INTERNET/TELEPHONE DEAL & FREE SHIPPING ONLINE

O.K. all you Deedaloos blog readers today there will be no pictures - sorry! Maybe another day I'll post pics of xmas tree shopping. Today is about being a thrifty consumer or an alert consumer I guess. Fairpoint Communications (they bought out Verizon) provides my basic telephone and internet service to the tune of about $42ish which allows for local calls only, no long distance (we use a prepaid card as necessary) and their entry level internet. I noticed an ad on tv a couple of weeks ago advertising for phone & internet service from Fairpoint for $33.66 and thought that sounded lower than our bill generally was but since I don't pay the monthly phone bill I needed to check. Sure enough . . . so I called and asked about the $33.66 and yes in fact that is an offer/promotion they're having FOR A YEAR. Further inquiring why we simply wouldn't be charged that I was told that when prices at Walmart get lowered for an item we bought a week ago, Walmart doesn't call me to tell me?! WHATEVER! Also she said that they can't make any changes to our account without our permission. Apparently they do put this information in with your bill in the notes section AND the most recent bill had a seperate slip of paper in with it about their offerings, neither of which I suspect my husband would take note of especially considering that he rarely uses the computer. Soooooo . . . the bill drops for 12 months AND the internet connection speed gets faster! Now in the 12th month I must remember to call and drop the speed back down or I'm certain the price will go up. I honestly can't say I notice a difference.

Another idea worth noting is with shipping. I've done a fair amount of shopping online this year and I despise paying for shipping when there's so many offers out there for free shipping but sometimes I can't find the coupon or maybe I find it and it's expired but I can get free shipping at LL Bean so when I found some things at Lands End that I wanted (twice) I called. The first call was more simple - "hi, I've found some items I'd like to purchase but I don't seem to have a valid free shipping coupon anymore. I'm sure I can find something comparable at LL Bean, but if I can get these items shipped for free, I'd just assume give you the business" Bingo! Days later I get a $25 promotion off of $100 purchase for Lands End and so I take ANOTHER peak and I hear that tiny little voice in the back of my head saying "oh Kim, it's Christmas and there must be some stylish gifts under the tree with YOUR name on them" This was a bit harder because I already had a $25 discount but what the heck I called, my order was already chosen and it was sitting up on my screen waiting for me to push the button. Unfortunately, the girl told me that there were no free shipping offers at that time and when I NICELY told her that I just couldn't justify spending that $14ish?? on shipping since I just had free shipping . . . she put me on hold and kindly checked again only to tell me that because I already had one promotional code she couldn't help me. Well, I no sooner hung the phone up when this screen popped up in front of me from Lands End asking me if I wanted live chat help to assist me with placing my order so I clicked on it and I stated why I was hesitating in placing my order and that if it were LL Bean I'd already have the free shipping and I'd be earning $20 towards a future order . . . Well, she told me to place my order, give her the order # and then she would provide me with a credit for the shipping immediately!

Yes, I admit I'm a bit frugal at times, but I love getting a good deal. Under the tree for me will be a winter vest which will be lovely for layering, a new winter coat and TWO pair of shoes all for UNDER a hundred bucks!