| For
best bargains, go to the source | | |
|
Home-improvement deals
Sometimes,
the local hardware discounter is the most expensive way to make a minor repair.
When his bathroom shelving kept falling down every
time someone in the family took a shower, one enterprising New York
shopper went to the manufacturer's Web site and wrote an e-mail
complaint instead of going back to the store where he bought the
shelves.
The CEO answered with detailed instructions on how
to fix it and a kind personal letter. What's more, the CEO has followed
up to make sure the instructions helped.
Knapp has also found that home repair can be easier
when you contact the manufacturer directly with the help of a Web
site.
"I
went to buy a glass door for a medicine cabinet," Knapp says, "and the
local discount glass store did not have the same glass. It also charged more for
polishing the glass. "So I called Broan, the manufacturer
of the medicine cabinet, and they provided the glass for $10 cheaper than the
discounter in town, and it was polished. I didn't have to worry about measurement,
and they even paid for shipping."
Stocks and bonds
Though Internet stock-purchasing sites have made buying stocks
easier and cheaper, there are still hundreds of buy-direct stock plans. If
you buy small amounts of stock frequently, or if an automatic investing plan is
a good idea for you, buying direct can save you money.
Computershare,
formerly EquiServe, can hook you up.
Many company Web sites will also offer a link to a
buy-direct plan.
Generally, you can save on buying and
selling commissions. Sometimes, you'll also get a discount, or a discount on reinvested
dividends, which the company site will tell you about. You
can also purchase both U.S. and foreign government bonds directly and avoid paying
a middleman to help you do it.
Travel planning
It's so obvious it doesn't occur to most of us, but every city
and country with an online presence is a potential source of deals.
Many destinations offer discounts to attract visitors.
So if you're planning to tour Michigan, try Michigan.org
for combination hotel-and-attraction deals.
No discount
strategy works all the time, but the go-to-the-source path can help you out. | 
