Thrift-Queen's eBay Buying Tricks and Tips

I'm not going to lie. I ♥ eBay. I use it to buy all sorts of goodies from clothes and toys, to furniture and accessories. But knowing where and how to look can be mind-boggling. So I thought I'd share with you my tips and tricks to achieving eBay buying success.

Where To Search

A must for anyone looking for a specific item, is to remember not everyone can spell! Spelling mistakes are rife on eBay. If you're looking for the perfect wedding dress, for example, try searching instead for a 'weeding dress', or let Fatfingers.com do the work for you. They search eBay for hidden treasures that would otherwise end up no bids, as nobody can find them!

Another top tip that I often use, is to remove the word 'and'. A higher itemised result can be found if you were to search for 'Lyle Scott' as opposed to 'Lyle and Scott'.

How to Search

My ultimate top tip in searching for anything on eBay, albeit a generic 'antique furniture' search or a more specific 'Harry Potter Lego' search is to personalise the search. There are many tools for you to do this and sniff out a bargain. The three that I have the most proven success rate with are:

• Dictate to eBay how you want the results to be arranged using the 'Sort By' drop down list. The options include 'Ending Soonest' and 'Price: Lowest First' but I always opt for 'Nearest First'. This option will ultimately save you money as you'll be able to collect the item as opposed to paying for postage or shipping by couriers. It's not uncommon for eBay sellers to up-quote the cost of postage and packaging to make a bit more money for themselves.
• Narrow down your search by searching in a chosen category - this option is particularly useful if you know what you are searching for. Choose from a drop down menu along the top of the search results page. But be aware that items often cross over into different categories. When this does happen, eBay lists (on the left side of the page) the actual categories where the search items were found.
• Set a price limit. The light yellow column on the left-hand-side allows you to choose the amount you are willing to spend in the form of two boxes. In the first box you enter in the lowest price and the second, the highest price you want to pay for an item. Such as £0.01p - £28.77p. A much more purse friendly way to search. Some websites might recommend u looking at forums, for the average price varying items should be sold for, but I say just go with your gut.

How to Bid

Congratulations! You made it this far.

There are various tricks of the trade to eBay bidding. I would advise, if you're buying more than one item from the same seller, to contact them and ask if they offer combined postage (if you're unable to collect, as previously mentioned). Sometimes sellers might have a 'Best Offer' option whereby instead of straight bidding, you are able to offer them a price which you are willing to pay. The advantage of this is that you can see the previous offers that have been made by other buyers, to gauge how much to pay and provide the change to haggle.

My golden rule for bidding would be to wait until the last few minutes before entering your offer. Bidding too early will boost the price of your wanted item and you might thus miss out. When using this method, I tend to enter the highest possible amount I'd be willing to pay for the item, such as £43.77. Then I just hope that I am not outbid.

Unless paying cash on collection, I would always advise using 'Paypal' as they offer payment protection on items that are lost in the post.

Follow my simple guide and you too could enjoy eBay at its thrifty best! Need anymore advise? Drop me an email at thrift-queen@hotmail.co.uk and I'll be happy to help.

Food For Thought...

The Thrift-Queen's top tip today - keep cakes fresher for longer, by adding some orange peel to your cake tins. Inexpensive yet very worthwhile.

Top Five Free Hobbies

"Beware the hobby that eats." Benjamin Franklin

About six months ago, it occurred to me that many of my favourite hobbies were generally costing me more than I could afford. Snowboarding, pole dancing classes and theatre trips were leaving me with limited funds, so I set about trying to replace them with free or virtually free new hobbies. My top five thrifty favourites are as follows:

1. Thrifty sports and exercise. Such as hiking, football, walking/running, darts, tennis, skateboarding, basketball and cycling.
2. Music. Re-learn or teach yourself to play an instrument. Attend gigs for 'up-and-coming' bands. Less notoriety = cheaper tickets.
3. Cooking and baking. Challenging, cheap and child-friendly.
4. Blogging. Share your passion and give yourself a voice.
5. Arts and crafts [see previous article Get The Crafting Bug]. Or why not take up knitting, sewing, painting or photography.

Do you have any recommendations for cheap yet fun hobbies I could try? Leave me a comment or email me at thrift-queen@hotmail.co.uk

Groupon Greatness

Last weekend my big night out was to Ben 10 Monster Trucks with my five year old son. I bought tickets from Groupon at a bargain price of £8 each, a deal not to be sniffed at. The Thrift-Queen recommends Groupon, it was well worth every penny.

Birthday Brilliance

The inspiration for this amazingly thrifty idea, came from a group of friends of the Thrift-Queen 'The Freddy's Girls'. Essentially the concept behind a Birthday Club is to save money individually, without the feeling of guilt. But the best bit? The birthday boy/girl still receives a fabulous present. It's a win:win senario.

The Freddy's Girls have about eight close friends in their Birthday Club, each with one - three children. That's a lot of birthday presents to be buying throughout the year. Their thrifty solution? Every month each adult pays £10 into a joint account. Then, when it is someone's birthday, there is up to £30 in the kitty to be  spent on a gift for them.

The real brilliance of the Birthday Club is that adults and children alike actually prefer to receive a one-off, bigger present, as opposed to lots of little bits. A perfect money saving solution to an otherwise expensive predicament.

One, Two, Three

Ahoy there, it be International Talk Like a Pirate Day. But don't be a scurvy bilge rat and get swindled out of all your pieces of eight, save your loot with a one, two, three.

The Thrift-Queen's top tip? Always get three quotes and ask for references. Be it for plumbing work, selling your house, or hiring a dj for a wedding.

Library Lovelyness

My five year old son is hobby mad. He currently goes to football twice a week, street dance and swimming (and is anxious to start Beavers, but I'm not sure if we've the time, or quite frankly, the money!) But this afternoon, as a rare treat, we had no after school plans. So I asked him what he wanted to do most of all. His reply? Visit the library.

The thing that I think most people forget is that the library is not just about books. Our local one, for example, has the daily local newspapers/ masses of subscribed magazines to read for free; DVD's and audio CD's which are free if they're on a child's ticket; lots of free information about things to do in your local area; and computers with free internet use. My son particularly loves that they have designated computers for children to play interative games [for free].

So whilst Kindles and e-books might be the latest all-singing all-dancing gadget trying to lure us away from good ol' fashioned paper books, let us not forget about the amazing service of our free local library. I read an interesting article from collegeonline.org which said "Radio lives on despite TV, film is still in high demand despite video, people still talk on the telephone despite email. [Therefore] people who like paper books will continue to read paper books" but I thought y'all could do with a gentle reminder about your lovely local library!

Money Saving Website

Just wanted to share with you all this amazing new [to me] website I've found. It's called Cheap Bargains (UK) and is Thrift-Queen heaven with top tips galore on saving money and deals to be had. My recommendation of the moment is to buy the Skullcandy Full Metal Earbud Headphones on play.com for £14.99 (RRP of £79.95) which is a massive saving of £64.96. Perfect for a thrifty Christmas present. Check out other bargains to be had at http://www.cheapbargains.org/

My Golden Rules To Shopping Savvy

In the past, Ikea has been a very bad influence on me. It is so tempting to go crazy and buy everything in sight. But the term 'thrift' doesn't mean to buy items at the cheapest possible price, instead it means getting the best value for your money. So although, yes I did spend £36 in Ikea yesterday, I was good and stuck to my Thrift-Queen golden rules.

Shop with a list and stick to it: I went to Ikea for glass jars and picture frames. I came away with glass jars and picture frames. This is especially true of food shopping. Don't get tempted by all the special offers.

Use the internet, it's what it is there for: Visit shops to look at potential purchases; to try them out and to ask questions. Then come home and buy online. Or why not utilise John Lewis' price guarantee 'Never Knowingly Undersold'. Perhaps your next must-have purchase will be listed on Gumtree, Craigslist or Ebay.

Use independent shops to your advantage: If you're making multiple purchases or a one off expenisve purchase, such as an engagement ring, have a go at haggling over the price. The worst that can happen is they say no. A good opening line for this is "What's your best price?" But be confident.

Know when to pay by card and when to pay with cash: There are some instances that I would highly recommend purchasing items with a credit card. For bigger items such as computer, a sofa or a holiday, it is highly advisable to use a credit card as you are then automatically insured by the credit card company. For spontaneous trips to Ikea on the other hand, take cash and leave your card at home. Sure you might miss buying a really cheap item, but ultimately you'll save yourself money and not be surrounded by unwanted stuff.

Buy quality items: Cheaper isn't always better. In my living room, for instance, I commisioned a joiner to make me a pair of one-off shelves to house my dvd's, cd's and books [see below]. I paid £450 each. Five years later, I still very much love them and I'm certain they will stand the test of time. Shoes would be another good example of knowing when to buy quality. Ultimatley, it means you spend less time maintaining and replacing your possessions.

Readers Tip: Don't Throw Away That Throwaway

Megan, an avid Thrift-Queen reader has been in touch with her thriftful top tip: "I subscribe to Surrey Life [magazine] and my friend subscribes to Country Life [magazine]. When we've finished reading them, we swop." Eco friendly and purse friendly. I love it!

Do you have any top tips, bargain bonanza's or thrifty suggestions? Drop me an email at thrift-queen@hotmail.co.uk

Thrifty Beauty Cheats

Keeping yourself looking your best can be vastly expensive. Beauty is a multi billion pound industry, but with the recession hitting, we can't all afford to spend £52* on a mere tub of moisturiser. Below are my top ten thrifty tips for looking good, for less:

• Buy men's razors. You get more blades for less money.
• Keep an eye out for free beauty products on the front of magazines e.g lip-gloss or nail varnish, it usually works out much cheaper than buying the product out right.
• Buy a slightly darker shade of foundation than you would usually opt for. When applying, mix on the back of your hand with a dollop of moisturiser. Not only will the foundation last longer, but it'll give you a nice healthy glow.
• To prevent puffiness, place sliced up cucumber on your eyes.
• Make your own exfoliator buy mixing honey/olive oil [to keep your skin soft] with sugar. If you have particularly oily skin, replace the sugar with salt. Wash off with warm water.

 

• Add a cup of powdered milk to your bath. It will leave you skin silky soft.
• Wear clear lip-gloss over your lipstick to help the colour last longer.
• Keep an eye out for offers at your local beauty college. Often they need 'customers' to practise on for waxing, tinting and other beauty procedures. Get discounted treatments and still be pampered!
• The scent of your perfume will last longer if the bottle is kept out of direct sunlight. Less sprays = longer lasting.
• Make your own facemasks. My favourite receipes are a) beat together an egg white, a drizzle of honey and a squeeze of lemon. It will leave your skin soft and glowing. b) put half a cucumber and a half a peach in a blender together. It will tighten pores, shrink acne spots and rejuvenate the skin. NB: For both face masks, apply with fingertips. Leave for three or four minutes, and wash off with warm water.

*£52 is just an approximate amount that the Thrift-Queen might [over] pay for a branded beauty product.

The New Age Pound Shop

I, for one, am currently feeling incredibly grateful that I live nowhere near London or the home counties (I currently reside in Derbyshire). I have discovered the most amazing shop, and I am 90% sure I would be penny-less by now if I were ever to visit, despite it being Thrift-Queen heaven.

However, if you have slightly more self control than me, then I highly recommend you check out Tiger. Originating from Denmark, this stylish store proudly sells everything under £20: http://www.tigerstores.co.uk/ - [Thankfully] their website only serves as an example of the products that they sell.

My thrifty Tiger favourites?  The pretty yet surreal Kitchen Storage Tins, priced at £2 each. And the Babushka Doll Hooks, a mere snip at £1 each.

Read All About It

Save money and get your daily news fix by reading free newspapers such as the Metro and the Evening Standard, or subscribe to an online newspaper. Be thriftful and stay informed.

So Long Summer

The evenings are darker, the kids are back at school and the post-summer holidays blues have kicked in. Sounds like a perfect time to get thriftful.

Sell any summer clothes or accessories that you no longer want on Ebay  or Gumtree, late summer holiday go-ers will snap them up. But don't go crazy for Autumn/Winter clothes just yet. Get style-savvy and save yourself money by updating your favourite summer clothes for the cooler weather. To a pretty summer dress, try adding a pair of leggings and a mac. Or team your favouite shorts with tights and a wool knit jumper. Reinvention is the key to thriftful wardrobe sucess!

If you have children, hit the pre Autumn/Winter sales and buy the next size up clothes for them to wear next summer. Similarily, maybe you could partake in a car boot sale for any outdoor toys your kids no longer play with/ have grown out of. As for their school packed lunches, instead of buying pre packaged single serve items, use tupperware or other reusable containers. It will save money in the long run. My five year old son's favourite lunch time snack is humous and cucumber/carrot sticks. Easy and cheap. But don’t forget, lunch boxes aren’t just for kids. Taking your leftovers to work the next day will also help save money.

The beginning of autumn is a good time to get thriftfully prepared for the change in season. Shop around using a price comparison site to check you're getting the best possible deal on your services, such as gas and electricity. Some companies are introducing fix rate payments over the next couple of years, and with fuel costs predicted to rise it's a good time to be prepared. As for Christmas, now is the perfect time to start shopping for gifts to help spread the cost. Plan for your next trip abroad and invest in a set of portable digital luggage scales. A good quality set will set you back a mere £15 and as http://www.digital-luggage-scales.co.uk/ notes, "for every kilo you are over your bag allowance it could set you back at least £7.50 with some long haul flights even charging £30 per kg extra". Thriftful preparation at it's best.

Get The Crafting Bug...

Have you ever looked at a hand-made card and thought to youself "I wish I could do that"? Well, with the Thrift-Queen's top tips now you can, and cheaply.

What I love most about card making, is that anyone can do it. For basic hand-made greeting cards the materials used are items most people have anway, including card, scissors, glue and glitter. However, high street craft shops (I am a massive Hobbycraft fan) stock embellishments, stamps and shape cutters which are very inexpensive. The internet is a useful source for ideas and tips, and online magazines such as Papercrafts http://www.papercraftsmag.com/index.html offer free downloads to enhance your cards. The best bit? It's inexpensive, easy, and has a lovely personal touch.

My son loves to help me make our Christmas cards, and our family and friends love receiving them. Instead of buying generic gifts, I often include recent photos (presented prettily) or write a nice long letter. Why not take up a new hobby and have yourself a very thriftful Christmas!

Taste Test

A Thrift-Queen's recommendation. See if you can taste the difference between known brand and own brand products. You might soon save yourself a small fortune.

Babysitting Circle

THE PROBLEM: Wanting (needing) an evening out when you have small children, but not being able to afford the astronomical babysitting fee's.

THE SOLUTION: Start a babysitting circle.

THE LOWDOWN: Ask around at you child's school/ nursery/ playgroup etc, for others who would like to join. Typically, everyone in the group has a set amount of tokens (say eight one-hour cards and eight half-hour cards). You save tokens when you babysit for other people and you use them to 'pay' with when you want to go out, child-free, yourselves. At the end of each session, the hirers pay by cards in hours and half hours to the nearest time. After midnight double payment incurs.

THE BENEFITS: Save yourself money, be thriftful and make good friends. Plus, if your child wakes up, it's to a familiar face.

Art Attack

No money for expenisve art? No worries.

Buy cheap frames from Ikea or charity shops and frame anything from pretty postcards and funky wallpaper (Paperchase and Scribbler are my favourite shops for these), to childrens' paintings, like I have. Alternatively, recruit a friend who is good at art to make you a canvas as a birthday or christmas gift. Groupon and photo stores regularly have good offers on for photo transfers to canvas, or why not make your own? Hobbycraft stock an excellent range of 'Image Transfer Kits' which will work from a digital or conventional photo. It's also worth keeping an eye out on Freecycle, for any unwanted art going begging.

It'll add a whole lot of personality to your home and cost next to nothing!

Car-Bootyness

I love a bargain, and thus am a HUGE fan of car boot sales. Yes, they're fantastic places to sell your unwanted junk, but I love them so much more for the potential of whiffing out a secondhand gem. However, even the most seasoned bargain hunter needs pointing in the right direction from time to time. And thus I would like to share with you the Time Out guide to London's best car boot sales http://www.timeout.com/london/feature/1193/londons-best-car-boot-sales . Their top five are:

1. Wimbledon car boot sale. £2 for early birds, 50p there after.
2. Battersea car boot sale. £3 for early birds, 50p there after.
3. Capital car boot sale (Pimlico). £5 for early birds, £1 there after.
4. Holloway car boot sale. Free.
5. Hounslow West car boot sale. Free

The Thrift-Queen's top tips for buying at car boot sales are: haggle, haggle, and haggle. But more practically, bring lots of plastic bags to carry your new treasures in; arrive early and with lots of cash; and bring an umbrella and/or wellies depending on the weather.