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Bargain Fever: How to Shop in a Discounted World #Giveaway

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom contributor Michelle of Honest & Truly! who received this book for review. She was also compensated for writing this post. All opinions remain our own.

Bargain FeverI’m a bargain shopper, though, I don’t do a great job with coupons themselves. I’d rather find other ways to save money. There’s a whole different set of ensuring that you never pay full price, and Mark Ellwood explores many of these in his new book Bargain Fever: How to Shop in a Discounted World. The title implies that it will be a how-to manual for savings, filled with tips and tricks on how to save.

It isn’t. Instead, this book is a trip through what Ellwood terms Shopping 3.0, a new paradigm shift in the States and many other developed nations.  We’ve moved from a time before the industrial Revolution – before the price tag was even invented – when haggling was expected through the days when customers paid what stores charged with little control to today where we have an excess supply of pretty much everything from hotel rooms to Prada shoes to milk, and discounting is required to move this inventory.

Ellwood explains the lure of the bargain and its chemical origin in the brain. The unexpected delight of finding a bargain or an “it” item provide a shot of dopamine that is as potent as cocaine and is just as addictive. Now we expect these discounts for every product and for every reason, transforming our shopping behavior yet again.

Some of the bigger phenomena are explored from extreme couponing with stories and details of how some entrepreneurs have made this a full-time lucrative business. Ellwood also explores how coupons were first invented by Coca-Cola to induce customers to try the beverage.  He also walks through the strategies that hotels and airlines use, to very different levels of success, to discount their fares and ensure minimal inventory. It’s a fascinating view into the world of pricing and power, some of which I’ve never glimpsed, such as the sample sales in New York, while others I’ve lived and shopped repeatedly, such as Gilt Groupe or outlet malls.

Seeing the differences amongst various countries is impressive. As Ellwood points out, the Turkish bazaars are now most frequently trafficked by tourists rather than the locals who shop at more traditional stores and are proud to pay full price. Paying full price is a mark of confidence and status, something that was true in the States and elsewhere until recently. Only now that our economic status is less secure and coupons can be seen as a badge of pride and intelligence have we changed our tune.

As interesting as this book was – I’d personally love to take a university level class on the topic from Ellwood – I found the title of the book disingenuous, as there were few “how to” pieces in the book at all. He mentions a few resources from being a home manager in real estate to synching your AmEx to your Twitter account for special discounts, but they are mentioned almost in passing and with no details of how to go about accessing these savings.

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65 Comments

  18. I usually get the best deals at Meijer, stacking sales with coupons and mperks – I usually save about 30-40% off the total receipt.

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  20. I usually go to Giant Eagle or Wal-Mart it really all depends on what I am shopping for. When I am looking for good deals on cloths i go to the salvation army, brand new cloths for a few dollars, I will take it!

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  23. I like to check out TJ Maxx periodically. I love their home goods section. I find some really great bowls/knick knacks for great prices.

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  27. I’ve gotten some great deals when shopping the clearance racks at Kohls. I’ve gotten new jeans for $2!

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  28. I love shopping at tj max. I get good deals on my boys athletic ware and I find great deals on the clearance rack. I save even more now that they built one in wisconsin.

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  32. I shop the end aisles first at Target, to get my fill of clearance before doing regular shopping. My girlfriend’s mom thinks I’m an expert, because I zip over to the Men’s and the Women’s Clearance section at Famous Footwear and happen to find great deals and sometimes, the shoes are even cheaper than marked.

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  40. CVS is my favorite drug store because I get some really good money saving coupons from their coupon machine. I often get $5 off of $15 which is good for $15 of any kind of merchandise, even if it’s already on sale, and I get occasional freebies there too. As for clothing items, I don’t have a favorite store lately. I hunt all over for deals and it’s hit or miss.

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  45. I like to shop at Menard’s for bargains because they always have sales and offer great rebates. Thanks.
    partymix25(at)hotmail(Dot)com

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  46. I’ve never been a great bargain shopper, but I mainly shop at Walmart, so I suppose that’s gotta count for something.

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  47. I’ve never been a great bargain shopper, but I mainly shop at Walmart, so I suppose that’s gotta count for something 😉

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  48. I’ve never been a great bargain shopper, but I mainly shop at Walmart, so I suppose that’s gotta count fire something 😉

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  49. I beyond love Target clearance, especially in their grocery section. I have been able to really stock up on frozen foods and coffee, all at below rock bottom prices. Yay!

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  55. I always check the clearance racks at the dollar store, my local grocery store, Walmart, target and Kmart if I find something on sale that we don’t need at the moment I buy it and save it to when we do need it.

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  58. My local supermarket has great deals and I am always looking for the cheapest gas prices as I drive around and fill up when I find a deal.

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