Buying A Home
kaylie622
member
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
What savings tips/tricks did you use when you moved into your new house?
Here are the strategies I've used so far:
- Shopping through our credit card websites to earn extra cash back: H's credit card was offering 10% cash back at Home Depot if you shopped by clicking through their rewards mall. This only works if you pay off the balance in full though, otherwise the interest you pay will make up for it eventually.
- Using cardpool.com - I bought an electronic gift card and use it to buy our lawn mower with in-store pick up. I saved 7% plus you don't get charged sales tax when you use a gift card.
- Angie's list - we used this on our home inspection and saved $15 (about what we paid for our membership). We're also purchasing one of their "big deals" to get four recessed lights installed for $400 (savings of ~$240)
Re: What savings tips/tricks did you use when you moved into your new house?
Ask about same as cash financing for furniture and use layaway if the store has it. We bought our washer/dryer during a big sale at Sears, and we have been paying on it every couple of weeks on layaway. Spreads out the payments, and since we can't get into the house yet, it is providing valuable storage.
Also, if you are buying a good amount of furniture from a store, ask for free delivery if not already offered. We have had stores waive the delivery fee just by us asking.
I don't know about other grocery stores, but our grocery store offers double points on their loyalty card if you purchase gift cards from them. These points translate into $ off gas from their gas stations. So we now have $1 off gas per gallon just by buying Lowes gift cards to use for our paint, etc.
Go to the post office and get your change of address form. They contain coupons to lots of home improvement places.
I am a huge fan of Groupon, LivingSocial and other local daily deal websites. They will have great deals on carpet cleaning or house painting. We were even able to pick up a Groupon for $300 worth of furniture for $75 at a local furniture store. The really good deals can be sporadic but if you are patient, normally a great deal will pop up.
I'm a big fan of cardpool and used them extensively when remodeling the house in my siggy.
But what you said about there not being sales tax when you buy with a gift card isn't true. Maybe the store was running a special, maybe it was a tax-free weekend, maybe your state doesn't charge sales tax on gift card sales, but there's definitely sales tax for the rest of America. To the state, a gift card is no different than any other form of payment.
My Pinterest
The Googlesites Paint Bio
Thinking of doing cosmetic updates to a dated home? These were our costs.
You're right - it might be a strange quirk with our area. Lowes and HD have both left off the sales tax when I buy in PA, but they charge it if I pick up in NJ.
What is cardpool.com? I've never heard of it but I know we will need lots of little odds and ends for our new place. Is it basically just discount gift cards? Are they the store selling the cards or individuals?
ETA - I guess I could have just read the "how it works" section. Seems like a great website!
Our house building adventure (UPDATED 8/20/12)
Wedding Planning Bio
Our wedding blogged! (Click Brad & Briana on the right side)
If you have a gift card or store credit, but you'd rather just have cash they'll buy it from you at a lower amount. They resell it to others at a certain amount (e.g. you can buy a $250 gift card for $220, or something like that) and keep some of the profit. Depending on the store, it isn't always huge but I've been buying a LOT at HD and Lowes, so they're coming in handy.
Thanks for the info! Do you know can you buy multiply cards and use them on the same purchase? For example, we need a fridge for our new house. Could I buy 5 or 6 gift cards from cardpool.com and use them all on the one purchase? Or does the store have a one gift card per purchase limit? I understand this might be store specific and I probably just need to call and ask.
Our house building adventure (UPDATED 8/20/12)
Wedding Planning Bio
Our wedding blogged! (Click Brad & Briana on the right side)
This varies by store. Cardpool offers ones that can be used instore or online. In store I'm sure you can use as many as you want. I know Home Depot allowed you to do multiples (I want to say up to five) online for a single purchase. I've done two cards on one order successfully.