Save Big by Being Patient

[Mom23boys]

Saw this is the DollarStretcher and thought it was worth sharing!

Save Big by Being Patient
by Jeffrey Strain
Patience is a virtue in the search for a deal

When people claim they have saved money or found a great deal,
you usually hear about the time, effort and research they put
into getting the bargain. This gives the impression that
getting good deals takes a lot of work. While good research
and organization can go a long way to getting you great deals,
the truth is that doing nothing is often your best resource
when getting a great deal. The personal quality of patience is
rarely mentioned when reading about how to get the best deal,
but if you are a person who can simply wait, you'll save
yourself thousands of dollars a year.

In this instant gratification society, having the patience to
wait even a short amount of time can cut expenses
dramatically. While the Jones' are trading in for a new luxury
car every two years and purchasing the latest and greatest
gadgets as soon as they hit the retail stores, if you have the
patience to wait, you can often get the same items at a
fraction of the cost.

People who don't have patience end up paying premium prices. A
recent example is Google Gmail email accounts. These are email
accounts that are going to be free to anyone who wants them.
When the trial for the accounts was first announced, however,
you could only get them by an invitation from a friend. Many
people considered them a must have item when they were first
announced and paid as much as $100 for one less than a year
ago. They now sell for less than a dollar on online auction
sites and you can even find many places where the Gmail
accounts are being given away for free.

Another good example of where patience pays is with cars.
You're likely to pay near full price for a car when the new
year model is released. If you have the patience to wait nine
months, you can get the same brand new car for a lot less as
the dealer tries to sell out inventory for the next new car
models coming in. If you have even more patience and can wait
a couple of years (and don't mind a slightly used car), you
can save yourself thousands more.

Patience can save in many small ways that together add up to a
lot of money. You can pay $25 for the family to go to the
movies to see the latest release or wait a few months and rent
the movie for less than $5. That's an 80% savings. You can pay
full retail price for the latest Harry Potter book, or wait
less than a month and pick it up on an online auction or used
bookstore for a fraction of the price. If you have a little
more patience, you can borrow it for free from your local
library.

While patience in combination with other traits like
organization and research can multiply the saving benefits,
those who have a hard time with those other skills can still
save by merely being patient. All it takes is sitting back,
taking it easy and waiting a few months until all the hype
around the product in question disappears.

[Early Bird]

Yes, true. Especially in electronics purchases!

[PrairieRose]

Absolutely true in almost all areas. We bought a like new Lincoln Towncar, 6 yrs. old, with 10,244 miles on it for about 1/4 the cost of a *new* one. It's beautiful and rides like a new one even still smells like new on the inside.