This week's Wednesday Wisdom: 12 things you should never settle for paying full price for from Business Insider.
12 Things You Should Never Buy Full-Price
We're thrilled to present this smart Business Insider story here on Savvy!
To give you a boost, we tapped a few savvy shoppers for their tips on all the ways you can save.
Theater tickets
"One of the greatest savings areas recently has been the theater ticket business," says Anna Aronovich, CEO of GovernmentAuctions.org.
Even if you're not going to be around NYC to score discount Broadway tickets this month, there are opportunities in nearly all cities to see shows on the cheap.
Related: 15 Things You Should Never Waste Your Money On
Some rewards programs like Optimum Rewards cost nothing to join and offer discounts on shows.
Beer
If you're looking to stock the fridge for your next poker night, don't hit the liquor store until you've checked out www.saveonbrew.com.
The company's been featured on a host of deals sites lately as one of the best ways to find discounts on brewski, says Jennifer Davidson, director of operations. (See some incredible uses for beer.)
Read on for more.
"At any given time we have over 250,000 deals online, polling over 50,000 stores," she says. Just type in your zip code, and the site will pump out the best discounts in your area.
Cars
"Everyone knows you should 'never pay retail' (for a car)," says Edmunds.com senior editor, Phil Reed.
Check Edmunds.com's free True Market Value price check, which tells you the average price of a car in your region. That way you'll know if your dealer's sales pitch is generous or not. (See eight questions every couple should ask before buying a car.)
"TMV figures are based on the actual sales of other cars of its kind in your area," Reed says. "The figure is then adjusted further for accuracy using sophisticated calculations designed by mathematicians at Edmunds.com."
Legal advice
There are a slew of new sites on the web that are offering legal advice from actual professionals at a deeply discounted rate.
Check out a few of our favorites:
Shpoonkle.com
Legalzoom.com
RocketLawyer.com
All three sites offer access to attorneys from across the country. Just search their site for a lawyer in your price range and start saving as much as 30 percent off traditional rates.
Anything that comes with a plug
"From HD to 3D and built-in WiFi, television manufacturers are constantly creating new features and releasing upgraded models that create a rapid depreciation," says Julie Vlahon of Techbargains.com.
If you're not dead set on having the latest version on the market, look to older models to save or scope out deals at warehouse stores for affordable package bundles that come with extended warranties, she says.
Laptops are also a steal during the busy back-to-school sales season, and you'll score a ton of deals throughout the holidays.
Dealnews does a great job listing the best products to buy on a month-to-month basis. Looks like February is prime time for TV lovers.
Just remember to skip the extended warranty.
Gift certificates and gift cards
If you haven't cottoned on to the secondhand gift card marketplace, you're missing out.
GiftCardGranny.com and CouponSherpa are great sources to nab discounted gift cards for hundreds of retailers. They're a also a favorite way to save, according to personal finance expert Andrea Woroch.
"You can score huge discounts for yourself or for a gift," she says.
Shipping
These days, nearly all retailers offer some sort option to deliver your purchases to your doorstep without additional fees.
Rock stars like Zappos and L.L. Bean are among the rarest breed of businesses offering free shipping on every single purchase, says NerdWallet CEO Tim Chen. But most companies will demand a minimum purchase before letting you off the hook.
To help track down deals on shipping, Freeshipping.org is an excellent source.
Patio furniture
"Spring is when retailers heavily promote their summer merchandise, and among them are expensive patio sets and outdoor furniture," Woroch says.
"Hold off until after Summer to enjoy huge sales of up to 80 percent off. Otherwise, head over to a local home consignment shop for discounts or check Craigslist for gently used alternatives."
Don't turn up your nose a garage or yard sales, either. Chances are your neighbors might want to get rid of their old furniture to make way for something new.
E-Books
Yes, e-books are basically a discount in and of themselves, since they're far cheaper than the real thing.
But there are still more ways to save.
Many libraries have started to offer free e-book rentals from their websites. You can also check out books library-style from Amazon's Kindle store.
Video games
Check out LynxSquare.com, a group-buy marketplace that lets users sell off older versions of their video games online.
You can even pool your resources with friends if you can't afford some of the pricier games on the market, and eBay's another great source for finding discounted games. You can trade unwanted games on Swap.com as well.
Your college education
College tuition prices don't appear to be trending down anytime soon, so do all you can to find the best deals out there.
Don't stop hounding your student aid office until you've exhausted all your federal loan aid. Trust us: you don't want to have to turn to private student loans, which carry variable interest rates that can leap into the double-digits after you graduate.
If you're thinking about getting your degree online, check GetEducated.com, which publishes comparisons of online degrees nationwide.
Printer ink
Per technology consultant James Beswick:
"Manufacturers' markup on brand-name ink cartridges is very high. There are local and online services that will refill your cartridges and toners for up to 80 to 90 percent off, and I'm not sure anyone can tell the difference in the final printed product."
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