Smart Tips Tuesday

Here’s a few more tips on Great Ways to Save a Buck…or two…..

1. Buy gift cards for up to 30% off their face value at www.plasticjungle.com, www.giftcardrescue.com and www.giftcardsagain.com, where the cards are sold by gift-getters who don’t want them.

2. Owner’s manuals are often missing when you buy bargain electronic devices or appliances at online auctions or garage sales. Manufacturers may charge for the manuals, but you can get many for free at www.retrevo.com, www.manualsonline.com or www.usersmanualguide.com.

3. Yard sales in your area can be found at www.yardsaletreasuremap.com. The site tracks sales that have been posted on www.craigslist.com, then gives you the when, where, and driving directions. You won’t need this now but make a note of it for this spring!

4. Need a phone number? Call 1-800-GOOG-411, give your location and speak a name or business category. You’ll get a list of matches and the service then will dial your choice. The big advantage over 411……it’s free!

5. Free Wi Fi hot spots, particularly useful when you travel, at www.jiwire.com. The searchable site lists almost 300,.000 hot spots, both free ones and those that charge in 144 countries.

6. ‘Scratch and dent’ stores sell groceries and appliances discounted by 50% or more. They buy up truckloads of items that are damaged, are near or beyond their sell-by dates or season (think Halloween in November, or just didn’t sell well. Go to www.andersonscountrymarket.net/directory for a state-by-state list.

7. Save cell phone minutes by skipping long winded voice mail greetings and instructions. Press * when calling Verizon customers, the number 1 for Sprint users or the # sign for AT@T and T-Mobile subscribers. If you are not sure of the provider, try this order; 1, then *, then #. When you hear a beep, you’ve got the right one.

8. Avoid booking fees by using a computer. Virtually every US airline adds a hefty surcharge if you book by phone or at a ticket counter.

9. Older train riders get discounts in the US and Canada. Amtrak cuts 15% off most fares for riders 62 or over, while Via Rail Canada offers 10% off the full adult fare for those over 60.

10. If predawn flights are getting tiresome, check out sleep-and-park packages that combine a night at an airport hotel, a shuttle to the terminal and parking at the hotel for 7-14 days. These deals often cost about the same as parking at the airport. www.Parksleepfly.com, www.stay123.com and www.parkingaccess.com let you compare rates.

These tips courtesy of AARP