12/11/2021
1. Extended warranties are a waste of money. The odds that you'll actually use them are low, they cause you to pay more for the product, and just because you have one doesn't mean that your potential future problem would be covered by it. Skip them and use your emergency fund to help cover things in the event that an essential item needs to be replaced or repaired.
2. Store credit card discounts are another way to get you to spend more money. People say it's not a big deal, they'll sign up and pay it off immediately to knock a few bucks off of their bill, but if everyone did that, we wouldn't have a credit card debt problem like we have in this country. ALSO, think about it this way... you were about to give them the full amount of money that the item cost, and then the store employee offers you a discount to sign up for a credit card. Why would they do that if they're about to make LESS money on that sale? Because, once they've got you signed up for that card, they know they'll make more money off of you as a customer in the long run. A lot of retailers make more on credit card interest than they do on the sale of merchandise.
3. Buy now, pay later plans. Don't even get me started on this one. Just buy the sweater. Seriously. You don't need to pay for it over 4 months... and if you miss a payment, you'll owe a LOT more.
4. Gift wrapping services are expensive. Unless it's free with your purchase, just take it home and wrap it yourself. It adds a personal touch.
5. Plan ahead or shop in person to avoid crazy shipping costs. It doesn't make any sense to pay half of or even more than the purchase price of an item just to get it to your home on time. Give the post office and your wallet a break on this one.