We discovered a few more ways to save money!

Last Saturday, while Toshi was volunteering, I spent several hours visiting kitchen and bath shops in an effort to find a quality (but reasonably priced) sink, and dropped in on a couple of tile shops to find the perfect look for kitchen/bathroom floors. Sink-wise, I came home empty handed, but scouting around revealed a ‘renovation sale’ on tiles, and I think the ‘Kuma Antracita‘ priced at a very reasonable $2.99/sqf at Vancouver ceramics store Fontile might be just what we were looking for!

We also decided to install at OTR (over-the-range) microwave ‘“ combined with a hood fan, this will maximise kitchen usage, and open up precious counter space. But what sort to buy? Our big appliance purchase last month did not include the microwave, since none of them were on sale at the time. But, lo and behold, a 15% off sale at the Bay on Sunday! We purchased on the spot, scheduled for pick-up on Wednesday.

But wait ‘“ searching for a product review the following day, Toshi discovered the exact same OTR model at the Future Shop online for $75 less than our already discounted price! I called around to find a store with this microwave in stock and them put it aside for us. The store rang back a few minutes later; unfortunately, both in-stock items were Open Box, but we could have it for an additional 10% off the discount price (value = $25) or with an extended 3-year warranty (value = $69.99). We took the warranty!

Since we hadn’t even picked up our original purchase from the Bay, we returned the product ‘unopened’. With the additional warranty, we were able to save an amazing $220 off the original manufacturer’s price!

Lessons learned:

1) Shop Around. Yes, it can be time-consuming. But with a major renovation come major costs, and every bit of saving makes a difference. A few dollars per square foot of tile, a discount for an Open Box appliance, and a weekend sale at Ikea ‘“ all of these add up to big savings!

2) Do your research. By looking up product reviews, you can see what people like about their products, narrow down your choices, and avoid costly mistakes. Plus, you can learn about in-store sales on specific items that might not be advertised elsewhere.

3) Be aware of return policies. Sometimes, an impulse buy comes as the result of a combination of exhaustion (“I cannot look at one more floor tile”), indecision (“Everything is starting to look the same”), and timing (“Look, it’s on sale, let’s just get it”). The morning after sometimes holds some regret ‘“ make sure you can take it back. Often, those on sale items are final sale items!

4) Have fun! You’re renovating so you can enjoy your new kitchen (or bathroom, or basement, or whatever). Enjoy the excitement of exploring new styles and designs, discovering hidden gems, and saving money by shopping around!

Photo credit: stock.xchng.