We often hear that we can save money on groceries by buying in bulk. It’s true in many cases – think of the cost difference between buying a 12-pack of soda for $5 and buying 12 individual cans for a dollar or more each – but in others, more is not necessarily cheaper.

For example, one store near us has a special this week: Three large containers of yogurt for $6. Reading this in the flyer, you assume you have to buy three to get the special price. Buy just one and you pay the regular price, right?

Why? If tomatoes are a dollar a pound, do you expect to pay 60 cents for half a pound?

Try this: Buy just one of the items in the twofer/threefer specials, and see what the cashier rings up for you.

I did. After all, I go through maybe one large container of yogurt every two weeks. (It’s a good thing it’s already fermented.) If I had two extras around, I’d find something to use them for, but I wouldn’t miss them if they weren’t there.

So this morning I bought one yogurt, one frozen dinner (five for $10), and one large brick of cream cheese (two for $6). I was charged $2, $2, and $3.

The register slip didn’t give the actual prices – it gave the regular prices and subtracted the amount I’d saved. But even I am willing to do enough math to figure it out.

This doesn’t apply all the time, everywhere. At warehouse club-type stores, for example, you may have to buy “full multiples” to get the lower price. During a caselot sale, you do get a lower price on the items by buying more of them.

But if buying more than you need doesn’t lower the price – why do it?

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True, prom may be four, five, or even six months away, but that does not mean you should dismiss the idea of having to get a dress in the near future.

Going through the mall today  I realized that we were heading into prom season when I saw displays upon displays of dresses. From the time that I was going prom dress shopping until now, the styles have not changed too much. While many people opt for the princess or poofy ball gowns, the sleek and slim dresses are still a hit. Many of the styles this year have a solid colored piece of material at the top followed by a floor length silky slim crazy pattern. This year I also have seen a lot of dresses that cut in below the bust and back out above the waist to show one’s ribs. This year’s dresses also accentuate the lines of one’s back. They do this by having dresses with gorgeously cut backs, low cut patterns, coating the straps in crystals, and more.

Finding the perfect prom dress is hard. How beautiful your prom dress looks on a mannequin does not matter if the dress is not suited for your body style. Certain styles work best for certain body types. For instance, patterns give shape and definition to taller figures while solids elongate the petite. The petites are the type of girls who aren’t typically suited for Cinderella gowns because of the tiers and ruffles. Sheath prom dresses, or mermaid dresses, are complementary for petite girls and tall and thin girls, while high waist empire prom dresses are ideal for full figured women because they draw more attention to the bust-line instead of the waist. These girls are also typically flattered more in halter prom dresses.

Finding the perfect dress isn’t easy–or cheap. However, once you do find it, it is a great feeling. One thing to make sure of is that no one else has your dress. See if your school has a “prom dresses 2010″ group on Facebook or something that allows people to post/claim their dresses. If they don’t, make a site! There’s nothing worse than seeing someone else with your dress on the dance floor.

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Ever since the credit crunch, paying with plastic has become a pastime for many. Instead, they are opting to use good ol’ cash to pay for their purchases. While it’s true that doing so is a better way to manage your money, it may not be the safest.

Whether you love them or hate them, here are some of the ways credit cards can make your shopping a little bit safer.

Fraud Protection

If someone steals your cash, you’re out of luck. However if someone steals your credit card, you probably won’t be held liable for a cent. According to federal law, the most they can hold you accountable is $50 per occurrence. Although they’re entitled to the first fifty dollars, most credit cards don’t hold you liable for a penny. So, if someone steals your American Express Platinum card and takes a shopping spree at the mall, you won’t have to worry about it. The same can’t be said about cash.

Purchase Protection

Some of the top-tier cards (mainly American Express) offers free protection on your purchases. For example, the American Express Platinum Card will refund you for eligible purchases if they are a lost, stolen, or damaged during the first ninety days. Obviously this is a fantastic benefit to have, but unfortunately that card also carries an annual fee of $450… ouch!

Easier Returns

If you pay with cash and lose the receipt, you might be screwed if you want to do a return. The great thing about card transactions (both debit and credit) is that there is a paper trail on everything you buy. So, most stores can pull up proof of purchase, even if you’ve lost your receipt. Some department store credit cards will even take it a step further and allow their cardmembers to return merchandise that normally wouldn’t qualify. For example, the Dillards credit card is rumored to allow its cardmembers to return almost anything, for any reason (at least, that’s according to posts on Credit Card Forum.

There you have it; a few of the reasons why it’s sometimes smarter to pay with plastic. However, if you have a problem managing your spending with credit cards, then it’s probably best to stay away from them. Alternately, you can use your debit card; it may not offer as many benefits, but at least there is still some degree of fraud protection.

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I have a friend who says, “Never go to a house with an empty hand.”  This is his way of remembering that when you are invited to a house or party you should bring some flowers or other hostess gift.  Being a wine fan, my friend’s proverb was a good excuse to give a bottle as a gift.  But packaging and labeling the gift for presentation was always an issue.This past weekend, at the Boston Wine Expo, I found a product that makes that part of the giving a whole lot easier.  Drink Me Tags are “colorful, custom designed cards with taglines”.  These gift tags hang on the neck of a wine bottle and make it a gift worth noticing.  With a combination of whit and design they offer sentiments like, “It’s 5PM Somewhere,” “Grape Therapy,” and “Drink me.”

Instead of searching for the right sized gift bag or (even worse) trying to wrap it in cellophane or gift wrap, try this simple and catchy gift tag.  Buy a bottle of vino, and then purchase the perfect Drink Me Tag for your recipient.  Both you and your wine will be well received!

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Now that we are finally in the middle of winter, many shops and designers are bringing out there Spring/Summer 2010 clothes, shoes, and accessories.  If you’re tired of the leftover winter and holiday clearances or you just need to purchase a few things for an upcoming island getaway, here are a few of the hottest fashion trends for the spring of 2010! Enjoy.

This season, fashion is becoming much more playful and sporty. On the runways, we’ve seen lots of jersey materials, rugby stripes, pleats, rompers (which are like jumpsuits, only with shorts), and even shoulder pads. The goal is not to look like you’ve just came back from the field but rather to mix sporty elements with your regular wardrobe. Try wearing a jersey tee or tunic with jeans or perhaps a colorful romper with black peep-toe pumps. This trend is all about playing with your clothes.

Another key trend this upcoming spring is watercolor-inspired prints. The Spring/Summer 2010 runways in New York were laden with this rather ethereal look. Why not try a maxi dress or tunic in a pretty watercolor print? It’s ethereal, elegant, and most definitely feminine. One caveat- skip classic accessories in favor for something a bit edgier to keep the look modern!

Think fall this spring. Many fashion designers showcase autumn hues, menswear inspired suits for women, and even dark nail colors! If you’re not ready for fall yet, pair something spring-like with the more trendy fall look. For instance, you can pair your pinstripe trousers with a pretty white blouse. Or perhaps a deep orange dress with a summer shoe like espadrilles or sandals.

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Yes, the best jewelry naturally is expensive, but it doesn’t mean to say that  you cannot wear attractive jewelry if you are on a tight budget. It is just a matter of knowing where and when to buy good but cheap jewelry. You can save a lot of money on any type of jewelry if you know how to look for inexpensive but quality jewelry. Here are some general tips that may help you find good budget jewelry:

Regularly check out local department stores’ sales racks. There are periods when department stores make markdowns on a lot of items including  jewelry. This usually happens when the next season’s shipments just have arrived or are about to arrive; they have to dispose of the old stock quickly and the only way to do it is by putting it on sale. You should be there at the right time.

It is also good to check out pawnshops. You cannot really tell what you will find in pawnshops, but you may chance upon a very good but inexpensive item. You also can visit thrift stores, but, of course, thrift stores rarely have really good jewelry. However, if you visit thrift stores regularly, your chance of coming upon a “rare” lucky find would be higher.

Always be on the lookout for yard sales. Like with pawnshops, you never can tell what you may find in yard sales, but you can get lucky and come upon a good item. What is good about yard sales is that you can use your bargaining skills to get a good deal.

You also can look for cheap jewelry online. There are good places to bid for jewelry online like eBay, Bidz.com, and JustBeads.com, these are just some of the sites where you can get good deals on jewelry. If you like handmade jewelry, you can visit online stores 0n Etsy. It is easy to find cheap but quality handmade jewelry there.

Inexpensive but quality jewelry can be found anywhere if you know how and where to look. A basic knowledge of jewelry is also a plus, so that you will know if the deal you got is really a good deal.

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Protecting yourself when you do your shopping online is of utmost importance. The good news is that there are effective ways to reduce your risk of falling victim to a predator in cyberspace. In Part One, we looked at some of those ways. Now, in Part Two, we continue to look at other ways to stay safe as you prowl for bargains and deals over the Internet.

Do not save your credit card information on the hard drive of your computer. If your computer gets stolen or hacked into, where will that leave you? In a bad place for sure! Instead, save the information on a memory stick and/or on CDs. Always store these items in a secure and safe place that no one else knows about.

If you cannot get away with not saving personal information on the hard drive of your desktop or laptop, install a program that will keep it as secure as possible. One such program is Password Agent. There is a free version to this program as well as a paid version. To learn more about this program visit their website.

When you buy something over the Internet always review the charges that show up on your credit card bill. Verify every charge that you are being billed for. If you find a discrepancy somewhere, such as something you did not purchase, then get in touch with the credit card company immediately and report it to them. Not all online criminals do things on a large scale. Some are able to steal sensitive personal information and then use it to make small purchases over time. They do this because they think it will not be noticed by the consumer. Don’t be fooled!

A credit monitoring service is available from many of the major credit bureaus. This is a smart option for those who shop online on a regular basis. TransUnion runs an Identity Fraud Watch service that sends out e-mails to concerned consumers on a weekly basis to let them know if any alterations have been made to their profile or their credit reports. This service costs around $45 to $50 annually but is worth the money. Equifax and Experian are two other credit bureaus that have similar systems that are looking out for the rights of consumers. The more you do to protect yourself when shopping online the less you have to worry about!

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We started with New York, Paris and London. Here are three more shopping destinations for you!

Milan, Italy

Milan is the place to go to for high-end shopping, especially for furniture, fashion and design. The best place to visit for some high-end fashion shopping is Il Quadrilatero della Moda (square of fashion), composed of Via della Spiga, Via Montenapoleone, Via Sant’ Andrea and Via Manzoni. You’ll be able to find Italian names like Fendi, Valentino and Sergio Rossi. Other high-end fashion names that can be found in this square include Armani, Dolce and Gabbana, Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

If you can’t afford high-end shopping, you don’t have to worry. There are flea markets and street markets open on certain days in Milan. Via Papiniano hosts the largest street market open on Tuesdays and Saturdays, where stalls sell second-hand designer wares and brand new staples more cheaply than department stores. And if you like great food, the largest food market in Milan can be found at Piazza Wagner, which is open every day.

Dubai, UAE

If your main purpose for going to Dubai is shopping, then the perfect time to go will be anytime between mid-January and mid-February of every year. What’s happening then? Why, it’s Dubai Shopping Festival! Enjoy big discounts and daily raffles plus tax free shopping for a whole month! The Dubai Shopping Festival attracts as many as 3 million people from all over the world.

Hong Kong

Although Hong Kong has its own shopping festivals in February and August every year, Hong Kong is actually a shopping destination all year round. Go to Causeway Bay for never-ending shops. From clothing stores to watch shops to shoe stores to crazy Japanese inventions, you will never run out of shops to browse. You eventually will wave a white flag of surrender when you encounter one shop after another. Go to Wan Chai for the best deals in computers and computer accessories. Don’t forget to go to Hong Kong’s numerous street markets for shopping. Be sure to visit the Temple Street Night Market, which runs from 4pm to midnight. You’ll find dozens of stalls selling jewelry, bags, luggages and electronic gadgets, as well as street food items. Fortune tellers and Chinese opera performers also participate at the Temple Street Night Market.

Remember, though, when shopping at Hong Kong, always check the item carefully and haggle. But before you do that, be sure to shop around for better deals.

Next on the list: Bangkok and Buenos Aires.

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Everyday we are bombarded with sales and offers to save money.  When we go to the grocery store the friendly managers are pointing us to the sales.  The moment you walk into a clothing store, the workers are spouting out information about the latest sale.  Are they really saving you money or just playing a mean psychological game?

I am not a shopper.  I do not enjoy spending time inside of stores because I am an impulse buyer.  I want everything.  Do not let me loose in a grocery store because I will fill a cart in no time.  However, I like being able to pay the electric bill even more than giving into an impulse.  So, I am very methodical now.

Before I leave the home, I have a list (usually mental) of exactly what I am going to buy.  When I am there, I seek and destroy.  If I am buying jeans, I will look for the pair I want and not the one on sale.  My wife is baffled at this strategy because my clothes cost more than hers.  I get the brand and style I want and then hang onto them.

This works for me, and I actually spend much less money over the year, AND I never complain of having nothing to wear.  Contrast that to the old me.  I would go to the store and pick out some jeans.  While I am doing that, the sales girl lets me know about buy two shirts and get one free sale.  I check it out.  I only like one shirt but it is a waste to pass up this deal.  I spend an extra $70 for three shirts I didn’t need and the one I liked would have been $35.

My wife always is telling me similar stories as she unveils her killing after shopping.  As she is hanging clothes, which will never leave the hanger, I try to explain she really didn’t save money.  When you spend $100 more for something you didn’t set out to get, that’s a loss.

Go with a list or live in the dark.

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Online and offline identity theft is a very real concern. It is considered to be one of the fastest growing crimes in the country. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) an estimated 10 million people in the past five years have fallen victim to identity theft in the form of criminals applying for mortgages or credit cards under their names, criminals using the victims’ credit cards and criminals securing utility services. Taken to the extreme limit, identity theft can destroy an individual’s credit rating, reputation and even erode their sense of comfort and security.

How then can you go about protecting your identity when you choose to shop online?

If unsolicited e-mail arrives from a company that you have shopped with in the past, do not click on any links or images that appear in the message. Instead open a new browser window and type in the web address of the company and then from there find out what the offer is all about or login to your shopping account for more information or further instructions. You might want to put in a telephone call to the company if the e-mail seems suspicious to you. At the same time consider installing a state of the art spam filter in order to make sure that phishing e-mail messages do not find their way to your inbox at all.

Why is this so important to do? It is because criminals often send e-mails that look like letters from legitimate businesses for the express purpose of finding unsuspecting customers who will provide them with personal information.

Do everything you can to keep your Social Security number (SSN) as private as possible. It is for your eyes only! When you decide to open an account at a shopping website that you trust it is essential that no part of your SSN is used as a part of the account number that is created for you and/or as part of your ID number. This is very important for the sake of your online safety.

But do not stop there- ensure that every password you have to your bank accounts, e-mail accounts and any other online accounts are kept private. This is the case for both the online world as well as the offline one. There should be no sensitive or private information lying around on your desk at work or at home that prying eyes can discover.

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