A Few Ways Your Computer Can Help Save You Money

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A few Ways Your Computer Can Help Save You Money

By CT

Resultant from hikes in gas prices, we're seeing a rise in goods and services across the board. Hopefully this article can help you save a little money, if only so you can continue to feed the great oil machine.

GROCERIES

Overall the cost of food has risen a third and more over the last few months. Sheesh not long ago milk here in California was $1.79 a gallon; one local store has it $5.49 a gallon for decent milk now!

As I thought when the price of gas started rising, Liquids would rise first. A gallon of milk weighs nearly 7 pounds, double the gas price and you have to hike the milk shipping price 100% in order to make the same profit. This is not even taking into account the fact that grains are more and more being used to create methanol, thus creating a supply side price hike in the cow's food (and the main source of our bread).

Ok enough harping on milk. Overall the price of everything going is going up. Coffee, tea, choocolate, vegetables, meats, you name it, it's costing more. Ways we can save grocery money using our machines include, but are not limited to the following:

1) Ebay: Yes Ebay! Do a search on ebay for coffee, tea, chocolate, nuts (we recently bought a load of pecans off ebay straight from the trees at HUGE savings over our local markets...MADE GREAT PIES!

2) Buy in bulk: You can use your PC to search out bulk stores such as Costco or Smart and Final. Bulk buying can save big dollars over normal supermarket pricing.

3) Search the world! If you're really into saving money, using the bulk purchase method, contact all your favorite distributors, growers etcetra and ask for a bulk buy. If it's not avainlable from one group, another will do it.

Also on this note, people, search for your local Farmer's Market and local dairies. Almost every town has at least one and, you can buy come of the best food on the planet at these places. A quick Google turned up the Santa Monica Farmer's Market. Well known in these parts for great quality, fresh food at a great price!

Borders are great. Don't be afraid to cross them! If you're close to the Mexican border for instance, a quick day trip can take you to the Puerto Nuevo Lobster Village in Rosarito, or the Ensenada fish markets! You can't get better, fresher fish at a better price; bring the ice chests and a good apatite!

GAS

Penny shaver? The kind that will drive three blocks to get a penny or two cheaper per gallon? In this day and age who can blame you? The whole idea of the typical American dream goes out the window when you realize that '56 Chevy costs twice as much AND MORE, to fill now. American Graffiti does not exist anymore!

If you're close to the Mexican border, fill up at PEMEX. Maybe you'll save aalot of bucks each time depending on daily exchange rates. People close to the Canadian border, I'm not sure what the savings would be. Less and less daily though.

Diesel is running $4.09/gallon here now, current pricing right across the border in Mexico is $2.01/gallon. Same difference can be found in gasoline: Almost $4/gallon here, $2.37/gallon.

In the meantime all we can do is bite the bullet and GOOGLE! A quick search for say, Los Angeles Gas Prices returns this. Most every town of decent size probably has a consumer advocacy group with a lower gas price website. Good luck!

Clothing:

Lots of ways you can save money here: If you're near a port town, L.A. or New York, you probably have a garment district. A quick search produces the LA Fashion District. Guys and gals both will love these places as everything from jeans to Armani can be found here! In some cases, they have HUGE PILES of everything from T-shirts to ties to search through! I bought an $800 ski jacket one time for $35, and it was not even off season!

Also, don't discount an old favorite, EBAY. You can get alot of good clothing deals on ebay. I recently bought an $80 pair of Topsiders for $20/plus shipping...BRAND NEW! One more piece of advice here would be to search for outlet malls. I haven't tried these stores but hear there are good deals to be had. One example is THE CITADEL; this was the old Firestone tire manufacturing center from the early part of the century through World War II...Cool place, they kept the ouside of the building at least.

You can use the net to search for everything from car parts to dental instruments (if you're so inclined). I had this little Daihatsu rally car for awhile, could not find the shocks anywhere in the US at a price I wanted to pay, Ended up buying four Konig Race shocks, two from Australia, two from France. Got a good price too...WOOT!

Seems we're living the old Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times". No matter what the pundits say in regard to the causes of our current (and life in general) condition, it's up to each and every one of us to make sure we cut the cake to get the best piece we can. With a little creativity, and the help of the internet, we can shave off cost here and there without giving up quality.

As usual, be careful making purchases on the net, or anywhere else for that matter. In general, I think the trip to the local search engine is well worth it. Hope you find some great deals!