Looking for deals

With the ever shrinking money of the banks, the failing businesses and tight accounting business owners a lot of people are holding on to the money they have, but for those who are willing to spend it there are good deals to be found almost everywhere.

Home mortgage rates are low again but unless you have the credit and money down it’s still not a lock, even though the house prices may have dropped to more reasonable amounts. Foreclosures are also easy to be found lately but you need the money up front and that presents a problem for many as well.

Another place for great deals is buying a car these days because dealers are doing whatever they can to unload their inventory but it still requires great credit, money down and having a vehicle that you are not upside down on if you are trading it in.

There is hope though and in it’s usually with the things that you want but don’t have to give up the family’s nest egg for, should you still have one. There are deals to be found on everything from shipping, to mp3 players to plasma big screens to cleaning services.

Shipping volumes are down right now so you can find and make deals. This is not the postal service, FedEx down or the local UPS carrier. When you send your great aunt a homemade cookbook, they still charge regular rates with regular costs. However the transportation companies can give spot quotes, special deals on back haul lanes or try to work out a discount for you to fill their trailers. Should your eccentric uncle Ernie from across the country ask you to help send him some antique cast iron stove he won at an online auction in your neck of the woods, contact the local freight carriers and see what they can do for you, maybe the old coot will give you a finders fee for your help.

Have you wanted to hire a maid to help you get that house clean once a month? Call the local services and see how booked they are and what the best rate they can give you is. Chances are they hire out to local contractors or have staff that only works when there are jobs, so getting any revenue coming in helps their company, their employees and the better deals help you feel fresh in your newly cleaned house.

Let’s say you’ve been waiting to buy a digital camera or MP3 player and even though you aren’t too picky about all the features or brand you just haven’t found what you are looking for at the right price. Check out the going out of business sales.

In years gone by these were often fakes where stores would advertise final liquidation or going out of business, everything must go and then a month later they were still there and the savings were gone as well as the sales merchandise, replaced by the new stuff. You might have gotten an ok deal but a lot of times they were a disappointment and a waste of your time.

These days there are a lot of actual going out of business sales and the closer to the last days you can wait the better deals you get, although you risk not having much to choose from.

Circuit City is just such a place at the moment. Through research I found out they are all owned by separate liquidation companies which means their final days and final prices vary. Recently I had a friend who had been searching for a digital camera. He had been asking me for help and been looking for months, nothing ever met all of what he needed at the price he wanted. I sent him to the local Circuit City and now he has two cameras of reputable brands for less than the price of one, they were 70% off, and it turns out he needed two MP3 players as well, also 70% off.

It’s worth looking locally these days. Find out what stores or businesses are really hurting and walk in, don’t just browse online. They have a lot of clearance stuff that isn’t listed due to limited quantities or availability in certain stores only. You might find just what you are looking for or maybe just something that is close enough but for the price it is worth it.

It’s a buyers market right now for anyone with money that is willing to spend it. If this is you, than use that power you have.