends always wonder how I manage to get the best price in everything I buy and they don’t. It’s not that they are stupid, but it’s because they are impatient. If you follow some simple guidelines, you too can save money on things you want.

1. Digital Cameras – It’s pretty evident that when there is a new camera on the market with a higher megapixel, all the cameras with lower megapixels go down. Don’t go for the camera with the lowest megapixel but the one in the middle would serve you well.

2. Music Players – If you don’t have one yet then wait until they release one with more memory in it. For example, when Apple released the new 32GB iPod Touch, all the lower models went down by $50.

3. Cars – Each year they come out with newer and more sleek models. If you had your eyes on this year’s model then buying it later in the year will save you more money than if you bought it when it first rolls into the dealership.

4. Golf Balls – If you like to playing a certain brand of ball then check if there are any logo overruns. Most companies like high end balls so they will order Callaway, Titleist and Nike balls. The companies printing these balls either make too much or the logo doesn’t quite come out as par so they sell them at a substantial discount.

5. Mutual Funds – Don’t buy them when everybody is topping off their RSP (in Canada) or 401K plan (in US). The months to avoid buying mutual funds is from February to April.

6. Ski and Snowboard Equipment – Don’t buy any new equipment when there is the first sign of snow. Try to buy this year’s equipment next spring when the snow is beginning to melt. That’s the time when stores will be clearing the stock and their shelves for the summer. 

7. Winter Gear – Don’t run out and buy this year’s fashionable jackets when the temperature starts to dip. The best time to buy winter gear is in the summer when no one is buying it. 

8.  Air Conditioning and Roof – Don’t order central air conditioning and roofers until winter time because it is a slow and grinding time for them. Their prices will be way down and their books clear for a spring booking.

9. Gasoline – Don’t buy gas on a Monday. Gas prices are set early in the week and gas stations usually set the price higher on Monday.

10. Airfares – The best time to buy airfares is on Wednesdays. That’s the time airlines jack up the price for the weekend and need to sell off last week’s fares.

 

We don’t carry gasoline, mutual funds, air conditioning and roofing on our site but I thought I’ll throw that into the list as bonus. As always, you know where we are and where to find us.