How to Be a More Savvy Consumer

We’re all consumers, but some of us are better consumers than others. With the rise of online shopping, there are so many potential mistakes you can make when it comes to purchasing new items. That’s why it’s important to think about how you can be a more savvy consumer going forward.

So what are the benefits of being a more savvy consumer? First and foremost, it’s about saving yourself money and not throwing it away on purchases that you end up regretting later. We’ve all rushed into purchases that we end up regretting later, and that’s precisely what you want to avoid.

But there’s more to it than that, so read on and find out what you can do to become a more savvy consumer.

Understand the Consumer Protection Laws That Exist

It’s important to realize that there are laws that protect customers against the bad and unethical practices of businesses. You should be sure to do some research and find out more about these protectins. It’s impossible to stand up for your rights if you don’t even know what those rights are, after all. The consumer protection laws that are in place differ from place to place, so you’ll need to find out which laws apply to you in the place where you live. If you understand your rights, you’ll know when they’re being breached.

Check Reviews

Checking reviews is one of the easiest ways to save money when you’re looking for products to buy. The last thing you want to do is buy something and then find out later that it’s not up to scratch and doesn’t do what you need it to. But that’s precisely what can happen if you’re not careful. So do a little digging and check all of the reviews online before you go ahead and make a purchase. Every product has a few bad reviews, but if you notice a bigger trend in the reviews, that should certainly make you think twice.

Always Look at Value vs Price

It’s important to know the difference between value and price when you’re trying to be a more savvy consumer. If you’re going to make a purchase based purely on finding the lowest price out there, you might save money in the short term but it might not actually benefit you all that much in the long run. That’s because value is about getting your money’s worth and not regretting your purchase. The cheapest option might offer a low price but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll offer you the best value for the money you spent.

Don’t Be Fooled by Brand Names

When you’re making a purchase, there’s an understandable desire to opt for the safer brand names out there. You can see why that would be the case; people feel better about buying from brands they feel they can trust. Nevertheless, if you only ever look at the big brands and the brands you recognize, you might miss out on some of the best bargains and deals that exist out there, and that’s obviously not what you want. There’s more value out there than you might think.

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Research Before You Buy

Before you make any kind of purchase, you should always take the time to do a little research. When you know what you’re buying and why you’re buying it, it makes your life a lot easier later. It’s all about not rushing into a purchase or feeling rushed into doing so. That’s the way a lot of people feel when they buy things. But taking a step back and slowing down the process so you can do some deeper research into the options might really serve you well in the end.

Try to Get a Variety of Price Quotes for Services

If you’re looking for professionals to provide you with a particular service, it’s important to get quotes from a variety of options before you go ahead and make a decision. When you get as many quotes as possible, you can see which company is able to offer you the best quotes. And if you let them know that you’re going to be comparing prices across a range of different companies, some of them might even agree to match the lowest price you’re quoted. They won’t want to lose out to the competition after all.

Keep Your Receipts

Getting into the habit of keeping your receipts and not throwing them away as soon as you leave the store is a good idea. That way, you can make sure that if you do later regret a purchase or have a problem, you won’t have any problem getting your money back or having the purchase replaced. It simply makes the process a lot easier and there’ll be less contention or push back from the company if you do try to retrieve your money later on.

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Learn How to Negotiate Effectively

Learning how to negotiate effectively when making certain types of purchases might end up being very useful indeed for you. Most people in western countries don’t think to bargain or ask for a lower price, but it’s often possible to achieve a better price if you’re willing to try. That’s certainly true when you’re buying used items and things such as cars. Bigger purchases should always be negotiated, so don’t assume that you simply have to pay the price that the seller is asking for.

Always Research Trusted Companies Within a Particular Industry Before Buying

When you’re looking for a specific type of company to buy from or to use the services of, it’s important to do a little research and find out which companies in that niche are considered trusted and reliable. Some companies have better reputations than others, you just might not be aware of it yet. If you need a bookmaker, for example, you can use this list of bookmakers to see which are highly regarded in the industry. The same principle applies to whichever kind of company you might be looking for.

Be Wary of Upselling

It’s important to be able to spot when someone is upselling. Upselling is the process of trying to add further purchases to the main purchase you want to make. It might mean tempting you with complimentary items that are associated with the thing that you’re buying in some way. Upselling is common in all kinds of settings, and saying no to these opportunities is almost always the best option. If you really do want to buy any of those things later on, you’ll be able to find them at lower prices elsewhere.

Read What You Sign

If making a purchase ever involves you having to sign some documentation, you should always make sure you read it before putting pen to paper. It’s easy to assume that there’s not going to be anything particularly strange or unwanted in those papers, but you can’t know that for sure until you read them. And if you’re still unsure of anything, you could ask a lawyer to take a look at it and recommend whether you should sign it or not. When it comes to contracts, caution pays off.

As you can see, there are plenty of things you can do to make yourself a more savvy consumer, so be sure to make the most of the tips and ideas we’ve shared here today. Each of them will serve you well in one way or another and prevent you from making bad decisions and purchases.

How To Stay Safe On The Road

There are certain things that are easy to forget after you’ve been driving for a long time, and it might even be that the longer it was since you passed your test, the more blasé you are about driving at all. That’s why it’s important to ensure that you are as safe on the road as possible, for everyone’s sake. With that in mind, here are some of the steps you can take to ensure that you don’t find yourself in any dangerous circumstances when driving.

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Wear Your Seatbelt 

Seatbelts aren’t always the most comfortable thing to wear, and it can be tempting to skip them. This is much easier to do in older cars, where there aren’t any warning signals, but almost impossible in newer cars, where there are alarms and blinking lights to remind you to buckle up. Some cars will even slow down if you aren’t wearing your seatbelt.

This is something good. If you and everyone else in the car wear your seatbelts, you could avoid serious injuries or even death in a crash. Make sure you always wear your seatbelt, even if the trip is short or you don’t like wearing it. 

Sleep Well

It’s tiring to drive. Even though you’re not doing much physically, you have to be aware and conscious of your surroundings at all times. Even on a short trip, this can be tiring. If you’re going on a long drive, getting a good night’s sleep before you leave is even more important. If you need to get up at a certain time, go to bed earlier than usual. This will give you enough time to sleep. Also, make sure the bedroom is free of anything that might get in the way of you sleeping well. If you’re tired, it’s best to put off your trip rather than risk hurting someone or something, including yourself.

If you get tired while driving, it’s best to pull over and rest until you’re alert enough to keep going. If you don’t, you could easily be held responsible for an accident, and you might need a good motorcycle accident lawyer to help you out of a bad situation.

Watch Out For Traffic Signals 

No matter where you go or what kind of roads you’re on, you’ll see traffic signals and signposts. These aren’t just there to look pretty; they’re important, and they mean something. You must pay attention to these signs and know what they mean if you are driving. They will either tell you what to do or warn you about something, so it’s important to know what you’re looking at if you want to stay safe.

When you first start driving, it’s likely that you’ll remember what the signs mean, but as you drive more, you’ll forget, especially if it’s a sign you don’t see very often. If this is the case, look it up online or in a book about driving to help you remember. It might seem like a bother, but it could save your life.

Ways to Increase the Resale Value of Your Car

Like most people, you want to get as much money as possible when you sell your vehicle. It’s essential to know how to increase the resale value of your car to do that. Here are several tips that will help you do just that.

Keep your car clean and in good condition.

Keeping your car clean and in good condition cannot be overstated. Not only does it help your car look its best, but it also protects it from the elements and keeps it running smoothly. A clean car is also more likely to sell for a higher price than a dirty one, so if you’re thinking about selling your vehicle, give it a good cleaning first, or hire a mobile car wash if you don’t have the time or want a professional job done.

There are a few simple ways to keep your car clean and in good condition, such as:

  • Washing it regularly
  • Cleaning the interior
  • Waxing and polishing the exterior
  • Taking it in for regular maintenance and repairs

Ensure the interior is in good condition.

It is essential to ensure your car’s interior is in good condition if you want to increase its resale value. A well-maintained interior will make your car more appealing to potential buyers and help you get a better price.

You can do a few things to keep your car’s interior looking its best. Regularly vacuum and shampoo the carpets and upholstery to remove dirt and stains. If you smoke, try not to do it in your car to prevent the build-up of nicotine residue. Keep the dashboard and other surfaces clean and free of dust. And make sure to empty the ashtrays!

You should also disinfect the interior of the car since the pandemic is not yet over. Potential buyers would want to know that the car is clean and free of germs. You can do this by wiping down all surfaces with a disinfectant, like alcohol or bleach.

Ensure the exterior is in good condition.

The exterior of your car is the first thing that potential buyers will see, so it’s important to make sure it’s in good condition. A well-maintained body will not only make your car more attractive to buyers but can also increase its resale value.

One way to keep the exterior of your car looking its best is to regularly wash and wax it. This will help protect the paint from wear and tear and keep it looking shiny and new. You should also touch up any scratches or other damage as soon as possible to prevent rusting.

You can also bring your car to a company with a paint spray booth to enhance its appearance. The paint can protect the vehicle from rust and give it a brand-new appearance.

Suppose you want to go the extra mile. In that case, you can also add some aftermarket accessories to the exterior of your car. These can include things like chrome trim or a custom paint job. Just be sure not to overdo it, as too many aftermarket accessories can decrease the resale value of your car.

Make sure the car is in good mechanical condition.

The most important thing you can do to increase the resale value of your car is to ensure it’s in good mechanical condition. A car that runs well and is free of major issues will sell for a higher price than one that needs repairs.

There are a few things you can do to keep your car in good condition:

  • Get regular oil changes and tune-ups. This will help keep the engine running smoothly and prevent major issues from developing.
  • Fix any minor issues that come up. Don’t wait until something is majorly wrong to get it fixed.

Performing regular maintenance will ensure your car stays running smoothly and avoid any major issues that could decrease its value.

Check all fluids and tire pressure regularly.

The fluids in your car are important for the overall health of your vehicle. You should check the oil, coolant, and brake fluid levels regularly to ensure that everything is running smoothly. Low levels can cause serious damage to your car, so it’s important to stay on top of things.

Likewise, you should also check your tire pressure regularly. This is important for both safety and fuel efficiency. If your tires are underinflated, they can blow out on the highway, which is very dangerous. Furthermore, driving with underinflated tires will decrease your gas mileage, so you’ll spend more money at the pump.

Maintaining the resale value of your car is important, as it can help you get a better price for it when you eventually sell. By staying on top of these simple maintenance tasks, you can help your car retain its value and sell for a higher price when the time comes.

Memorial Day Weekend at City Museum Service Members Get in Free with a Paid Admission, May 27 – 30

Music from Air Force Band’s Midwest Winds, May 27 at 2 p.m.

St. Louis — May 23, 2022 — City Museum is celebrating service members with free admission for members of the military accompanied by a paid admission on Memorial Day weekend, May 27 – 30, 2022. 

Memorial Day weekend, City Museum is open from 10 a.m.until 6 p.m.on Friday; 10 a.m.until 9 p.m.on Saturday; 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Sunday; and 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on Monday. 

At 2 p.m. on Friday, May 27 the Midwest Winds will entertain guests with songs inspired by the experiences and exhibits found on City Museum’s four floors. 

The Midwest Winds woodwind quintet is an ambassador of the Air Force Band of Mid-America, providing a highly professional product to communicate esprit de corps and render honor to the Air Force and country. The group offers a wide range of musical literature from classical and contemporary music to marches and patriotic crowd pleasers to light popular music.

This performance is free with General Admission.

For more information, visit www.city museum.org. City Museum is located at 750 N 16th St., St. Louis, MO 63103. On social media: @citymuseum.