How To Make Your Money Go Further During the Holidays

If you're planning on buying online or going to wade into the stores this holiday season, make your dollar go further by checking for coupons and special sales. I've found that I've saved a bunch of money (not on my car insurance) by using sites like hotdealsclub.com to get better prices/deals on stuff from furniture to DVDs.

If you're looking to buy a bunch of DVDs, consider joining Columbia House using one of the codes that lower the per-unit costs considerably could work out better than going to one of the big box stores. DeepDiscountDVD is another great source of cheap DVDs and no-hassle shopping.

Pricegrabber and Pricescan can help track down where the best prices on items may be. Combine your searches with the coupons to maximize your dollars. I always treat my holiday shopping like a game - to see just how much money I can save.

Another way to save, and incidentally makes an excellent stocking stuffer is the Entertainment book. They're produced for various geographical areas around the country, and the savings can quickly stack up. If you eat out a lot, you can quickly make back the book's cost and then some. Also, if you plan trips, the book is invaluable for car rental discounts that can save anywhere from $15-50 or more on a car rental. I've found that my average savings on my trips for car rentals alone averages around $40. The trick is to start searching for rates early and compare the different coupons and then check back to see if the prices drop. The same process can help find good hotel rates.

Using your AAA card can help secure good discounts as well. AAA partners with malls, like Woodbury Commons, in Harriman, New York to provide coupon books that let you take off serious dollars from the outlet stores there. Check with your local AAA branch or go to the AAA website to find out the discounts available in your area.

UPDATE:
If you know of a good site that provides discounts and great deals, include them in the comments or track back. However, I will delete spammers who are simply posting bogus information. You've been forewarned.

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