Category Archives: Bargains

Are Hybrid Cell Phones The Future?

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I recently bought my son a cellular service plan from Kajeet for $19.99 a month.

I admit that I did not want to make this purchase.  My son has an Apple iPod Touch, and with that awesome electronic device, I configured my son’s iPod to make and receive cellular calls when he is connected to a wireless router.  Included in the app is texting, so I didn’t understand why we needed to buy a cell phone, but my son insisted that he wanted one.  So we went with the Kajeet services I mentioned earlier.

At the time it was one of the cheapest yet practical Cellular Plans out in the market place.  The feature that sold us was the unlimited texting, this was exactly what my son wanted.  Overall, we’ve  been happy with the Cellular Plan from Kajeet, and the cell phone that we bought… until recently.

The latest rage is the new hybrid cellular plan from “Republic Wireless“!  It’s basically a blend of the iPod app that makes and receives calls (and texting) over a wireless router, and the cellular aspect of a cellular plan (Sprint I believe).

LG Optimus

LG Optimus

 

The basic idea is that when you are within range of a wireless router (they calculate this to be 60% of the time), you use the router for your calls, texting and for internet access.  Then the times when you are not in range of a wireless router, you use the cellular services that they provide (again, via Sprint).  It’s basically taking advantage of both technologies for an optimally frugal mix!  All for the price of $19 (yep, that’s right, it’s even cheaper than Kajeet).

The plan is unique in that the service refers to customers as members instead of customers, and if you violate the 60% too much or too long, they reserve the right to kick you out of the community.  How’s that for a different business model!

But, from what I read it seems like a fantastic deal, and I’m going to sign up for the service once they start taking new members again!

I usually don’t say this, but go check out the Republic Wireless website.  They did an excellent job with the design, and all the information is presented in an easy to comprehend manner.  I was very impressed by their presentation.

What do you think?  Is Hybrid Cell Phones the future?

The great thing about Republic’s service plan is that it’s not a long-term contract, it’s monthly and even has a 30 day guarantee.

I recently blogged about how I was considering breaking down and buying a cell phone in the article: “Frugal Confessions: I Do Not Own a Cell Phone” recently, but I’ve decided to delay that decision and wait until I can get on board with Republic Wireless instead.

What do you think, since it’s risk free, would you consider such a plan?

Tell me what you think,

MR

Buying Black Friday Sales Online

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Well, I took the plunge spending $574 on Black Friday online purchases this year.

I’ve decided to buy a new hosting service for my websites.  Now on the surface, this might seem odd since I can have unlimited domains on my site with my current host.  The primary reasons I decided to make this purchase are because of speed and reliability.  While my current host has been decent, I think that the jump to the HostGator could provide more speed and stability.  I’m keeping my current host too, but if the jump to my new host pans out, I might move everything over.

My next two purchases were SEO software, but that’s boring and nobody gets into that so I’ll skip it.

My final purchase was a new Canon PowerShot SX150 Camera!

Canon SX150 Camera

Canon SX150 Camera

This particular Camera was $100 off the original price of $250, but the real selling point was the 12x optical zoom (we all know that digital zoom sucks)!  That means I’ll be able to take pictures of things that normally would be very difficult for me to capture!

You may have noticed that everything I mentioned above is for my blog site!  I didn’t really spend anything on myself or for my family.  My family shopping was done a long time ago.

Well, this Black Friday has been the most I have ever spend on Black Friday.  In fact, if you add the amount that I spent on all of the previous Black Fridays days, this day tops them!  The funny thing is I expect to spend more next year, if all goes well!

Regards,

Don

A Blogging Black Friday Spending Spree

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This year may be the first year that I’m excited about Black Friday, because I”m going on a blogging spending spree!

The past few years, I’ve been sticking my nose up on the fabulous sales that take place on Black Friday, but this year is different!

This year I’m going to buy some if not all of the following on Black Friday:

  • Online presence with another internet hosting company.  Yes, I plan on being that busy next year!
  • Specialized software that will help me advance my skills, starting with new theme.  My current theme is a beta version with some issues that I’ve only recently discovered.
  • A decent quality camera, I need better pictures to upload!
  • A smart phone of some sort.  Just having the internet access from one of these phones would really make my blogging life much more easy and productive (I hope).
  • Other things I have yet to think of.

Are you considering any purchases this coming Black Friday?

And if you’re not into Black Friday this year (like I really wasn’t last year), check out these great articles:

  • Budgeting in the Fun Stuff:  Can Anyone Be a Successful Blogger? – This is a very appropriate article as Crystal’s blog, considering she’s doing exactly as the article describes!
  • Retire by 40:  What is Your Retirement Plan? – It’s good to shoot high and miss by a little than shoot low and stagnate.
  • Everyday Tips and Thoughts:  How to Avoid Blowing Your Savings On Christmas – Too late for use, but perhaps not for others?
  • First Gen American:  Returning Cabbages – Gotta love the unique information at Sandy’s site, very interesting story as usual!
  • Little House in the Valley: Modesty Allows for Early Retirement – Slow and steady wins the race… unless you run like a Rabbit like Corey is!  Reminds me a lot of Crystal… Must be your name start with “C” thing…
  • Financially Consumed:  Made In America – Shop Local – I so believe in this and even to this myself, check out: Buy Local, How I Support My Community, lately I’ve started buying at a quaint bookstore in town that use to be a bank!

I could honestly continue adding great articles from super bloggers all day, but it’s the weekend and time to spend more time with the family!

Here’s hoping you had a great weekend!

MR

Getting Or Making Money On Deals

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One time in the past, I would pass by deals that might come my way if I didn’t directly want them.  Often time, such deals would be at a cost of only 10% or less of their true value.

Today, I now understand that skipping such deals is like throwing money away!  In fact, I now understand that I could buy the deal and sell such items on eBay for a return of greater than 100% of what I paid.  Such deals could actually make me some money if I so desired.

Of course deals don’t come by and knock you on the head…  Mostly, you have to look for them or even be clever enough to make them yourself.  I know a guy that buys cars that have been refurbished for a fraction of the cost it would take to buy the car in the marketplace.  While he chooses to keep such cars, he would turn around and sell them if he wanted.

The same guy also takes advantage of traveling expenses with this company.  While the rest of the travellers goes out to fancy restaurants and enjoys expensive over-priced meals, he’s go grocery shopping the first day of the trip then just eat that food that he prepars back in his hotel instead of going out.  Then when it comes time to expense the food for his employer’s T & E expenses, he’ll take the maximum meal amounts that doesn’t require a receipt.  Often time he will make over 100% on what he spent on the food that he bought and prepared himself!

While some may think that the employee is robbing the company by doing what he does, it actually works out to be a win-win for both the employee and the employer, since what he claims would still be less that if he were to go out and buy the overpriced meals.

These are just come quick and obvious examples of ways to take advantage of deals…  You’ll have to look outside of the box to take advantage or create your own deals.

Watch out for such deals!

MR