Before Dan and I got engaged, we talked about engagement rings. He wanted to have some sort of idea of what I might like just in case he ever decided to propose. But, given we are in our 60's, I just don't see the need to go into debt for an engagement ring -- I love diamonds, of course, but at our age? Why?
So, I suggested we take a pair of my diamond earrings I hardly ever wear for fear of losing them and a Tiffany ring I won on Wheel of Fortune (another story) and have them both repurposed into an engagement ring.
The diamonds came from Aruba at least 20 years ago beautifully matched, trillion cut (triangle shape), 80 pts each. I found a costume ring design I liked and even purchased it to take to the jeweler as a model for the new ring.
The first jeweler quoted and then a second jeweler quoted half as much. We went with the second jeweler. A huge mistake.
First of all, it took 4x as long as the guy quoted. Then when it was finally ready, the support stones, which were supposed to come from the Tiffany ring, were all tiny. The jeweler claimed he had to cut them down to fit.
I was so stunned that someone would alter diamonds without first seeking the permission of the owner; I couldn't even speak and walked out of his store irate and disappointed.
Since then, I discovered that legitimate jewelers never do this sort of thing and have confirmed that he likely did take my Tiffany diamonds. Plus, he kept the 18 carat gold band which I didn't even ask about due to the shock over the diamonds.
The ring is gorgeous and I love it, but it's an important lesson -- cheapest is not always best.* Still, one of my most favorite topics for newsletters are hints and tips or, as is the topic for this newsletter -- money saving ideas.
Since we're in the midst of the holiday and gift buying season, let me share with you some of the things we love most:
--The WISH app
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for a downloadable app or go to your app store. For both IOS and Android phones, the WISH app offers literally 100 million items at 60-90% off! You will not believe how affordable items are on this app. And so far, the quality of what we have received has been equal to, or better than, our expectations but depending on what you buy, you may find the quality a little dismal.
And be forewarned, while their prices are impossibly low, their shipping costs are a bit high. And because all items come from different manufacturers, there is no discount on shipping for an order with a combination of goods. Still, you can't beat these savings!
Oh, and let us alert you to one other 'caveat emptor': Occasionally you will see an ad for something that says there are only so many sold per day - say 3 or 5. They prompt you to order it and then if you're lucky enough to be one of those 3 or 5, then you get the item. If you are not lucky enough - then they offer your purchase back as 'house money' or a refund. Just say no to these 'deals'. It is unlikely you'll get the item and then you have already paid for it.
Other than that, we can't say enough good things about the WISH app. We love it! Try not to get addicted!
--WOOT
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or download the WOOT app -- a subsidiary of Amazon (and you can use Amazon Prime free shipping). WOOT is also a discount distributer with ridiculously low prices on both new and refurbished items. Most items are electronics so if you are a technology aficionado this is a great spot for you.
I just bought something that had a retail price of $99 and it was only $14.99 -- it was new, not refurbished and when it arrived, it was perfect! Can't tell you what it is due to a particular reader of this newsletter, but it was a great deal!
--Liquidation.com
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if you are interested in full pallets of discounted items, liquidation.com is your go-to resource. They process Amazon returns, provide a manifest for most of the pallet, offer a retail price and a sale price.
There are some amazing deals and you can get pallets for a variety of options - clothing, shoes, electronics, décor, etc. This site is for people who have lots of excess storage space and/or like to do resale as a part time or full time job (think Poshmark and Ebay for examples).
One can make a huge amount of money selling items or you can just have it feel like Christmas every day. Here is a YouTube video to help you understand how this works -- and if you don't know who Safiya Nygaard is, start to follow her! She's fantastic!
--EBay Mystery Boxes -- if you like to live on the edge, love surprises or just have some extra cash to spend, these mystery boxes might appeal to you. Just go to Ebay
and search for Mystery Boxes. A LOT of listings come up. The descriptions are a little iffy but hey, it is fun and you might luck out and get more than your money's worth -- sort of your own smaller version of 'storage wars'.
If you, like me, enjoy the excitement of getting things on sale, then check out all of the above. We also love Overstock, Wayfair, Amazon, Tuesday Morning and Ebay for discounts all the time.
By the way, do some comparison shopping between Amazon and Ebay. Often you'll find the same items cheaper on one site or the other. While I am a 'one click' impulse buyer on Amazon, Dan gets almost all his stuff from Ebay.
Be sure to take a few minutes to search in order to secure the best deals.
Until next time -- happy deal hunting....
*While we won't mention the jeweler or shop by name, if you are ever going to repurpose jewelry, do feel free to contact me directly to avoid this person.
