Restaurant Gift Cards — Save Big at Costco

If you have a Costco membership, you need to check out the discounted gift cards that Costco sells in their stores and on their online website. I recently purchased $150 worth of gift cards for a local high-end restaurant, Hurley’s in Yountville, CA (http://www.hurleysrestaurant.com/), for just $99! That means I saved 33% or that I received a $50 gift card for free! Discounts vary by area, but it pays to check it out.

For national restaurant chain savings, visit here. They also offer other gift cards for local golf courses, spas, attractions, etc.

Let These Sites Find the Best Deal for You

If you’re shopping for a particular item, you might want to try a price comparison site prior to making your purchase. Although these sites are geared toward online purchases, you can also use the sites to help you understand what the going rate is prior to shopping at a brick-and-mortar store.

I recently used Shopzilla to find the best deal on an all-in-one printer. I found the best deal on the Amazon Marketplace (an individual seller listing products on Amazon). The price (including tax and shipping fees) was the lowest compared to many other online retailers. I was especially pleased with the shipping time — I received the printer at my door within 2 days of my order!

Smart Money has a good article (http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/deals/which-comparison-shopping-site-is-best/) comparing a number of price comparison sites. Shopzilla didn’t rate as well as I would have expected, but my experience with the site was positive.  I haven’t tried other price comparison sites, but I definitely will going forward. It beats searching through all the major shopping sites myself to find the best price!

If you have had good luck (or bad luck) with any of the pricing comparison sites, leave a comment below and let us know what your experience was.

Ebates – Online Rebates and Coupons

I love the Ebates online rebates and coupons website! This site is a must-have for your deal-finding toolbox.  You can receive up to 25% cashback on more than 1200 stores just by clicking the store’s link on Ebates.

Here’s how it works:

1. Register on the Ebates website (www.ebates.com). It’s free.
2. Before you make any online purchases, search for your online store on the Ebates site. All the top online stores are here (with the only major exception being Amazon.com).
3. If your online store is listed on Ebates, click the link on the Ebates site to enter the site and do your shopping (this step is crucial, if you don’t click the link on Ebates and make your purchase during that session, you won’t receive your rebate).
4. Once you make your purchase, Ebates records your rebate in your account. Every 3 months, Ebates sends you a rebate check (if it’s more than $5; if less than $5 it will be rolled into the next check).

You can’t go wrong, it’s free money! I have been a member since 2007 and my total rebates so far are $335.

Welcome to The Deal Finder Blog!

Hi, thanks for stopping by! It’s universal: we all love to save money… I started this blog because I love sharing the deals and bargains I run across. Rest assured: I am independent, meaning that I don’t benefit from any of my recommendations. None of these companies have asked me to endorse their products or services. These are finds that I’ve come across, used successfully, and want to share with others.

Subscribe or stop by often so you can get the latest. If you have any tips/tricks or special deals that you’ve learned about, please share them with me and your fellow readers!

I try to post at least a few times a week, but you know how life takes over your best intentions at times…