Woodpeckers isn't alone.

[notbob]

Prolly there, now, but fer a mere $3.

I bought one of Lee Valley's BPA-free 16oz mugs. Almost $14 w/ cap. When I first dragged my new drinking vessel to a local BYOB gathering, I was shocked to see at least 3-4 others drinking outta 22oz-36oz mugs that looked exactly like my Tervis drinking vessel (exact same cap). When I asked each person how much they paid for these obiously-larger-than-mine vessels, no one answered any price over $5. Boy, was I PO'd. Maybe they weren't BPA-free. ????

When I later got home, I discovered I had already bought a BPA-free

16oz mug fer me late mum. Marketed under the name Alladin, it was made to look like a Mason jar, was double insultated (like a Tervis), had a screw-on cap, and a built-in --yet removable-- straw. $10 at Walmart. (sigh)

I'll learn. ;)

nb

[Leon]

If you strive to pay the least for something you may never buy anything. You can always get something for less than you paid.

[woodchucker]

[krw]

True. If you need(want) something the decision is whether the item is worth the price asked. If it is, buy it. Else...

Sure and it hurts when it's $100 less expensive the next week. I just remember that it was worth what I paid for it (or I wouldn't have).

[Leon]

I have a CitiCard Master Card. It pays me 2% for everything that I buy and pay for when the bill is generated. Also it has a price rewind feature that protects your purchase against paying too much for 60 days.

For 2 items I have been credited $80 in the past 18 months.

I bought my son a Ridgid combo drill/impact and Citicards has already found the price to be less, $20 less.

So if I see something I want but don't want to drive across town to get the best deal the credit card credits me.

I just have to show my receipt, when, and where I bought it. Credit shops up about 10 weeks after I make the purchase.

And they remind me that a purchase might be eligible.

[Scott Lurndal]

That $10 gets 9 pieces, so about a buck each. I'd not call that "insanely overpriced plastic junk".

[krw]

I've been tempted to get that card. I've looked hard at it but I have enough cards. The best is my Sam's card - pays 5% back on gas and 3% on travel/vacations. That's pretty much all I use it for. I paid for half of my Unisaur with cash back from Amex.

There must be limitations but it's a good deal. I doubt that I'd go out of my way to collect on it, though.

[Leon]

We also have Discover that pays 1% and 5% on some things that change quarterly. BUT the catch with most 5% programs is that they are limited to about $1500 per quarter or $45 back per quarter. We pay everything that we can on CC and pay that card off each month with out fail. This year the Citicard has averaged $70 per month in just cash back in purchases.. We let the amount accumulate to help pay for Christmas, year end property taxes, and insurance.

You really don't have to do any thing to collect except up load a scan of your receipt. The CC company catches half of the purchases that I make that qualify, those that I miss. That upload is all the paperwork that you need.

[krw]

We don't use cards for everything. We go to restaurants three or four times a week(end). I almost always use cash (and always tip in cash). I prefer to use my cash-back on Festools. ;-)

How do they know what the "new" price is?

[Bill]

I've learned in a few cases that I should be buying at Walmart instead of Lowes. 20-30% price difference on the same garbage bags for instance.

[Leon]

Typically Lowe's, Home Depot and the like are convenient not competitively priced.

About 10 years go my local ACE hardware store challenged me to find something that they and the local Home Depot stocked where Home Depot was less expensive. This is not always true but you have to shop to get the lowest price.

[Leon]

Well you could reduce your costs by 2% if you did use a card. ;~)

I am clueless how they keep up with that. All I know is that I submit the copy of the receipt for the chosen purchase and a lower price is often found with out my help. In the beginning I thought I had to show proof of a lower price but that is not the case. And they watch for 60 days. If during that 60 day period there is a price reduction somewhere you get the credit, even if the price goes back up.

[Jack]

I needed something similar to keep my Cell phone charging cord on top of my table, and I used a paper clip, like this:

[Jack]

I learned long ago the easiest way to open jars like this is to run hot water over the lid for a few seconds. Seems to work 100% of the time.

[Jack]

I use earphones every day, specifically Sony MDR-G45LP behind the head model, and I keep an extra pair for when one breaks. The last pair I bought was $13 on Amazon in 2012. I broke the old ones and went to Amazon to get another set. They were $27 plus shipping. I looked around a bit, and same prices came up. I didn't buy them because I though the doubling of price seemed wrong. Few weeks later I did a more thorough search and found them on line at Walmart for $14 and free shipping. Much more like it, so I bought 2, just in case.

You might always be able to get something for less than you paid, but it's even more likely to pay way too much for something, especially at Amazon. You really need to be careful buying from Amazon, they are sneaky bastards...

[Jack]

I just went to their site

and a quick look-see didn't find this feature?

Am I at the right place? This sounds too good to pass up. I'm a cheap SOB so I usually look before I leap, but my wife seems to care less, and goes by your philosophy just buy whatever you want, don't worry about the price.

She's too old for the "if it feels good do it" crowd, but she's adopted that attitude when buying stuff. She needs this card... I need her to get this card...

[Ed Pawlowski]

Works well on previously opened jars but I found it less so on new. The trick is to release the vacuum.

[notbob]

I learned a long time ago yer method does not always work.

Take the backside of a butter knife and apply glancing blows to the outside-upper corner of the cap --in the direction of "lefty Lucy"-- to loosen the cap. I've use the same method --with a hammer and a cold chisel-- to loosen rusted bolts/washers.

Gar-own-tee! ;)

nb

[Bill]

Some nice tips there! Bill

[DerbyDad03]

I learned a long time ago that the easiest way to open a jar is to turn it over and slap the bottom hard enough to hear a "crack". Most of the pressure will have been released and the top will spin off with relative ease.

I learned that from a bartender in Germany while serving in the USCG. SWMBO will hand me a jar that she can't open, I'll slap it and hand it back. She opens it right up.