How To Save Money NOW On Garden Gifts

I love to find gifts on sale and save money.  Even before this financial crisis forced many of us to trim our spending habits and beef up our budgeting skills, my gift stash was always filled with sale bargains.  It’s a good feeling to wrap that perfect holiday or birthday gift I bought months ago on sale!  And now is the time to find great garden gifts at great prices for the gardeners on your list – all from the convenience of your computer! 

Not only is this a good time of the year to find bargains in garden decor and garden supplies, and outdoor furniture sales, we’re also seeing some very strong offers from online retailers who are fighting for your dollars.  Save big bucks with these online retailer incentives:

1. Watch for free shipping offers.  Most free shipping incentives are based on a minimum purchase amount.  And lately I’ve seen this offer on a purchase as small as $25.  To avoid “double-shipping” and incurring postage fees later, have the gift shipped directly to the recipient.  You often have the choice of selecting your future delivery date during the checkout process if you don’t want the gift to arrive too early.

 

2. Follow end of season sales.  As the prime growing season passes, we start seeing more and more sales on garden items – especially end of the season sales.  Some products are reduced 10-15% while I’ve seen others reduced up to 75% off.   With these deep discounts, you can afford to save the gifts for the holidays or even next spring.

 

3. Look for “buy this, get that free” offers.  Lots of retailers use this strategy to reduce inventory.  Retailers selling live plants may extend this offer as an additional incentive when they know the growing season and their sales cycle is nearing the end.    Keep in mind that a lot of plants do better when planted in the fall so don’t dismiss this option.  Besides, regardless of the retailer, you may decide to keep the free item yourself or use it as a gift for someone else!   Making it double the value!

 

4. Volume discounts add up.  You may be able to get additional discounts based on the volume of items you order.  For example, you may be able to save more on each unit’s cost if you order 2, 3, or more at one time.  Again, remember you can use each as a separate gift for different people!  However, please do the math to make sure you are indeed getting a discount on each unit price.  But watch out!  I just saw a volume discount offer to “buy 3 for $620.00″ (which is approximately $206 each) or “buy 4 for $830.00″ (which is $207 each).  Not much of a discount!  Run the numbers!

 

5. Consolidate purchases to qualify for savings.  Lots of retailers may offer discounts like “$20 off your purchase of $100 or more” or $10 off your $50 purchase”.  I recently saw a “$20 off your $40 purchase” offer.  If you would like to take advantage of the savings but you don’t want to spend that much on one item, try to find several things that purchased together will qualify you for the discount.  I have been able to check off 2 or 3 gifts by organizing my list and ordering several items at one time from one retailer. 

For even MORE savings, look for general offers of “$10 off your purchase” or “15% off your purchase” and then select individual items already on sale. You’ll really stack up the savings!

 
With just a bit of organization and planning ahead, you can still give meaningful, thoughtful, and unique gifts without breaking your budget.  Buying gifts on sale saves you money while avoiding the last minute rush and stress of finding an appropriate garden gift.