Using Time Wisely

Organized to save money, energy, and time

You are here: Home / Archives for Stretching Your Dollars / Daily Deals

Daily Deal Site: Groupon.com

by

Photograph Credit: Groupon

As the cooler air wafts through my home, I have been feeling more energized as I complete some of those maintenance items around the house. Besides the seasonal yard work, my house needs to be pressure washed. Thankfully, Groupon, one of my favorite daily deal sites, recently offered a great deal on pressure washing from a local company.

Instead of paying the usual $250 price, I purchased a Groupon voucher for $129! This awesome deal was offered at 53% off the company’s regular price!

Using daily deal sites to purchase items our family needs helps stretch our dollars. Though the deals are daily, I only purchase items we need, will use, or will give as gifts to others.

To help you in using time wisely to view the daily deal from Groupon in your city, I have placed an affiliate link on the right sidebar. By visiting www.usingtimewisely.com each day, you can view your city’s daily deal.

Disclosure: The Groupon link in this post is Using Time Wisely’s affiliate link. When you make a purchase (with no additional fee) through my link, then Groupon compensates me.

Though you can access your city’s daily deal through the Groupon web site, your support of Using Time Wisely is greatly appreciated. Here’s my full disclosure policy.

As you view deals that are 50-90% off the regular price, be sure to read the fine print. I always check the location, expiration date, and restrictions. If I find these guidelines doable, then I will consider purchasing.

I routinely bypass great sales to stay within my budget. For me, purchasing a great deal only to go over budget is not worth the thrill of the deal. As I evaluate the daily deals from sites like Groupon and LivingSocial, I ask myself these questions:

  • Does the recipient need this voucher?
  • Would the recipient use the voucher?
  • Would the recipient love the voucher?
  • Do I have room in my budget for this purchase?
  • Do I want to spend money on this voucher?

There have been deals that I have foregone just because I did not want to spend any money. The recipient would have used and loved the voucher, and I had the available funds. But at that time, I chose not to spend the money. Looking back, I have no regrets. Deals come and go, and I have lots of opportunities to stretch our dollars.

On those days when I find awesome deals that we need, I enjoy snagging them at a deep discount. Daily deal sites, like Groupon, help save money, energy, and time. Whether you are looking for restaurants, family activities, or pressure washing, continue using time wisely as you stretch your dollars.

Question: What additional questions do you consider before making a purchase? Please add your answer to the comments.

$29 for Oil Change, Tire Rotation, and Winter Inspection or $75 for Three Oil Changes with Tire Rotation and Inspections at The Wrench-It Center.

Daily Deal Site: LivingSocial – Part 2 of 2

by

Photograph Credit: LivingSocial

Stretching your dollars is possible with daily deal sites like LivingSocial. If you subscribed to your city’s daily deal (instructions given in last week’s post), then you might have seen the Whole Foods deal earlier this week. The deal included many cities that contain a Whole Foods grocery store. During those few hours the deal was live, one could purchase a $20 voucher for $10. These 50% savings for groceries helps in stretching those dollars and maximizing savings.

By having the deals delivered to my personal e-mail account, I can evaluate the deal and make a decision before the vouchers sell out or the deal expires. In case you are confused about the deals or need more information, here’s how to purchase a deal, locate your voucher, and redeem your voucher.

Purchase a Deal

1. Read the fine print. All the deals are a little different, so you want to be sure that you are purchasing a voucher you can use. If you are purchasing a Christmas gift, then you want to be sure that the expiration date is in 2012. I recently found a voucher that was due to expire by the end of September. Knowing our family could not use the voucher, we gave it to relatives who were thrilled with the gift.

2. Press the “Buy Now” button. When you are satisfied with the fine print guidelines and price for the deal, press the “buy now” button.

3. Adjust your options. On this page you can change the quantity, add gifts, change your payment options (when you are signed in), and view your purchase total.

4. Select “Purchase my deal” button. When you have adjusted your options, select “purchase my deal” button. Your payment will be processed. Please do not select this button if you are not sure you want the deal. Once you press “purchase my deal,” the deal is yours.

Locate your Voucher

Via E-mail

1. Check your e-mail account. Once you purchase the deal, you will receive an e-mail confirming your purchase and giving you instructions regarding when your voucher will be available.

2. Watch your e-mail account. Another e-mail will be sent when your voucher is available to print. When you receive this e-mail, a link will be included to direct you to your voucher.

3. Click the link in your e-mail message. When you click the link, you will be directed to your LivingSocial My Vouchers page. All your available vouchers will be listed.

4. Click “view voucher.” To print your voucher, click the “view voucher” button. A .pdf of your voucher will load, and you can print it for use.

Via LivingSocial

1. Check your LivingSocial account. After purchasing the deal, LivingSocial will place the voucher in your account after processing your payment. This process can take minutes to a day depending on the popularity of the deal. To access your LivingSocial account, go to www.livingsocial.com.

2. Log in. Enter your e-mail address and password to log in.

3. Go to “my vouchers.” In the upper right hand corner, click on the “my vouchers” tab. All your available vouchers will be listed.

4. Click “view voucher.” To print your voucher, click the “view voucher” button. A .pdf of your voucher will load, and you can print it for use.

Redeem your Voucher

1. Read the fine print. One of our deals required a reservation. Therefore, I called prior to the date we planned to use the voucher, and the establishment honored our reservation. The fine print will give you the information you need for unusual circumstances.

2. Take your printed voucher to establishment. When I used our water park voucher, I took the printout up to the box office.

3. Present your voucher. When the cashier greeted me, I presented the LivingSocial voucher. We were then given our arm bands and thanked for making the purchase. Most establishments are aware of the LivingSocial deals, and they welcome your redemption of the voucher.

As you partner with LivingSocial, purchase your deals, locate your vouchers, and redeem your vouchers, you will be able to stretch your dollars. To make the deals better, you can subscribe to LivingSocial to have the deals delivered to your e-mail inbox which helps in using time wisely.

Though you may not be a fan of daily deal sites, as you see the savings to be had, you might change your mind. I post on Using Time Wisely’s Facebook page my daily deal purchases. Come “like” Using Time Wisely and add your favorite deals.

Question: How many vouchers do you have your account? Come add your answer to the comments.

Daily Deal Site: LivingSocial – Part 1 of 2

by

Photograph Credit: LivingSocial

I love daily deal sites! As the name suggests, these types of web sites offer a fantastic deal each day at a 50-90% discount to local attractions, restaurants, performances, and more. (See why I like these sites? :-))

One of these daily deal sites is www.LivingSocial.com.

Disclosure: The LivingSocial link in this post is Using Time Wisely’s affiliate link. When you register (for free) through my link and make a purchase, then LivingSocial compensates me.

Though you can access your free registration through the LivingSocial web site, your support of Using Time Wisely is greatly appreciated. Here’s my full disclosure policy.

My LivingSocial Account

Current Vouchers

    • $12 to spend at Stevi B’s Pizza (paid $6 = 50% savings)
    • 2 tickets to a dramatic production (deal cost $16 = 50% savings)

Used Vouchers

    • Admission for 4 to a local water park – toddler was free (paid $16 = 60% savings)

We used our voucher on a day Paul was off work, our friends could join us, and everyone was well. Though the park was busy, it was a nice family activity. If the deal comes back, I will definitely purchase it again.

Getting a LivingSocial account

Want to stretch your dollars by getting vouchers at 50-90% discount? Come sign up for a free LivingSocial account. Need some help? Let me show you the way:

Sign up

1. Go to www.livingsocial.com

2. In the top right corner, click “sign up”

3. Add your name, e-mail address, and password with confirmation

Photograph Credit: LivingSocial

4. Click “sign up”

Log In

1. Back on the Home page (click on the LivingSocial logo), select “log in” in the top right corner

Photograph Credit: LivingSocial

2. Enter your e-mail and password

3. Click “log in”

Change the Deal City

1. On the left sidebar, select the bottom option, “more cities”

Photograph Credit: LivingSocial

2. In the search box, enter your location and click enter (i.e., Detroit, Michigan)

Photograph Credit: LivingSocial

3. Click on the location of your choice (i.e., Detroit – Northeast suburbs)

4. The deal of the day changes to that location’s offer

Subscribe to your City’s Daily Deal

In using time wisely, refrain from from visiting LivingSocial’s web site each day. Just have the deals delivered to your e-mail inbox. The subscription process is very simple.

1. In the top right hand corner under your name, select “subscribe”

2. Confirmation of your subscription is “subscription successful”

You will now get an e-mail each day from LivingSocial with the daily deal. You can then choose to purchase or by-pass the deal without visiting the web site. (Love these options to help me save money, energy, and time.)

To use LivingSocial in stretching your dollars, you need to sign up, log in, change to your local city, and subscribe to your city’s daily deal. You will then be on your way to finding great local deals.

Our family enjoys trying new activities. By saving at least 50% on these adventures, I can plan more activities without breaking the bank. Next week, I will cover how to purchase a deal, locate your voucher, and redeem your voucher. In the meantime, keep using time wisely as you stretch your dollars!

Question: What is your favorite daily deal site? Please add your answer to the comments.