Smart Designer Coupons

Cyber Monday is a great time to score deals, but waiting for sales isn't the only way to get discounts on items.  Often you can score great prices just by asking. 

Here are the unwritten rules of how to haggle and when to do it.

I'm usually appalled when my mother asks for detailed Christmas lists for each member of our family in October. "Really?!" I want to scream, "I haven't even got the last stitches in the Halloween costumes, and you want Christmas lists?" Instead, I smile and politely oblige, having no other choice if I want to keep peace in the family.

This year, however, after spending several days compiling these lists (after all, I don't want my children getting toys they have no interest in, or worse yet, socks, for Christmas), I had an epiphany: I could get my shopping done in November, save some much cherished cash, and enjoy the entire month of December by baking, playing with my family, and not stressing about shopping!

No, I haven't thanked my dear mother, but I did learn some interesting information about the best things to buy, and not to buy, in November.

^{Image courtesy of ICanHasCheezburger}

You may or may not recall my recent post on the "perfect deal" where I explained the three things vital to my happiness in frugal shopping. They were price, quality and convenience. Never before have I had a perfect deal ruined so badly by the lack of convenience as I did with my recent trip to IKEA. I found IKEA's mix of Swedish minimalism and American apathy too much to bear. I know I'm not alone because Stella told me that IKEA is Swedish for "some assembly required"...followed by maniacal laughter.

Want to keep chemicals out of your home? Start with your furniture. Carcinogenic formaldehyde is typically found in most mass-produced furniture foams, while glues and finishes usually contain volatile organic compounds. Better known as VOCs, these spend years off-gassing toxic vapors that are potentially carcinogenic and deplete the ozone.