Shopping Options | Saving & Spending

SHOPPING OPTIONS

Buying Clubs
Buying clubs don't always save you money. They sometimes require a large initiation fee and sometimes your savings aren't enough to compensate for the cost to join.

For example, a $300 membership fee for a club that gives you a 10 percent discount on purchases would mean you would have to spend $3,000 to save enough to cover the cost of your membership fee.

Make sure you comparison shop before you join a buying club.


Things to consider before you join:
You may need to make a large number of purchases before you begin to save money. You may have to make purchases in larger quantities than you really need. You often can get goods for same price through discount stores and catalogue showrooms which don't require an initiation fee.

Watch out for:
Clubs that won't let you see their prices, catalogue or showroom until after you join. Clubs that use high-pressure sales techniques.

Shopping by Mail, Phone or Internet


Precautions
Investigate the reputation of the company. Ask about the company's refund and return policy. Ask about the availability of the product. Know the total cost of your order. When shopping online, use a secure browser, shop with companies that you know, keep your passwords private, pay by a credit card that has additional cardholder authentication system, understand the refund and return policies and keep a record of your transactions.

Read more: Online Shopping »