tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91509570564534482642024-03-05T22:49:21.625+02:00Save Our Shekels!How to save and make money on the Internet for the Anglo-IsraeliSave Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-35238449734925911532017-08-05T21:56:00.000+03:002017-08-05T22:06:56.619+03:00Is it worth the trip? Figuring out the extra costs of shopping far away<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzl6PKxz7ktSH4XAw3_d1-ZP0PAriIFq4wGLQIhvlTwC-HloAxDGJsVJjOAybnsNEme5ipLtuZCi6uyOifbVjHswf5uaM-a4dEK-gkNIAlLR1LDn-s4xa2LI4UTZ1ftE5DaA79F8EgySm/s1600/Is+it+too+far+away.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzl6PKxz7ktSH4XAw3_d1-ZP0PAriIFq4wGLQIhvlTwC-HloAxDGJsVJjOAybnsNEme5ipLtuZCi6uyOifbVjHswf5uaM-a4dEK-gkNIAlLR1LDn-s4xa2LI4UTZ1ftE5DaA79F8EgySm/s320/Is+it+too+far+away.jpg" width="213" /></a>We Israelis are experts in finding the best deals on just about everything. We've got our <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/06/saving-while-grocery-shopping-with.html" target="_blank">apps</a> and newspaper flyers, and we are determined never to end up <i>freiers </i>(hey, I'm a poet and I didn't know it!).<br />
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But what if that great deal is located far away - for example, in a town other than the one in which we live? Is it really still such a great deal in that case? How will we know if the trip is worth it?<br />
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If you're going to get there by public transport, the calculation is easy: just check if your expected savings are equal or greater than what you'd be spending on bus or train fare, and don't forget to also include the price of home delivery of heavy items, if you won't be bringing them home yourself. If your output on transportation exceeds your expected savings on the items you'll be buying, save yourself the trip and buy locally.<br />
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Obviously, if we're talking about unique items which are hard to find elsewhere (can we mention just about every trip of mine to the closest IKEA?), this is less of a factor, but it's still useful to know just how much extra the trip itself is costing you, on top of the price of the items you're buying.<br />
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If, on the other hand, you'll be driving there in your own car, you'll need to figure out the cost of your gas for the return trip to wherever you'll be going for those scrumptious deals. For this you'll want to know 3 key pieces of information:<br />
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* Your average gas mileage (or km per liter gas, if we're talking metric system)<br />
* The current cost of a liter of gas, and<br />
* The distance from your house to the store.<br />
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Please bear with me - the explanation is a bit wordy, but once you know how to find the information and calculate the price of your trip, it will become almost second nature and take you less than a minute to do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aL-ixtMolL6x2wZ1bIlvyEHzjL6_hAUs7JuTA6haGvObgj8GcMrJ2NxRoy3Am88VLBvE8y1gXimGxMgSgXN5BE24kvCFuVgW6b5hObDr6htY7jTctDMj0tsZTfK8drcl5BShtHj6CXoO/s1600/20170721_094509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aL-ixtMolL6x2wZ1bIlvyEHzjL6_hAUs7JuTA6haGvObgj8GcMrJ2NxRoy3Am88VLBvE8y1gXimGxMgSgXN5BE24kvCFuVgW6b5hObDr6htY7jTctDMj0tsZTfK8drcl5BShtHj6CXoO/s320/20170721_094509.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>How to figure out your mileage: </b><br />
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The "old-fashioned" way to measure this is to keep track of how many liters you fill at the pump (it should be on the receipt), and then check your odometer. When you fill up again, you should have a rough measure of how many km your car has driven on that tank of gas.<br />
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Many newer cars will do this for you, in a way: the car in the photo has a feature which measures, on average, how many liters of gas your car expended driving 100km. To convert this into km per liter, you simply reverse the fraction. In the case of the numbers in the photo, 100/10.9=9.17 km/liter (which is crappy mileage, mind you. <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/20-ways-to-improve-your-cars-fuel-efficiency/article1379796/" target="_blank">Here</a> are some useful tips to improve this).<br />
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The <b>cost of a liter of gas</b> is also not hard to find: it, too, will be on your last gas station receipt. If you're not into keeping those, you can find out the price with your handy-dandy <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/saving-at-pump-with-your-smartphone.html" target="_blank">Fulltank</a> app.<br />
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And nowadays, figuring out the precise distance from your house to your destination couldn't be easier than with <a href="https://www.google.co.il/maps" target="_blank">Google Maps</a> : Simply click on the right-pointing icon at your left, input your destination and then your home address, and you're done. Here is an exact map with several different routes from Shoham to IKEA in Rishon LeZion, with the distance measured for you:<br />
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So what do we do with all this information?<br />
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Let's say we found a deal on out favorite widget at the Great Deals store - NIS 50 instead of NIS 80 at a store nearby. Hey, a nearly 40% discount is nothing to sneeze at! However, The store is 45 kilometers away from our house, our average gas mileage is 15km/liter, and the price we pay per liter of gas these days is NIS 6.<br />
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We can easily calculate that we will be spending 6 liters of gas getting to the cheaper store and back (45*2/15). Since each liter costs NIS 6, the cost of the trip will be NIS 36.<br />
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Hmmm....spending NIS 36 to benefit from a NIS 30 discount? I think I'll pass, unless I happen to have another <strike>excuse</strike> reason to be in the area of Great Deals store.<br />
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I hope this post is of help to you in making better informed judgement about what is, and in particular, what isn't, a deal worth travelling for.<br />
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Have you ever run into a great deal you had to pass up because it was too far away?<br />
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Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-42059612135112041292017-03-02T22:12:00.000+02:002017-03-16T14:16:55.067+02:00The frugal Mishloach Manot (Shalach Manot)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUwZ4JOFNeKw_i4GcL214X9gLKs6cG738eVR35-sXQWkNtwfGLs5l0vD3uIakVE-YLB-SBaAcLLWXrG-xp3Z8WIYcYNWdbGbkl5LQirOX5IlFBjtYfwUIy5djjhlMeYRsKuPPe8HUjduk/s1600/frugalmm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUwZ4JOFNeKw_i4GcL214X9gLKs6cG738eVR35-sXQWkNtwfGLs5l0vD3uIakVE-YLB-SBaAcLLWXrG-xp3Z8WIYcYNWdbGbkl5LQirOX5IlFBjtYfwUIy5djjhlMeYRsKuPPe8HUjduk/s320/frugalmm.JPG" width="238" /></a>Purim is one of my favorite holidays. What's not to like? You read <i>Megillat Esther </i>with its fairytale ending, you eat really good food with family and/or friends at the <i>Seudah</i>, there are kids about <a href="http://colorful%20costumes/" target="_blank">colorful costumes</a>, and most importantly, you get to see so many of your friends and neighbors via the <i>mitzva </i>of Mishloach Manot.<br />
sporting<br />
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<a href="http://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Mishloach_Manot" target="_blank">Halachically</a>, you only need to provide 2 ready-to-eat portions of food to one person; but if you are lucky enough to have many friends and neighbors, you'll naturally want to spread the holiday cheer, and at the very least reciprocate the gifts of food you're given. This is where things could get rather pricey.<br />
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Also, if you're like many recipients of Mishlochei Manot, you end up with a ton of junk food that nobody could possibly eat in the short month before Pesach, and the surplus ends up in the garbage with the <i>Chametz.</i><br />
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I don't think there's one good answer to this dilemma. Each family has to consider the number of people they'll likely be giving Mishloach Manot to, who these people are, their personal budget, and the approach prevalent in their community. So here are a few things to consider when preparing your offerings:<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Candy vs. "real" food. </b>Most Mishlochei Manot we receive contain candy or cake. While this certainly fulfills the <i>mitzva</i> and my kids love the sweet gooey stuff, us parents tend to appreciate the more nutritious elements - homemade rolls, packaged spreads, sushi and other edibles. We've even been known to incorporate these into our Purim <i>seudah </i>later in the day, as well as keeping the homemade Hamentaschen and cakes for dessert. If you give such foods, try and keep them Pareve, so others can do so as well.<br />
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As far as <b>homemade vs. store bought</b> goodies are concerned, financially it can be expensive or cheap, depending on what you're making and how many MMs you need to deliver. Homemade cakes and cookies deliver a great bang for your buck, so if your baking skills are well-honed, by all means, go for it. My kids argue every year over the cinnamon buns and brownies a certain neighbor makes every year for Purim, because they are just <i>that</i> good.<br />
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If you're giving to people with special food requirements, though, prepared packaged foods may be your best bet: no exposure to potential allergens as long as the package is closed, the <i>hechsher </i>is on the package, and the food can later be donated if it's not eaten. My kids prepare a large box each Purim and for years now, everything store bought that comes in a sealed package (Bamba/Bissli/Doritos, packaged cakes, bags of candy) is collected for soldiers.<br />
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Also consider the newish tradition of sending Purim cards from your favorite charity for people with special diets, strict <i>kashrut</i> requirements or allergies, instead of giving food. That may not satisfy the Halachic requirement, but you're sure to have other people to give food to, and people who may not appreciate an offer of food will be touched both by your well-wishes and your consideration.<br />
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<b>Containers. </b>While some people buy large baskets or bowls to pack their MM's in, Our family has traditionally been fine with concentrating on the contents, packaging our offerings in hand-decorated plastic or paper plates, some cellophane wrap, and adding a funny computer-printed card on top adds a personal touch. Another nice Purim-ish way to package MM is to fold a paper plate in the manner of a Hamentasch after you've filled it with goodies, and staple or tape the edges.<br />
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That said , some of the more durable packages I've gotten via MM over the years have become very useful to me the whole year round, and I always remember and think kindly of those who gave them to me - such as the flat basket in which I keep our onions, from Mishloach Manot sent by the neighbors a few years ago. A useful container - e.g., a basket, a glass or plastic bowl, or a jar with a lid, can be had very cheaply for NIS 3-5 in <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2016/02/10-items-to-buy-in-stock-stores.html" target="_blank">stock stores</a> and many people will find them of use. Even decorative paper bags (with or without a Purim theme) can look quite lovely and be useful to the recipients - I've reused clean, pretty paper and plastic bags as gift wraps for during the year.<br />
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<b>Recycling received food items to give to others: </b>This is essentially the same controversy as the one about regifting. I think it's perfectly OK to take items from a closed package and reuse them in one you're giving, as long as you repackage them in a MM of your own design. I would avoid giving away homemade foodstuff you receive - it's kind of insulting to the giver, and you don't have the same quality assurance as with packaged items or food you make yourself.<br />
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Whichever way you choose to make your Mishloach Manot - have a happy Purim!<br />
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<br />Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-88131110638548926712016-02-04T20:42:00.000+02:002016-02-07T06:41:20.590+02:0010 items to buy in stock stores<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoNKIaGVNFrIAhGfoPQnR1hed3okksJXdb1jmt9Y4fEmFFfdmjqCj37DlQQyhBnlc9hje2RR8PJSHBhu-DPg1t24AZJ8HiETeYdoa1bXljkz8Nujl-3b6LUp2EF2m1ps1P5eWdF4l9C7E/s1600/giftbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoNKIaGVNFrIAhGfoPQnR1hed3okksJXdb1jmt9Y4fEmFFfdmjqCj37DlQQyhBnlc9hje2RR8PJSHBhu-DPg1t24AZJ8HiETeYdoa1bXljkz8Nujl-3b6LUp2EF2m1ps1P5eWdF4l9C7E/s320/giftbox.jpg" width="180" /></a>I really love shopping in stock stores - by which I mean low-cost stores such as <a href="http://maxstock.co.il/" target="_blank">Max Stock</a>, <a href="http://www.hastok.com/" target="_blank">Hastock</a>, or the Anglo-oriented Big Deal chain. They remind me of Dollar stores abroad, and carry much of the same merchandise your typical dollar store in the old country would. You may remember once upon a time (like 5-10 years ago), there were lots of "Hakol B'Dollar" stores around the country, in which everything really did cost $1 (+VAT; this was when the dollar was worth about NIS 5). The chain still exists (for example, <a href="https://www.dollarcenter.co.il/" target="_blank">this branch</a> in Dizengoff Center), but the items no longer really cost $1 or whereabouts, though their prices are still quite cheap, and the chain falls into the category of stores I'm talking about.<br />
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This type of store will often carry either many items imported from China at a very low price, and/or overstocks bought from other retailers and sold close to cost (Big Deal stores tend to have US-made products of this sort as well). Thus, their merchandise is very variable, seasonal and you never really know what you'll find in advance. Which is pretty cool, in my book.<br />
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I typically walk into this type of store for things I need at the moment, but almost always stay longer than I intend to, ogling all the stuff I <i>might </i>need one day and maybe I really should buy it before it runs out, or <i>would have bought</i> years ago when my kids were smaller had the store been around then...and which I feel are really good value for your money in this type of store. So if you have yet to visit such a store, or before <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/being-your-own-importer-shopping-at.html" target="_blank">ordering similarly cheap items from China</a> directly, here are 10 items I consider most worthwhile to buy in such stores. <br />
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If you have other items to suggest, feel free to do so in the comments!<br />
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<b>*Baby & small child clothing. </b>Max Stock often has basic baby and toddler clothing - onesies, dresses, even coats during the winter - for as low as NIS 10 an item. The brands are not fancy, but the clothes are warm, well-sewn, and look colorfast. I wish we had these around when my kids were little!<br />
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<b>*Specific items of clothing for the rest of the family.</b> Underpants, socks, pajamas, flipflops, hats, gloves. Nowhere else will you get better value for your money, and if your child loses a glove or you get a hole in your sock, they're easily and cheaply replaced. You can even find shirts for yourself if your taste in clothing runs to basic pieces, as does mine. I got some of the colorful "long-sleeved winter undershirts" for NIS 15 each last year; they are great for layering and can be dressed up or down, and they're still holding up great over a year and multiple washings later.<br />
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<b>*Lock & Lock - type food storage boxes.</b> These cost quite a bit in stores specializing in kitchenware, but in stock stores you can get them for much cheaper, and they hold up just as well, in my experience. (Well, Okay, they're not quite Tupperware, but those really do cost a pile). Great for storing leftovers in the fridge, taking food to school/work, or instead of canisters for dry foods. (The photo above is of a present I made for neighbors who were hosting our guests at a family simcha in their houses. The box and ribbons were from a stock store, and inside were yummy chocolates).<br />
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<b>*Cleaning supplies.</b> Most stock stores I've been to don't stock cleaning solutions as a rule, though you can get those cheaply enough during supermarket sales. I'm referring to latex gloves, scouring pads, Magic Sponge blocks, squeegees, mops, brooms and the like. Those often cost significantly more at other stores, often for the same exact Chinese-made product.<br />
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<b>*CFL bulbs.</b> Both an economical way to light up your house and a better price to buy them at. I've bought brand-name CFL's at hardware or lighting stores (e.g., ACE, Machsanei Teura), only to have them burn out far faster than the no-names I got in stock stores for half the price (I know this because I write the date the bulb was replaced on the base of the bulb with a pencil).<br />
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<b>*Everyday kitchenware. </b>Nothing from a stock store will ever replace your grandmother's silverware or the fine china set you received as a wedding gift. But when regular china mugs, glass plates, and plain stainless steel cutlery will do (which is most weekdays in our house), stock stores are the place to get them.<br />
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<b>*Kitchen gadgets. </b>Thanks to stock stores, you can now own just about any labor-saving, non-electronic kitchen gadget without spending a fortune or waiting a month or more for it to arrive from China. Julienne peeler? Silicone baking tins in an array of shapes? That shpritzer thingy you screw into a lemon to make a lemon juice sprayer? No problem, and not too much money, either. And if the gadget turns out to be not the highest quality, well, you're only out a few Shekels.<br />
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<b>*School supplies. </b>While these stores, like most, have the largest stock of school-related items around the beginning of the school year (see my post on <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/08/timing-your-purchases-for-maximum.html" target="_blank">how best to time your purchases</a> as well), they will usually have basic school supplies such as notebooks, Cellotape, glue and writing implements all year round. Don't spend your money at stationery stores when you can buy the same items for less in a stock store!<br />
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<b>*Craft supplies.</b> While their products will probably not be good enough for the serious craftperson, there is a wealth of art supplies in such stores to delight the amateur, or even just a busy mother looking to occupy her kids with something other than a screen - beads, clay, canvases, wooden items you can paint or decorate...the sky, and your sense of creativity, is the limit.<br />
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<b>*Disposable tableware. </b>If you're hosting an affair at home, or just don't like doing the dishes all that much, the best place to find disposables is not necessarily at a <i>Chad Pe'ami </i>store, but at a stock store. The variety of colors and styles may be smaller, but if you're flexible about those, you'll do well. Ditto for disposable aluminum baking pans.<br />
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So if you have yet to shop in a stock store, I urge you to give it a try. Remember - once the item is in your house, no one will know (or care) which store it came from, and it'll probably be just as nice and useful as any other product.<br />
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Happy Shopping!<br />
<br />Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-44364884590235841602016-01-24T14:33:00.000+02:002016-01-24T14:41:26.978+02:005 ways to save on Purim costumes for children (even if you can't sew a stitch)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWDFrKuklEWfBy0xycgGl9_ywz10TaXbnjc5oIRemRDjLYrPUrZT4sFnpNr-N21mv3NSFwLdDXLABZSqgGGmcljBCMkGtdDTRHbNXP6HV7k_r8bzk4xygyb9lldxNJ2a6Ilw1eFH7pwyC/s1600/yael+purim+2013+montage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWDFrKuklEWfBy0xycgGl9_ywz10TaXbnjc5oIRemRDjLYrPUrZT4sFnpNr-N21mv3NSFwLdDXLABZSqgGGmcljBCMkGtdDTRHbNXP6HV7k_r8bzk4xygyb9lldxNJ2a6Ilw1eFH7pwyC/s320/yael+purim+2013+montage.jpg" width="320" /></a>As I've mentioned already, one of the best ways to save on just about anything is to <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/08/timing-your-purchases-for-maximum.html" target="_blank">time your purchases</a> so you're not captive to salespeople who can almost smell your desperation and capitalize on it. One such particular seasonal item, which by being prepared can save you lots of money, is the Purim costume. Or, if you have several kids, make that costume<i>s</i>.<br />
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When I was a kid, your average Purim costume meant you slapped on some of your mother's makeup, wore the long gown said mother bought you for some relative's wedding, and passed your getup off as Queen Esther. Unfortunately, nowadays, that won't work on any child old enough to go to <i>gan</i>. Some costumes, especially if your child has his or her heart set upon being a Disney or other merchandised character for Purim, can set you back over NIS 100 - which in my book, is kind of steep for an outfit to be worn for 2-3 days max (wedding attire excepted, of course). If you have more than one child, and especially, the older the children get, the expenses increase accordingly.<br />
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But there are several ways to save on costumes for your kids, even if you're not one of those super-creative, handy-with-a sewing-machine types:<br />
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<b>Make your own. </b>But wait a minute, didn't I just say "even if you can't sew"? For one thing, while you might be able to get fabric scraps at the store and save lots if you <i>are</i> the crafty, sewing type, there's no guarantee you'll find the scraps you want at the fabric store, and buying more than a meter or two of fabric might not save you that much money, But if you do, and you <i>can </i>sew, more power to you (and boy, am I envious!).<br />
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If you're not the sewing type, there are plenty of great ideas for no-sew costumes on the Web - see examples such as <a href="http://www.aish.com/h/pur/f/48971571.html" target="_blank">these</a> , <a href="http://www.parenting.com/gallery/no-sew-halloween-costumes-for-kids?pnid=100280" target="_blank">this slide show</a> or <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/eastcoastmommy/no-sew-costumes-for-kids/" target="_blank">this Pinterest board</a> . <br />
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If you or your child have a specific costume in mind, say a turtle, try Googling "No sew turtle kids costume" and <a href="https://www.google.co.il/search?q=no+sew+turtle+kids+costume&oq=no+sew+turtle+kids+costume&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.8789j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">see what pops up</a> . Also keep in mind that for the purpose of Purim, a glue gun can be an acceptable substitute for thread and needle.<br />
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<b>Fashion a costume out of accessories. </b>Instead of buying a full-body costume, some types of costumes lend themselves to dressing the kids in clothing they own or can borrow, and just adding accessories, which are generally cheaper. For example, a cowboy can dress in a button-down plaid shirt (either his own or borrowed), blue jeans, vest, and a paisley bandana from Mommy, and you can buy a cowboy hat, holster and toy gun to complete the look. A fairy can dress in her prettiest lacy dress, be made up with Mommy's makeup, and add a store-bought sparkly wand and headband with antennae (you can also buy wings or make them, as in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-wSm4dLG9M" target="_blank">this Youtube video</a>).<br />
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<b>Hold a costume swap. </b>Got good-quality, good-condition costumes from previous years? Are others in your immediate area, perhaps, in a similar predicament? Hold a costume swap several weeks before Purim. There are quite a few community centers and synagogues which have such a swap each year, or you can initiate one yourself.<br />
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<b>Get it secondhand. </b>Either at your local thrift shop (I know I've donated and bought costumes from such shops over the years, I can hardly be the only one), or online at <a href="http://www.yad2.co.il/Yad2/Yad2.php?AreaID=&SalesCatID=&SalesSubCatID=&SaleCondition=0&fromPrice=&untilPrice=&Info=%FA%E7%F4%E5%F9%FA" target="_blank">yad2</a> , a variety of Facebook groups, such as the Anglo-friendly <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/263023093838552/" target="_blank">Buy, sell, swap (Israel)</a>, or even free at <a href="http://www.agora.co.il/toGet.asp?tags=%D7%AA%D7%97%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%AA&category=&subcategory=&condition=&submitValue=%D7%97%D7%A4%D7%A9&dealStatus=1&dealType=1&iseek=%D7%AA%D7%97%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%AA" target="_blank">Agora</a> . Keep in mind (in the case the item isn't free) that in some cases you can negotiate the price. Also, if the costume is still in good condition after Purim, you can resell it and get some or all of your money back the next year.<br />
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<b>Buy it online. </b>One of the nicer things about being Jewish is that we don't have to participate in the Halloween rush for costumes along with all the Americans, who make up the bulk of online buyers. Hence, after Halloween is over, there are plenty of (relatively) discounted costumes to be had, on large online marketplaces such as <a href="http://www.ebay.com/" target="_blank">eBay</a> and <a href="http://www.aliexpress.com/" target="_blank">Aliexpress</a>. This is a good option if your child wants a merchandised character (e.g., Ninja turtles, Anna or Elsa from <i>Frozen</i>). I would avoid specialized American or British online costume retailers, as their prices are very expensive and shipping even more so. And their stuff is mostly made in China anyway, so just cut out the middleman.<br />
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As many of the costumes with decent prices and cheap/free shipping options are sent from China, keep to the guidelines I listed <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/being-your-own-importer-shopping-at.html" target="_blank">here</a> and make sure to order your costumes at least a month and a half in advance (2 months if you really want to make sure they get here on time). Also keep in mind that the Chinese new year occurs in early February, and many sellers take off around then, so do your best to order before then.<br />
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For a further rebate on your purchases, don't forget to pass through <a href="http://www.cashback.co.il/?uref=1346" target="_blank">the Israeli cashback site</a> (more on this highly recommended site <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/theyve-arrived-israeli-cashback-sites.html" target="_blank">here</a> ).<br />
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Here's hoping your kids love their costumes and you have a happy Purim! </div>
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Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-58874592629816153252016-01-07T21:52:00.000+02:002016-01-07T22:05:02.188+02:00Important things to remember when ordering goods from abroad<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcHW0DVG8p9cWD5mXc4V2FxaYjpoN0Z7gEWIL3KcMglxXg-FOZt8vI0QEcsTk1EytOfEUS2fGjpWnC3R9D66UZyDFJ8bJ7Dm2zM5PdaOHpzk7MlWIQjHXWSn0h0Lx_2Giul8jv_G_FfSR/s1600/packages.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcHW0DVG8p9cWD5mXc4V2FxaYjpoN0Z7gEWIL3KcMglxXg-FOZt8vI0QEcsTk1EytOfEUS2fGjpWnC3R9D66UZyDFJ8bJ7Dm2zM5PdaOHpzk7MlWIQjHXWSn0h0Lx_2Giul8jv_G_FfSR/s320/packages.JPG" width="320" /></a>Here's a bit of Hebrew slang you may not have heard before: <i>Shitat Matzliach </i>(literally, "Succeed Method"). It's based upon an old joke, whereby a diner in a restaurant receives a bill with <i>Matzliach </i>(succeed) as one of the items listed. The diner asks the waiter what this means, and the waiter answers, "Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we don't. In your case, we didn't."<br />
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(Yes, I know I'm a serial killer of jokes. It sounds a lot funnier in Hebrew, trust me).<br />
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Unfortunately, here in Israel, <i>Shitat Matzliach</i> is rampant. One of the more annoying instances of this happening is when you find this really good deal online, pay the price and shipping costs, and then your package gets stuck in customs for God knows how long, and <i>then </i>you still have to pay the <s>ransom</s> taxes and fees the post office or shipping company decides to collect from you. You might as well not have bothered and just bought it locally...<br />
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While the rules are, indeed, the rules, and sometimes you can engage in your own bit of <em>Shitat Matzliach</em> and not get caught even when you need to pay fees (I do NOT recommend you try this), sometimes the fees seem totally made-up and exaggerated. But they do it because they can.<br />
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And that's something you, the customer, need to consider before you order anything from abroad - what extra charges might be tacked on, and how - and if - you can deal with these.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Israel Post takes 2 main criteria into account when levying fares upon goods entering the country via the mail: the items' price and their weight.<br />
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<b>Packages containing items totalling up to $74.99</b> <b>in value </b>are exempt from all taxes. This price is exclusive of shipping costs, so even if, you buy, say, $70 worth of goods at <a href="http://goo.gl/lGqtxi" target="_blank">Vitacost</a> and then there's still $10.99 shipping to pay, the package still will arrive here tax-free. I prefer to pay as few taxes as I can legally get away with (don't we all?), so I suggest that if at all possible, you try to limit your purchases to this type of package.<br />
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However, there are a few pitfalls and exceptions you need to be aware of:<br />
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<b>*</b> Alcoholic drinks and tobacco products will incur taxes regardless of price (hence the popularity of Duty Free stores at airports).<br />
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<b>*</b> Two or more packages sent from the same retailer within 72 hours of each other will be considered as one package, even if the contents of each package alone is worth less than $75.<br />
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<b>*</b> Sales: You may happen upon an incredible sale at an online retailer abroad and buy goods worth more than $75, but actually paid less than that amount. Most retailers will list the actual price paid them, but a few might list the original total of the items, which may incur taxes. However, if you have an invoice and thus can prove you actually paid less than $75, you can appeal the request for taxes (via <a href="https://www.israelpost.co.il/scripts.nsf/resource/758-0029/$file/758-0029.pdf" target="_blank">this form</a>) and you'll most probably be reimbursed.<br />
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<a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/saving-money-online-for-shopaholics.html" target="_blank">Cashback</a>, of course, is rebated after the fact and does not count towards these types of calculations.<br />
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<b>* </b>Consider the exchange rate: As the cutoff point is listed in US Dollars, when buying goods in a foreign currency other than USD, you need to take into account that the exchange rate may go up or down. If the total value of the goods according to the exchange rate<i> <u>the day the package enters the country</u></i> is over US $75, you'll be required to pay tax, regardless of what the exchange rate was on the day you bought the item. So I suggest allowing for a safety margin and not spend more than the equivalent of $72-73 if you're paying in Euros, British Pounds, or Dollars other than American (You're welcome to consult the currency converter in the left-hand column).<br />
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<b>*</b>Packages weighing over 2kg will most probably inspected by customs regardless of their value, and billed NIS 35 for customs release. So try and keep your packages light.<br />
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<b>Packages containing items totalling between $75 to $499.99 </b>will be charged with 17% VAT, and purchase tax when applicable (e.g., items such as cellphones and TVs), but are exempt from customs. Most imported car parts in this price range will incur a flat tax of 48.1% as well. The Ministry of Finance keeps a <a href="http://62.219.95.10/misimmerukht/" target="_blank">list</a> (in Hebrew) of various items people often buy, along with the expected tax rate on these items.<br />
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It's also important to know that in this price range, while the qualifying price to pay VAT is exclusive of shipping and insurance charges, once you qualify to pay the tax, you pay it on those fares as well. For example, if you buy $85 worth of stuff at <a href="http://bit.ly/MyHabit_link" target="_blank">MyHabit</a> and pay an additional $15 in shipping, you'll be charged $17 VAT (i.e., 17% of $100).<br />
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<b>Packages with a value of $500 and up </b>will be charged with both 17% VAT and customs, determined according to the value of the merchandise and its weight.<br />
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Now that we've gotten the laws straight, let's discuss the large gray area of expedited shipping services - EMS, UPS, FedEx and the like. These companies often tack on fees for releasing packages from customs and other services that can add up to hundreds of extra Shekels, and the reasoning behind them can be mystifying for the layperson. As far as I can tell, <i>Shitat Matzliach </i>reigns supreme in this particular domain. Bottom line - when at all possible, <b>avoid expedited shipping services</b>. Not only is it already more expensive, you might find it even more expensive that you bargained for.This is doubly true in the case of packages with a value over $75 or heavy packages, which are already more likely to be under scrutiny of Israel Post and customs.<br />
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<a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/your-shipping-address-abroad-package.html" target="_blank">Package forwarding services</a> usually make you pay any taxes and fees owed before they send you your items, so this is much less of an issue using them, and an option worth looking into when you expect a package to incur extra fees.<br />
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As mentioned before, if you believe the fees were excessive on a given package, you can fill out and send Israel Post an <a href="https://www.israelpost.co.il/scripts.nsf/resource/758-0029/$file/758-0029.pdf" target="_blank">appeal form</a>. Appealing will probably be less successful with the various express delivery services, I'm afraid.<br />
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Here's hoping you enjoy your online shopping expeditions and never end up the <i>frier </i>of the postal services!Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-83028958672626210782015-12-30T11:24:00.000+02:002017-08-21T14:07:28.009+03:00More beauty for fewer $$: Israeli discount cosmetic chains<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWbRCnVoEmJepEt748o4ZF0-WwymG8FZpvAktD79ZvpOCvQB1GDhqq_GeMfZ3dbtcy0U9of7rJjjRjESsP9bUeRojkg7EhYHj1PETU7xItb9RaII_fz9GzVpU2ynBipwKd9DA9k7VHe0f/s1600/makeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWbRCnVoEmJepEt748o4ZF0-WwymG8FZpvAktD79ZvpOCvQB1GDhqq_GeMfZ3dbtcy0U9of7rJjjRjESsP9bUeRojkg7EhYHj1PETU7xItb9RaII_fz9GzVpU2ynBipwKd9DA9k7VHe0f/s320/makeup.JPG" width="320" /></a>Ladies - do you remember buying drugstore-brand makeup in the old country? Cosmetics of decent (and even better) quality that didn't cost a king's ransom, so you didn't feel too guilty buying a variety of products to supplement your makeup kit?<br />
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Well, the cosmetics in the local drugstores (even with <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/04/using-shopping-coupons-in-israel.html" target="_blank">coupons</a>) are still on the expensive side. But in the past few years, some really good, local alternatives have sprung up to expensive brand-name makeup, cosmetic products and toiletries. And unlike discount products <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/cheaper-than-your-local-drugstore.html" target="_blank">purchased online</a> from abroad, you don't even have to wait a month for them to arrive in the mail, because they're available at storefronts all over Israel.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>One of the nicer byproducts of the 2011 uproar about the high cost of living here in Israel is that the public, as well as some entrepreneurs, really took the main message of the protest to heart. Thus, while housing costs have, regrettably, not gone down, at least we have cheaper coffee (Cofix and similar stores), cheaper cellphone plans, cheaper public transport, and similarly - cheap, but just as good, cosmetics and toiletries which are certainly no worse, and sometimes better, than the big brand names in the drugstores. While most of these companies were around long before the 2011 protest, their market share (and commensurately, the number and distribution of their stores) has grown in the past few years.<br />
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While you can get cheap knockoffs of brand-name makeup (e.g, MAC) <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.com/2015/05/being-your-own-importer-shopping-at.html" target="_blank">from China</a> on your own, I would avoid buying anything from there which goes on or in my body (especially near my eyes and mouth). While many, if not all, of the companies mentioned below also produce their merchandise in the far east, they have the Health Ministry's seal of approval, so there's a good chance you're not slowly giving yourself heavy metal poisoning while primping. Many of the products go even further and are eligible for the European standards for cosmetic products as well.<br />
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If that doesn't convince you to give these products a test run, you might be interested to know that even big names in the local beauty industry, such as makeup artist<br />
<a href="http://reshet.tv/item/news/haolam-haboker/season-01/clips/cofix-maapecha/" target="_blank">Yarin Shachaf</a> (Hebrew video, no subtitles, sorry), have endorsed low-cost cosmetics as being a good addition to one's makeup/beauty repertoire.<br />
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So let's have a look at what's out there:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqkT9dTtrs_GMRzxd19lpi5FMt1LZL2R_U16jBy6skoctO7EkbgBSB0oeR_3QRKfWaC0FPNq_Z2gyyAJzh1NCoT_odoJ8AXr5Xygwd_4Kx-Dwv-oOTtHqjBILHmfvWnTVf4oVeJCzdTcI/s1600/bblender.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqkT9dTtrs_GMRzxd19lpi5FMt1LZL2R_U16jBy6skoctO7EkbgBSB0oeR_3QRKfWaC0FPNq_Z2gyyAJzh1NCoT_odoJ8AXr5Xygwd_4Kx-Dwv-oOTtHqjBILHmfvWnTVf4oVeJCzdTcI/s200/bblender.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.beautycare.co.il/" target="_blank"><b>Beautycare</b></a> is the oldest low-cost beauty chain, having been around for "a few decades" according to their website. Originating in Ashdod, the chain now maintains over 20 <a href="http://www.beautycare.co.il/%D7%A1%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%9D" target="_blank">stores</a> all over the country, many of which were set up only in the past 5 years or so. The products are made mostly in Taiwan, and the huge variety of cheap but good-quality products, along with the ability to keep abreast of trends in the local beauty scene, have made them a leader in the industry.<br />
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Personal favorites of mine: Moisture lipsticks (NIS 4.50 each), specialty nail polishes (holographic, glitters, etc.), makeup brushes, and the makeup sponge pictured above, which is the company's answer to the <a href="http://www.beautyblender.com/shop/collections/all.html" target="_blank">Beauty Blender</a> (NIS 9.90/7.50, depending on the size).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvmkFHbtHIiIn1eQA2PCTeV8OYWZOcD4KQa2fNwlOvsEWMT2HM6e-xnxvIgV_Dq7dyJfmN-papCOqEPqwaaWrVdXBzNHOD9Vje1o36JhKh7bz40tvMb75rU_uOsXfBWGinhujsJVzKdHT/s1600/wow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvmkFHbtHIiIn1eQA2PCTeV8OYWZOcD4KQa2fNwlOvsEWMT2HM6e-xnxvIgV_Dq7dyJfmN-papCOqEPqwaaWrVdXBzNHOD9Vje1o36JhKh7bz40tvMb75rU_uOsXfBWGinhujsJVzKdHT/s1600/wow.JPG" /></a><b><a href="http://wowcosmetics.co.il/" target="_blank">Wow</a> </b>is another longtimer, having been around since 2005. They, too, have a large presence with <a href="http://wowcosmetics.co.il/?page_id=11" target="_blank">stores</a> all over the country (though, oddly enough, not in our capital). Their products are slightly higher-priced than Beautycare's, for the most part, but you can find a huge variety of colors and shades which may make up for the extra few Shekels you'll be spending.<br />
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Personal favorites - nail polishes, eyeshadow, concealer, multi-sided nail files, hand cream (their prices are not listed on the website and I don't remember the exact prices, hence they're not mentioned).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSskTQ5oGD69ofSG0mJdz_wrpknOgoKHKZ7AMUvSF2IkN5WmfKMuay31bKJXYlY8F0qdOODY4g9moIhKiwiGk9_bbkQ3P9v6MFk8DbLGFYftt4SraJLheUF2S0spO0O7qcyRZT8WqdTh3j/s1600/odemshabat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSskTQ5oGD69ofSG0mJdz_wrpknOgoKHKZ7AMUvSF2IkN5WmfKMuay31bKJXYlY8F0qdOODY4g9moIhKiwiGk9_bbkQ3P9v6MFk8DbLGFYftt4SraJLheUF2S0spO0O7qcyRZT8WqdTh3j/s200/odemshabat.JPG" width="200" /></a><b><a href="http://www.sacara.co.il/" target="_blank">Sacara</a> </b>is a relative newcomer on the scene, owned by Moshe Golbary, also the owner of the Golbary fashion chain for women. In contrast to the other companies mentioned, Golbary started the chain in late 2013 as a direct response to the 2011 cost-of-living protests, similar to the Cofix revolution. His stated goal was to bring cosmetics to Israel "at their real price" - without the huge markups caused by the brand name and expensive-looking packaging. Apparently this is a message which resonates with more than a few Israelis, as evidenced by the many <a href="http://www.sacara.co.il/shops" target="_blank">branches</a> of Sacara scattered around the country.<br />
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I admit to being less familiar with this store than with the others mentioned above. Still, I sought out the one closest to me because I was charmed by the idea of their <i>Odem Shabbat </i>(Shabbat lipstick), pictured above - a long-lasting lipstick (not 24-hour long, though) that changes color once you apply it. It currently costs NIS 9.90, is quite moisturizing, and all the shades color your lips a lovely shade of pink which intensifies the more layers you apply. An added bonus is the lip balm in the colored upper part of the cap.<br />
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Another recent addition to the makeup and nail care scene (a bit over a year) that can actually be found in a drugstore - namely, stands at Super Pharms and New Pharms across the country - is the <b><a href="http://www.essence.eu/il/home/" target="_blank">Essence</a></b> brand. While mainly geared toward teens and younger women, there is much to appeal to the older customer as well, and for very reasonable prices. Don't forget to check them out next time you're in a large drugstore!<br />
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While I have even less experience with the following brand, I would be remiss if I didn't mention <b>Flormar</b>. They, too, arrived on the scene in 2013 with a flagship store in the Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv. The brand's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Flormar.Israel/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> claims it was founded in Milan, though I seem to remember the talk at the time was that the brand's products were made in Turkey. They now have 3 shops - the one in Azrieli, in Kanyon HaZahav in Rishon LeTzion, and in the Kiryon in Kiryat Bialik. Their products are not quite as cheap as the other stores mentioned, though they tend to be cheaper than many other brands found in drugstores, and can also be found online at <a href="http://www.guilty.co.il/Category/makeup/?sec=1140+&page=1/" target="_blank">Guilty</a>.<br />
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So remember - while the snob appeal of wearing a brand name is understandable, with cosmetics, once it's on your face, lips or nails - no one will know the how much your getup cost unless you choose to tell them. They'll only know whether the makeup is in a flattering color for you, whether it's expertly applied or not, and whether your beauty potions in general are working by the glow of your skin. And you don't need to spend a king's ransom for that!Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-76259550146841328922015-12-24T14:56:00.001+02:002015-12-26T23:58:20.780+02:00Eating out for less<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMewqLbeyTh4ISn4979o1u2JtJFJ3esroF3cito_tW2DRno2cCLmtOeRnMzijG5sIcAF1SsLOjm4g2tPmYvr5kZ6KcCPCfS3oReC0EIVE7Hu_mCqZa1wawimYO01U_EkDwg70kHxkjQMOq/s1600/eatingout.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMewqLbeyTh4ISn4979o1u2JtJFJ3esroF3cito_tW2DRno2cCLmtOeRnMzijG5sIcAF1SsLOjm4g2tPmYvr5kZ6KcCPCfS3oReC0EIVE7Hu_mCqZa1wawimYO01U_EkDwg70kHxkjQMOq/s320/eatingout.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Going out to eat is not normally considered an especially frugal activity. And you know what? It isn't. The (usually American) hobby of going out to eat at McDonald's twice a week because nobody in the house could be bothered to cook, or frequent ordering of a latte and a sandwich on your lunch break at the caf<span style="line-height: 23.4px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">é</span></span> near your work, can be a huge and unnecessary financial drain (even if said caf<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23.4px;">é</span> is Cofix. Those 5-Shekel coffees really add up over time!). And that's without even mentioning the negative health ramifications of eating fast food on a regular basis.<br />
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However, there is definitely a time and place for eating out even for frugal people, assuming you're not currently in serious financial dire straits. Meeting up with friends from out of town occasionally, celebrating a family member's birthday or your wedding anniversary - all those are great reasons to dine out in a nice restaurant, enjoying the food and the ambiance. Doing it at at a discount ? Even better.<br />
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Luckily, there are several ways to lower your expenses when dining out:<br />
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<b>Find a coupon or a voucher for the restaurant of your choice. </b>This will probably net you the largest savings on your meal. You can go about this in one of two ways: either first choosing the restaurant and then searching for a voucher, or searching around at the relevant websites and going to the place which offers the best prices or the largest discount. The latter method is also a great way to acquaint yourselves with restaurants you might not otherwise have heard about.<br />
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Vouchers for restaurants at significant discounts (50% and more) can be found at:<br />
<ul>
<li>Your credit card's bonuses page will usually have a variety of 1+1 deals, often for breakfast, at various eateries in your area.</li>
<li><a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/how-to-use-groupons-wisely.html" target="_blank">Groupons</a> (If you use the original Groupon site for this, as opposed to Baligam, Buy2, etc. don't forget to get another 4% by going through <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/theyve-arrived-israeli-cashback-sites.html" target="_blank">cashback</a>). A similar Anglo-geared website, specializing in eateries, is Janglo's <a href="http://beteavone.com/" target="_blank">Beteavone</a>.</li>
<li>Facebook - this is mostly useful if you have a specific restaurant in mind. Follow them on Facebook and they may offer discounts periodically (though this doesn't seem to be a very common practice - yet). </li>
<li>Websites specializing in restaurant criticism. Most of you are probably familiar with <a href="http://www.eluna.com/" target="_blank">eLuna</a>, which is especially easy on the Anglo eye (being in English) and which offers free printable coupons (the typical discount being 10% off) and discounted giftcards to kosher restaurants around the country. eLuna also has an <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.elunaKosher" target="_blank">app</a>, which can be useful if you've forgotten your printed coupon, but getting the coupons through the app requires a small payment and apparently, there are technical glitches with it as well. I hope the admins address these problems, as it's a great idea.</li>
<li>Other Hebrew websites about eating out which offer coupons are <a href="http://www.rol.co.il/coupons/" target="_blank">ROL</a> and <a href="http://www.2eat.co.il/%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%9D.aspx" target="_blank">2eat</a>. Their coupons are searchable by location, type of cuisine and level of Kashrut, and the perks offered are highly variable - from 50% off, to a free glass of wine or free dessert, to a kiss from the barmaid (presumably free as well). </li>
<li>Gift vouchers for restaurants and attractions which you may receive at your place of work, coupon booklets you can find free at hotels and tourist attractions, or <a href="http://bit.ly/1PkHqvp" target="_blank">Buyme Chef </a>vouchers acquired through filling out paid <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/making-money-online-survey-sites.html" target="_blank">surveys</a> (though keep in mind that if you keep kosher, your options with this voucher are very limited). </li>
</ul>
Common courtesy dictates that you tip according to the <u>non-discounted</u> bill (the usual tip in Israel is 10-15%).<br />
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<b>Be mindful of extras. </b>Some restaurants will serve appetizers while you're waiting for your order, the price of which is included in the regular fare - e.g. pitot with spreads, salads and/or bread and butter. Since you're paying for them anyway, feel free to dig in and consider ordering only another appetizer as your main course - you may well be too stuffed to eat a whole main course, anyway.<br />
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<b>Skip the appetizer and order only the main course. </b>There's no rule you have to have a several-course meal, even if you're in a fancy restaurant. And you won't enjoy the experience any less (in my experience).</div>
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<b>Split your order. </b>Many restaurants offer huge main courses, more than one person can reasonably eat (Tip: if this is your first time at the place, take a look at tables which have already been served to estimate how large the portions are). Order one appetizer and one main course for two people, and though you may have no leftovers to take home, your bathroom scales will thank you. Ditto for splitting dessert, or forgoing it altogether if you're full. <br />
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As for the one appetizer you get - I suggest getting a variety plate, if available. It's usually cheaper than 2 different appetizers (though it might be a bit more expensive than one single one), but slightly larger and you get to enjoy many of the establishment's dishes at once. <br />
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<b>Water (in a carafe, not in a bottle) is good for you. </b>Both for your pocket and your waistline, mind. Soft drinks in particular are subject to a huge price markup in restaurants. </div>
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Bete'avon! </div>
Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-18737767879356231642015-12-20T11:01:00.000+02:002015-12-20T12:54:21.711+02:00Staying within a budget: limit price and unit price<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8ZsWAuLXCYlASPrJe6iEUlUvy4RV0a7ecZEgPs2iFkrZyNCeeYj77bgbbUergvYUMw4iCnka6t8IeOx4z2d-zdLuWubcpCiZbxtrq1n60lxIuLVwCx0avzXMNsBy8bY1sK3j0pM2ft2r/s1600/unitprice2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8ZsWAuLXCYlASPrJe6iEUlUvy4RV0a7ecZEgPs2iFkrZyNCeeYj77bgbbUergvYUMw4iCnka6t8IeOx4z2d-zdLuWubcpCiZbxtrq1n60lxIuLVwCx0avzXMNsBy8bY1sK3j0pM2ft2r/s200/unitprice2.JPG" width="200" /></a>One of the fundamental ways to keep your grocery bills down is to be mindful of items' prices. Knowing what a given item regularly costs will allow you to spot true bargains when they appear, and stock up on non-perishable (and to a certain extent, also perishable) grocery items in order to lower the average price you pay, both for these items and for your shopping jaunts in general. To help me determine what to buy and what to leave on the supermarket shelf, I keep in mind two concepts: The item's <em>limit price</em> and its <em>unit price</em>.<br />
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The <strong>limit price</strong> (admittedly, this is a term "borrowed" from the stock market trade, but it seems a reasonable choice) is the highest price I'm willing to pay for the item. For example, I've set my limit price for most fruits and vegetables at NIS 10/kg. If tomatoes are currently at NIS 15/kg because of a temporary shortage, I won't buy them and will supplement our family's diet with other foods until the price goes down. If a fruit starts the season at NIS 20/kg, it'll probably go below my limit price in a couple of weeks as supply becomes more plentiful, and chances are, the fruits will be tastier mid-season anyway. If I find (non-perishable or freezable) groceries much below my limit price, it's time to stock up. Obviously, you need to have some knowledge of what items' regular prices are - the aforementioned tomatoes at NIS 5/kg are not exactly a bargain, either. There are <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/06/saving-while-grocery-shopping-with.html" target="_blank">shopping apps</a> which can help you with this. Also, limit prices are prone to change with inflation and <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/08/timing-your-purchases-for-maximum.html" target="_blank">time of the year</a> .<br />
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Here are some of my personal limit prices on items I buy often:<br />
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Olive oil - NIS 25/750ml<br />
Shampoo - NIS 9/700ml<br />
Tissues - NIS 2/package of 100<br />
Canned tuna - NIS 5/can<br />
Demerara sugar (in a bag, I keep on refilling the container I bought once upon a time) - NIS 10/kg<br />
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I listed the limit prices in terms of the type of package I most often encounter, but sometimes you can find smaller or larger packages of items you need and use - Charedi-owned stores such as Osher Ad are especially known for their jumbo packs of just about everything. How will you know if it's a bargain or not?<br />
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The <b>unit price</b> is exactly what it sounds like - the price of an item per a given unit of weight or volume. Many stores will now list the unit price in small print on the signs which list the item's price:<br />
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For items or stores where the unit price isn't listed, a simple calculation on your cellphone calculator will suffice. For example, as mentioned earlier, my limit price for shampoo is NIS 9/700ml (7/10ths of a liter). Per liter this comes out to ~ NIS 12.85 (9*10/7). So a 1-liter bottle of shampoo which costs NIS 11.50? Good for me. I'll be leaving the NIS 15 per liter bottle on the shelf, however.<br />
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Happy and savings-filled shopping to you all!<br />
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<br />Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-63259041719134874842015-09-03T23:30:00.003+03:002015-09-03T23:48:29.944+03:00How not to break the bank when holiday shopping<div>
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It happens at least twice a year here in Israel: long lines at the supermarkets, shopping carts overflowing with goods, huge grocery bills...yep, the holiday season is about to descend upon us. The run-up to the High Holy days and Pesach tend to be the times when our shopping bills are the highest. We splurge on special foods, cook up huge amounts and have a larger variety of dishes at festive meals than we would on a regular Shabbat meal - after all, there are culinary skills to display and guests to impress! Not to mention that Son #1 needs some new white shirts and Daughter #3 needs a new dress...<br />
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Even though holiday shopping will almost inevitably make a larger dent than usual in your bank account, there are still tactics you can use to mitigate the damage, and possibly even save some money over the rest of the year: </div>
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<li><b>Plan your menus ahead of time and shop according to a list. </b>Yes, I know you frugal, savvy folks do this all year round, but it's doubly important when you're buying and cooking in large quantities. Look up your recipes, assess how much of each ingredient you really need, make up a list with quantities and shop accordingly. Don't forget your <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/04/using-shopping-coupons-in-israel.html" target="_blank">coupons</a> where applicable!</li>
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<li><b>Take note of pre-holiday sales and be an opportunist if the deal is really good. </b>On the other hand, if a specific (preferably non-perishable) staple you use all year round is especially discounted, take that into account and <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/08/timing-your-purchases-for-maximum.html" target="_blank">budget for stocking up.</a> For example, I am <i>so</i> going to get the discounted olive oil at Superpharm (NIS 19.90 per 750ml), because I know I'll be using it. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Compare store flyers and don't hesitate to shop at several different stores. </b>You don't have to buy everything at once, and there is no *one* store which has all the cheapest groceries, so consider making several shopping trips at different stores over a couple of weeks. You can plan ahead by checking up store flyers on <a href="http://israflyer.com/" target="_blank">Israflyer</a>; those of you with smartphone can check your <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/06/saving-while-grocery-shopping-with.html" target="_blank">relevant apps</a>. Just keep a running tally of your total spendings so you won't run over budget - as you'll probably be spending only a fraction of your usual shopping jaunt at each individual store.</li>
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<li><b>Use your </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Shai LaChag</i><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span> If your employer was generous enough to give you <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/whats-best-use-for-vouchers-tavim.html" target="_blank">vouchers </a><i><a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/whats-best-use-for-vouchers-tavim.html" target="_blank">(Tavim)</a> </i>or you have some on hand from filling out <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/making-money-online-survey-sites.html" target="_blank">paid online surveys</a>, now's the time to haul them out and use them for food and/or clothing purchases. Your bank balance will thank you. </li>
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<ul>
<li><b>Take adavantage of end-of-season clothing sales. </b>We're lucky here in Israel that we can wear summer clothes through most, if not all of the <i>Chagim</i>. So if you're in need of new clothes for you or your children and there's nothing that is appropriate at your local secondhand shops (yes, you <i>should </i>check those out if you can, especially for babies and small children), late August and early September can be a great time to get summer clothing (for next summer as well). If you can take advantage of these sales for holiday clothing, go for it. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Prefer shopping for clothing and gifts at stores where you're a member. </b>People often tend so spend more on gifts for others than they do for themselves, so if you're a guest this year at someone else's house, consider buying them a nice (but member-discounted) present at a store where you hold a <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/08/the-10-best-shopping-club-cards-in.html" target="_blank">membership card</a>. And if they allow <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/07/double-up.html" target="_blank">double discounts</a> (holiday+member discounts), all the better for your pocketbook, but you'll still be bringing a perfectly respectable gift. </li>
</ul>
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Here's hoping your holiday shopping - and of course the holidays themselves - are full of material and spiritual satisfaction! </div>
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Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-89234359373321083822015-08-21T13:53:00.001+03:002015-11-11T08:49:25.386+02:00Timing your purchases for maximum savings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you've ever read articles from the USA about <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/06/saving-while-grocery-shopping-with.html" target="_blank">saving money on groceries</a> and other items, you may have noticed they talk about how items go on sale in a cyclical fashion, every 6 weeks or so, or how there are better and worse times to buy specific items - Broadway tickets in February, Christmas decorations after New Years, etc. Unfortunately, sales tend to happen in a much more haphazard way in Israel (pretty much like everything else here ;-) ). However, while there don't seem to be any hard and fast rules, there does seem to be a trend regarding prices of certain items at specific times of the year, often according to the Jewish calendar. If the item in question isn't perishable, it's a good idea to stock up on it for use in the next year - or at least until the item goes on sale. Even if it's a perishable, but you can freeze it, it can be worth it to stock up for the next several months.<br />
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So here are items I've found which can be had at lower prices at specific times of the year, which are worth stocking up on:<br />
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<u>School supplies</u>: Late August and early September is the time to get them in bulk and at a discount. Some stores will provide additional discounts once we're about a month into the school year or after the <i>chagim</i>, especially on <i>yomanim</i> and some branded merchandise (Anna and Elsa stickers won't be popular forever, after all). The problem is that the selection is smaller by then, but that's a matter of taste.<br />
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<u>Suntan lotion and beach towels:</u> August means that soon the demand for these will be diminished, hence the sales on these items. The suntan lotion in the picture above has a use-by date of 30 months from when you open it, so feel free to stock up for next year, and the year after that.<br />
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<u>Honey:</u> Rosh Hashanah sales can be an attractive time to buy honey in 1kg jars. but you can enjoy these discounts (and possibly better ones) until Chol Hamoed Sukkot. Despite what's written on the label, <a href="http://www.eatbydate.com/other/sweets/honey-shelf-expiration-date/" target="_blank">Honey doesn't expire</a>.<br />
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<u>Canola oil:</u> Sales usually occur during the weeks before Rosh Hashanah and Pesach.<br />
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<u>Olive oil:</u> Olive oil for eating (e.g., extra virgin) can be found on sale in different places at different times. The regular price is on the order of NIS 40-45 per liter, but you can catch olive oil being sold for as little as NIS 20 per 750ml (or NIS 26.67 per liter). Be an opportunist and stock up if you use it regularly. Superpharm also has a recurring coupon for 750ml of olive oil for about NIS 22, but you can only buy one unit at the coupon price.<br />
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Olive oil for lighting (and Chanuka candles, and tapers, and other lighting paraphernalia) go on sale towards the end of Chanuka. If you light Shabbat candles with oil, that's a great time to stock up. <br />
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<u>Wine:</u> Many supermarkets offer special deals on wine (e.g., 4 bottles for NIS 100) before Rosh Hashanah and Pesach. Non-aged wine (which is what most of us drink, unless you're a real connoisseur and spend hundreds of Shekels per bottle) lasts at most 2-3 years before turning into vinegar; keep that in mind when stocking up.<br />
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<u>Seasonal produce</u>: Early and very late in the season, prices soar. They reach a nadir slightly after the height of the fruit's or vegetable's season. Try to buy your favorite seasonal fruits and veggies then, as they're also likely to be at their tastiest as well. Make preserves from the surplus, or cut up and freeze for smoothies for the rest of the year.<br />
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<u>Cleaning supplies:</u> Before and often also during Pesach.<br />
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<u>Fresh chicken:</u> You're most likely to snag a deal on this between Chanuka and Purim. (I have no idea why this is, just an observation).<br />
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<u>Salmon fillet:</u> Supermarkets often have these on sale before RH and Pesach, and also around Shavuot.<br />
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<u>Dairy products:</u> Also, around and after Shavuot is the best time to find deals. Yellow cheese can be grated and frozen for the next few months, and you can also freeze milk bags (though they may leak upon thawing due to expansion of the ice in them).<br />
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If you've noticed a price trend in a consumer good not mentioned here, Please either comment or email me (at saveourshekels-at-gmail-dot-com) - I'll happily add it to this list!<br />
<br />Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-6695058930188003432015-08-12T16:04:00.001+03:002015-08-12T16:04:17.391+03:00The 10 best shopping club cards in Israel, part 2 <b><u></u></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgga1IfBMMIMThSo19_og8znOk30XdskoGd-yAUFSbdpbcRL30GoEtAEt-9F1jpV4RaogES36Z-RNZrcbRuCySMso-1RRi1SGbxDOgUqPDyOv-I6IYQozPt34HzEJjAACQTkkxMuhyphenhyphencnwzo/s1600/plastic+cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgga1IfBMMIMThSo19_og8znOk30XdskoGd-yAUFSbdpbcRL30GoEtAEt-9F1jpV4RaogES36Z-RNZrcbRuCySMso-1RRi1SGbxDOgUqPDyOv-I6IYQozPt34HzEJjAACQTkkxMuhyphenhyphencnwzo/s1600/plastic+cards.jpg" /></a>In <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/08/the-10-best-shopping-club-cards-in.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a>, we discussed 5 of what I consider to be the best shopping club cards, many of which had their own credit card and covered more than one retailer and one industry. This post will concetrate more on specific store chains which, I believe, give good value for their club cards.<br />
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In the interest of full disclosure, I don't have all of the cards mentioned in either post - some don't have stores near my home, I don't like having too many credit cards and some stores sell wares I don't necessarily need at this point in my life. However, all the cards mentioned are a good deal if you're in the market for their wares. <br />
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As with all information I post, club rules may change from time to time, though I've made every effort to ascertain their accuracy at the time of writing; if you find any of the information is inaccurate, please let me know and I'll change it.<br />
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<b><u>Teva Naot</u></b><strong><u><br /></u></strong><br />
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Internationally renowned, Comfy and durable, though by no means cheap, footwear. I don't think most of you really need an introduction. <br />
<a href="http://www.tevanaot.co.il/images/banner_hatavot2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.tevanaot.co.il/images/banner_hatavot2015.jpg" height="200" width="196" /></a><b><u><br /></u></b>
<u>Cost:</u> Free! (not a physical card, however you'll be listed in their national database). <br />
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<u>Honored at:</u> Teva Naot stores<br />
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<u>What it gives you:</u> 15% off a second pair of shoes (except in outlet stores), NIS 50 for use during the month of your birthday, and 15% on bags, wallets and belts (can be used as a <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/07/double-up.html" target="_blank">double discount</a> as well).<br />
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<u>Credit card?</u> No<br />
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<u>So where do I sign up?</u> at <a href="http://www.tevanaot.co.il/en/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&layout=category&task=category&id=10&Itemid=122" target="_blank">any Teva Naot store</a>. <br />
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However, this being Israel, you may find that some of the employees are rather vague about the rules. At one store, the cashier told me I could only sign up when purchasing a pair of shoes; at another, they didn't know the procedure and had to call another store to learn the process. You might want to print the photo above (click the photo above to open it in full-size, right-click the image and then "Print Picture") and go with it to the store to 'remind' the staff. I've confirmed with the company, however, that the conditions in the photo are still vaild, and they were receptive to my suggestion that as the signup is free, they might want to just let people sign up to their club online. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Onot</u></b><b><u><br /></u></b>
<u>Cost:</u> One-time fee of NIS 49.90 at an Onot store, or via <a href="http://www.onot.co.il/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%93%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%9C%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%97%D7%95%D7%AA" target="_blank">their website</a>, which you get back as a voucher for a purchase the next month.<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u>Honored at:</u> Onot (a plus-size women's clothing retailer)<br />
<br />
<u>What it gives you:</u> 10% of the sum of your purchase is accumulated as points, which can then be used to buy articles of clothing (1 point=NIS 1). A "special present" (usually a voucher) for your birthday.<br />
<br />
<u>Credit card?</u> No<br />
<br />
<u>So where do I sign up?</u> at any Onot store or <a href="http://www.onot.co.il/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%93%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%9C%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%97%D7%95%D7%AA" target="_blank">online</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>S.Wear</u></b><br />
<strong><u></u></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.dizengof-center.co.il/manage-pages/uploaded-files/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.dizengof-center.co.il/manage-pages/uploaded-files/3.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>A clothing retailer present in many of the country's malls. Many sturdy, basic pieces of clothing. Of special interest to us Anglos is that they've also recently started carrying Hanes underwear and socks (for both genders). <br />
<br />
<strong><u></u></strong><br />
<u>Cost:</u> A one-time fee of NIS 78, and 48 hours later you get credit for NIS 38 of it towards any purchase.x<br />
<br />
<u>What it gives you:</u> You get NIS 50 off during the month of your birthday and special deals for members are delivered to you via email or SMS. You also receive 10% of your purchases back as points for future purchases (1 point = NIS 1). Some deals on the clothes are only available to members. <br />
<br />
<u>Credit card?</u> No<br />
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<u>So where do I sign up?</u> At stores nationwide or <a href="http://www.s-wear.co.il/hebrew/Product.aspx?Product=3032&Category=17&SubCategory=352" target="_blank">online</a>.<br />
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<u><b>Sabon</b></u><br />
<strong><u></u></strong><br />
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQzanKPdWhWUUXJTFRqAMd2aM5X4Y8BzHu6V01V-T9Ldtmo_fOp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for sabon" border="0" class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQzanKPdWhWUUXJTFRqAMd2aM5X4Y8BzHu6V01V-T9Ldtmo_fOp" data-sz="f" height="85" jsaction="load:str.tbn" name="xu6Ip6BWQb2uoM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQzanKPdWhWUUXJTFRqAMd2aM5X4Y8BzHu6V01V-T9Ldtmo_fOp" style="height: 94px; margin-top: 0px; width: 219px;" width="200" /></a>You're probably familiar with this bath and body products shop, with branches abroad as well as all over Israel. Great for pampering gifts (for oneself as well as others :) ). <br />
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<u>Cost:</u> NIS 35 for the first two years, however if you make purchases during those two years, you may not have to pay any renewal fee. <br />
<u>What it gives you:</u> Upon joining you get NIS 60 to spend at the chain over the next 2 months (30 the month after joining, and another 30 the month after that). You also receive a birthday gift (not credit - a physical gift which changes every year) + a 15% discount during the month of your birthday. Special deals are only available to members, and each purchase, you accumulate 10% in points towards future purchases (1 point= NIS 1). <br />
<u></u><br />
<u>Credit card?</u> No<br />
<u></u><br />
<u>So where do I sign up?</u> At stores nationwide.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Kiwi Kids</u></strong><strong><u><br /></u></strong><br />
Reasonably-priced clothing for kids and babies. <br />
<u>Cost:</u> NIS 19.90 per year<br />
<u>What it gives you:</u> An NIS 25 voucher to be used over the next 2 months. 10% accumulation of purchases in points. 30% off during the month of each child's birthday, up to 4 children (cannot be used with other discounts). <br />
<u>Credit card?</u> No<br />
<u></u><br />
<u>So where do I sign up?</u> <a href="http://www.kiwi-kids.co.il/%d7%a1%d7%a0%d7%99%d7%a4%d7%99%d7%9d/" target="_blank"> At stores nationwide.</a><br />
<br />
Mind you, it wasn't easy to determine which shopping clubs were the best out of so many. I limited myself to 10, but there are more than a few which probably merit an honorable mention - perhaps in a future post.Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-38604358510567838682015-08-06T21:51:00.000+03:002015-12-22T16:57:50.750+02:00The 10 best Shopping Club Cards in Israel, part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.nrg.co.il/images/archive/300x225/1/361/463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.nrg.co.il/images/archive/300x225/1/361/463.jpg" border="0" src="http://www.nrg.co.il/images/archive/300x225/1/361/463.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.nrg.co.il/images/archive/300x225/1/361/463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>As I've mentioned more than once, many if not most of us have a wallet full of membership cards to a variety of chain stores. There is hardly such a thing as a store with more than one branch that <i>doesn't </i>offer you deals and benefits in return for your loyalty. However, not all of these cards will actually save you money in the long term. In fact, between yearly fees, limited time periods in which to use accumulated bonus points and other rules and regulations tacked on to the card, some might even be an, albeit small, money drain.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Hence, I had to develop some criteria about which membership cards get to grace my already overstuffed wallet:<br />
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<b>Fees</b> - I'm always happy to join a membership club when it costs exactly zero Shekels to do so, even if I rarely shop in the store(s) under their plan. If that's not available, a one-time fee is better than a yearly one - especially if some of that fee is later returned to you in the form of a discount for your next purchase. However, unless you're a heavy shopper at a specific store, I would avoid yearly-fee membership cards like the plague.<br />
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<b>Variety</b> - The larger the variety of stores the card covers, the better. Ditto for a single store with a large variety of merchandise (e.g., a supermarket vs. a dress shop).<br />
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<b>Credit card - </b>This isn't always avoidable, but I prefer not to hold too many credit cards at one time. But if there's an option to have just a membership card as opposed to a credit card, I prefer that.<br />
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How good a card is for you individually will always be dependent upon your shopping habits (what for, and where, you shop) and the availability of stores in your area. Hence your list may well be different than mine, and my list isn't ranked from best to worst or vice versa.<br />
<br />
So now that I've explained my rationale regarding what a good membership card is, here are the cards which made it into my "best" list:<br />
<br />
<u><b>Shufersal</b></u><br />
<br />
<u>Cost:</u> Free - and as I always say, if someone is giving you something for nothing, take it!<br />
<br />
<u>Honored at:</u> Shufersal chain stores, including online<br />
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<u>What it gives you:</u> Special discounts and coupons for members (at the store, online and in the mail); you gain points for every purchase at the ratio of NIS 2 spent=1 point, and receive a voucher for NIS 30 for every 4000 points you've accumulated.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://img.mako.co.il/2012/07/01/SHUPERSAL_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img.mako.co.il/2012/07/01/SHUPERSAL_b.jpg" /></a><u>Credit card?</u> Yes, but not mandatory, underwritten by Leumi Card. Besides giving some extra discounts at the supermarkets beyond that of the regular membership, the card also gives you a discount on gas at Paz stations - for every NIS 150 you spend shopping at Shufersal, you get an NIS 8 discount on gas when you fill up at one of their stations. If you choose to get their <a href="http://www1.shufersal.co.il/Supersol_He/CreditCard/Categories/CeditCardPage/" target="_blank">credit card</a>, you'll be exempt from card fees for a year, but you can probably negotiate to cancel fees for another one or more years (this being Israel, after all). I, personally, have not found the extra discounts on products in the stores or on gas to be attractive enough for me to take out a credit card, but your mileage may vary (literally).<br />
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<u>So where do I sign up?</u> In any Shufersal supermarket, on the phone (1-800-70-40-40), or <a href="http://www1.shufersal.co.il/supersol_he/customerclub/formdetails.htm" target="_blank">online</a>.<br />
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<b><u>LifeStyle</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u>Cost:</u> This is a credit card-only membership, so you're exempt from card fees for the first year. Afterwards, I strongly suggest you re-negotiate to cancel the fees further, as they're fairly steep for a credit card. (I told them they shouldn't bother re-issuing me a new card, due in the next month or so, if they weren't willing to cancel the fees. They complied).<br />
<a href="https://www.isracard.co.il/English/Upload/MediaFiles/000004_s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Lifestyle" border="0" height="130" src="https://www.isracard.co.il/English/Upload/MediaFiles/000004_s.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<u>Honored at:</u> Superpharm, WallaShops, Steimatzky books, Wetheimers, GoActive Gym, McDonalds, Delek gas stations, ISSTA travel agency, Laga'at Ba'Ochel, Kravitz. The <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.com/2015/05/your-shipping-address-abroad-package.html" target="_blank">package forwarding service</a> Mustop has offered some special (and very attractive) deals exclusively for LifeStyle members in the recent past. Of course, you can use it as a regular credit card as well.<br />
<br />
<u>What it gives you:</u> Every month you'll be sent special coupons and deals with your credit card statement, and they are also available at the <a href="http://www.lifestyle.co.il/" target="_blank">website</a> (and in the case of Superpharm, their <a href="http://www.super-pharm.co.il/heb/minisites/mobile/" target="_blank">mobile app</a> as well). At Delek gas stations, you get 21 Agorot per liter off the full-service price.<br />
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<u>Credit card?</u> Yes, for the last several years, underwritten either by Isracard or American Express.<br />
<br />
<u>So where do I sign up?</u> Either at one of the stores or <a href="http://www.lifestyle.co.il/" target="_blank">online</a>.<br />
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<b><u>Dream Card</u></b><br />
<br />
A relatively new shoppers club (started in early 2014) which incorporated the membership cards of several different stores.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>Cost:</u> If you already hold a membership card from one of the participating stores, they'll convert it into a Dream Card free of charge. Otherwise, a one-time payment of NIS 69.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://d1eyo20rndlfxf.cloudfront.net/marina/files/2015/03/hmx716p7g39670o4ud5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://d1eyo20rndlfxf.cloudfront.net/marina/files/2015/03/hmx716p7g39670o4ud5.png" height="168" width="200" /></a><u>Honored at:</u> Fox, Fox Home, Laline, Aerie, Children's Place, American Eagle Outfitters, Billabong, Mango and Charles & Keith.<br />
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<u>What it gives you:</u> NIS 100 for new members (not those who've converted an old card), 10% of each purchase is accumulated as points toward a future purchase, and you get a 30% discount at each of the participating stores during the month of your birthday.<br />
<br />
<u>Credit card?</u> No.<br />
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<u>So where do I sign up?</u> You can either convert an old card or sign up for a new one at one of the participating stores or <a href="https://www.dreamcard.co.il/club" target="_blank">online</a>.<br />
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<b><u>Rami Levy</u></b><br />
<br />
<u>Cost:</u> A credit card with no fees for the first two years. Afterwards a typical credit card fee (which is hopefully negotiable).<br />
<br />
<u>Honored at:</u> Rami Levy supermarket chain, and as a regular credit card anywhere else.<br />
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<u>What it gives you:</u> NIS 135 in coupons for shopping in the supermarket chain upon registration, other exclusive shopping coupons, special deals at a variety of other businesses (see <a href="http://ramilevy.style.co.il/index.php" target="_blank">here</a>), discounts at Sonol gas pumps and convenience stores, and 4% cashback when ordering a vacation through <a href="http://hotel.rami-levy.co.il/" target="_blank">booking.com</a>.<br />
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<u>Credit card?</u> Yes, as of the beginning of this year. Underwritten by Isracard/Mastercard.<br />
<br />
<u>So where do I sign up?</u> At your local Rami Levy supermarket, by phone (*5990), or <a href="https://service.isracard.co.il/isracard/externals?reqName=HanpakatKartisRamiLevy_951" target="_blank">online</a>.<br />
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<b><u>Family Card-CAL</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u>Cost:</u> Credit card , fee-free for the first year, if you purchase at least NIS 800 per month with it.<br />
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<a href="https://www.cal-online.co.il/he-IL/Cal/CostumerClubs/ConsumerClubs/PublishingImages/3706_atar_banner_Static166-250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://www.cal-online.co.il/he-IL/Cal/CostumerClubs/ConsumerClubs/PublishingImages/3706_atar_banner_Static166-250.jpg" /></a><u>Honored at:</u> Yeynot Bitan, Mashbir, New Pharm, Tzomet Sfarim, Weight Watchers, Kishrei Teufa and Shlomo Sixt. And as a regular credit card.<br />
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<u>What it gives you:</u> NIS 70 voucher for purchases at Yeynot Bitan, special coupons and discounts for the YB supermarket chain, 3% cashback for purchases at one of the businesses above.<br />
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<u>Credit card?</u> Yes, underwritten by CAL.<br />
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<u>So where do I sign up?</u> At Yeynot Bitan or <a href="https://www.cal-online.co.il/he-IL/Cal/CostumerClubs/ConsumerClubs/Pages/yinotbitan.aspx" target="_blank">online</a><br />
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*Note: Yeynot Bitan and the other businesses are also covered under the <a href="http://www.ybitan.co.il/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%93%D7%95%D7%9F_Cal365" target="_blank">CAL365</a> credit card. As this gives you only 6 months of fee-free use and a yearly fee (starting in the 2nd year) of NIS 100, even though you initially get a higher-valued voucher for purchases at YB, I find this card to be not as good a deal.<br />
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In <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/08/the-10-best-shopping-club-cards-in_12.html" target="_blank">Part 2</a>, we'll be taking a closer look at some more worthwhile shopping club cards, focusing more on smaller chain stores.Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-70423352211510491392015-07-29T16:24:00.001+03:002015-07-29T16:24:04.058+03:00A gift card with a twist<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrj0L_CYeyK0Dm6YHj_izHFbwM2gV5HevOSnEhv13q3x3yro-lnEabbbsn11P_k0ICCqtWM_8n-A5TiP-bk9lk00EI_UrCPwxe6bA8EcKKgc4iTtGQobBcY2T3-gb1P018YTLIzVvd_Uf/s1600/Nofshonit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrj0L_CYeyK0Dm6YHj_izHFbwM2gV5HevOSnEhv13q3x3yro-lnEabbbsn11P_k0ICCqtWM_8n-A5TiP-bk9lk00EI_UrCPwxe6bA8EcKKgc4iTtGQobBcY2T3-gb1P018YTLIzVvd_Uf/s1600/Nofshonit.jpg" /></a>I was browsing my account at one of my favorite survey sites, the <a href="http://www.midgampanel.com/?ref=94462" target="_blank">Midgam Panel</a>, and was happy to note that in addition to allowing you to cash out on the <a href="http://www.powergift.co.il/" target="_blank">Powergift card</a> when you reach NIS 50 in rewards, you can now receive cash to your Paypal account, and another intriguing possibility - the <a href="https://www.nofshonit.co.il/Voucher/%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%AA-card-%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%98%D7%99%D7%A1-%D7%9E%D7%92%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%99" target="_blank">Nofshonit Card</a>.<br />
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You can't buy these cards unless you're a business, and like the Powergift they're only good for use in specific stores (not the same stores as the Powergift - see <a href="https://www.nofshonit.co.il/Voucher/%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%AA-card-%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%98%D7%99%D7%A1-%D7%9E%D7%92%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%99" target="_blank">here</a> for their list) - but the interesting thing about this specific chargable card, good for 5 years, is that you can spend 115% of the amount of money you upload to it. Namely, if you earn NIS 100 from filling out surveys on the <a href="http://www.midgampanel.com/?ref=94462" target="_blank">Midgam Panel</a> and upload it onto the card, you'll have NIS 115 to spend. Keep in mind that this doesn't include food or discounted items, but still, not bad.<br />
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For general information about making money filling out paid surveys, see <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/making-money-online-survey-sites.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Enjoy!Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-44413627482619719202015-07-22T17:31:00.000+03:002015-07-22T18:45:58.915+03:00Frugal sense (and scents)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboEroVaW1sRU_4TTbClDBTzyUjQYujTvAvCuVjdgvSi72oeHbRTMnlZKcAa-RhhgsLfYH7g0JbsKNyBrwl2bxeosEpvVr-cUTdAl9XLngkDs9Z6mf9JB1mjVFnJQqtMagd_u-Cn_9nojg/s1600/Household_Cleaners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboEroVaW1sRU_4TTbClDBTzyUjQYujTvAvCuVjdgvSi72oeHbRTMnlZKcAa-RhhgsLfYH7g0JbsKNyBrwl2bxeosEpvVr-cUTdAl9XLngkDs9Z6mf9JB1mjVFnJQqtMagd_u-Cn_9nojg/s320/Household_Cleaners.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Frugality is in style these days, especially in the English-speaking world. With a simple Google search, you can find oodles of recipes on a variety of for food staples, cleaning or other household supplies you'd normally buy - soap, washing powder, scented sprays...you name it. I've tried my hand at more than a few of these, and while the experience has undoubtedly enriched my life (not to mention my knowledge base), I've come away somewhat skeptical of the frugality of some of these solutions, both moneywise and in "real life price".<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Many blogs dealing with frugal habits have other, stated or unstated, agendas as well - simple living, anti-chemicals or supposed toxins in commercial products (I confess I fail to understand how sodium bicarbonate, citric acid or acetic acid are somehow <em>not</em> chemicals, even if you call them baking soda, lemon juice or vinegar), or specific diets (vegetarian, vegan, paleo). Which is entirely fine, if following a specific diet or avoiding certain chemicals is your primary goal. Such recipes might well even be cheaper than similar commercial "ecological" products sold in health-food stores and online. I'm just not sure they always measure up in terms of strict dollars-and-cents (or Shekels-and-Agorot) frugalty.<br />
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This is especially true when you compare the Israeli reality to that of, say, the US. Supplies such as milk powder, Borax or rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol are not readily available in stores here. Baking soda is also not always easy to purchase in bulk, which raises the price.You can order these items online (<a href="http://tinyurl.com/oxmk6m3" target="_blank">here's</a> Borax, and <a href="http://tinyurl.com/q6obpod" target="_blank">here's</a> isopropyl alcohol, for example), but then you have to factor in shipping or transportation costs - as opposed to a simple trip to your local drugstore which you'd be doing anyway for other items. <br />
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Don't get me wrong - if you enjoy the DIY aspect of making your own household staples, or are allergic to specific commercial products, that alone makes it worthwhile <em>for you</em> to make your own. I'm not sure that is universally true, however. <br />
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Let's take a common recipe as an example: homemade laundry powder. The typical recipe goes something like this:<br />
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2 cups <a href="http://tinyurl.com/oxmk6m3" target="_blank">Borax</a><br />
2 cups washing soda (which is regular <a href="http://www.school-market.co.il/Product.aspx?pid=3126" target="_blank">baking soda</a>, heated for about an hour in a 200C/400-450F oven on a baking tray or flat Pyrex dish. Stir occasionally. You can get prepared washing soda in the US, but I wouldn't even try here and it's really easy to make)<br />
2 bars of the soap of your choice, grated (American recipes usually call for either Fels Naphtha or Castille soap, but for purposes of frugality, I think we'll stick with 1 bar of <a href="http://market.zap.co.il/productcard.aspx?modelid=13664" target="_blank">Syntabon</a>, which is available just about everywhere here and is about twice as heavy as regular bar soap. The link shows the price for a double bar).<br />
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This will make you about 1kg of laundry powder, as a cup of both Borax and baking soda weigh about 200gr. The cost? If we buy our supplies at the places designated by the links (which were the cheapest I could find) and <u>without</u> factoring in shipping or transportation costs, I get NIS 18.95 (25*0.4+15*0.4+5.90/2). Except that I usually get a 6kg bag of Tide on sale for about NIS 50, or an 8kg bag for NIS 60 - which comes out to NIS 8.33 and NIS 7.50 per kilo, respectively. <br />
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See what I mean? Our "simple, cheap" recipe costs <em>more than twice as much as the commercial version</em>. And remember, we haven't even figured in the shipping costs of the ingredients. Yikes!<br />
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Let's compare this with what I consider a "worthwhile" recipe: the scented sugar scrub recipe I mentioned in <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/07/my-10-favorite-items-to-buy-at-vitacost.html" target="_blank">my post about Vitacost</a>. Given that similar sugar scrubs cost around NIS60-90, let's see how much money making it on our own saves us.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.iherb.com/tr/cb?pcodes=NOW-07661_AUR-91129&rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">Here</a> are the almond oil and essential oil for scenting the scrub - these ingredients in this case bought from <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">iHerb</a> because that site has a convenient "Share your cart" function. The cheapest shipping to Israel for this cart is $3.30. Thus, the combined price of these ingredients comes out to about NIS 60 - and keep in mind that both these ingredients will make much more than one jar of scrub. Add in <a href="http://www.mysupermarket.co.il/%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%91%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%9F/%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%A8_%D7%97%D7%95%D7%9D_%D7%9B%D7%94%D7%94_%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%92%D7%AA_1_%D7%A7%D7%92/%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%A8_%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%9E%D7%AA%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%A8" target="_blank">brown sugar</a>, and for the price of one store-bought scrub, you can make about 4-5 jars of homemade, and still have lots of sugar for baking and essential oil for other projects! Such as homemade room spray:<br />
<br />
300mls. of tap water (negligible price)<br />
50 ml. of 70% alcohol (I bought a 500ml. bottle at Sacara for NIS 15 this week, so NIS 1.50)<br />
10-15 drops of essential oil - which you already have from your previous project. So less than NIS 2 for something that costs NIS 5-20, store-bought.<br />
<br />
Or <a href="http://www.320sycamoreblog.com/2010/03/homeade-granite-cleaner.html" target="_blank">This granite cleaner</a> (which really works, I don't know of a similar commercial product to compare prices to, and you can use 70% ethyl, or regular, alcohol instead of rubbing alcohol in this recipe)...<br />
<br />
So, boys and girls, our take home message for today is: <b>Don't assume it's frugal just because it's on a frugality website. Adapt the recipe to the Israeli reality, do the math, and then decide.</b><br />
<br />
Enjoy!Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-83794236967451749832015-07-17T15:05:00.000+03:002015-07-17T15:07:33.533+03:00Double up!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUWlSliw18btNEejm9aO1_79G_W1hXQn4A5ECbm2YLWi_QiUIj7KlJsv6B13yU3OfOe9dWhV32egXk3CUz_yCAr7iIizbyqop1YBu_rTAwxKEDVdvWEN1puC7cXG7bS2BzxK2tXXolwoP/s1600/double.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUWlSliw18btNEejm9aO1_79G_W1hXQn4A5ECbm2YLWi_QiUIj7KlJsv6B13yU3OfOe9dWhV32egXk3CUz_yCAr7iIizbyqop1YBu_rTAwxKEDVdvWEN1puC7cXG7bS2BzxK2tXXolwoP/s320/double.jpg" width="320" /></a>A while back, our food processor gave up the ghost. It had been with us for nearly 15 years and served our family well, but it was time for a replacement. I'd had a good experience with <a href="http://www.wallashops.co.il/" target="_blank">WallaShops</a> when purchasing appliances, so after a little comparison shopping on <a href="http://www.zap.co.il/" target="_blank">Zap.co.il</a>, and a few brick-and-mortar stores in my city, I headed over there to see if there were any decently priced food processors with the specs I required.<br />
<br />
After finding the appliance of my choice, I then entered the site via the Israeli <a href="http://www.cashback.co.il/?uref=1346" target="_blank">Cashback</a> site I like, which gives you a rebate of 1.5% of your purchase price at WallaShops. Then I redeemed a NIS 50 "birthday gift" to be used at WallaShops from the credit card company (an Isracard <a href="http://www.lifestyle.co.il/" target="_blank">LifeStyle</a>). All in all, I saved over 12% off the purchase price of the item by combining these two discounts.<br />
<a name='more'></a>Another birthday deal (I believe it was a 30% discount for a single purchase during the month of your birthday) was used to purchase a gift for a friend. As there was also a 40% off sale going on in the store at the time, I snagged an item that originally cost NIS 149 for about NIS 63, at a total discount of 58%.<br />
<br />
Like many Israelis, I've never liked the small print that says "אין כפל מבצעים" (No double discounts) which are standard on many deal offers here. The good news is that Israeli store chains have started to take a leaf from the American rulebook, and are slowly relaxing what was once a hard-and-fast rule. Nowadays, unless specifically stated, there's a good chance a store will honor more than one discount on your purchases. If you check out the small print on ads and mail you receive from various shopping clubs you may belong to, you'll be sure to find such opportunities fairly often. <br />
<br />
In fact, one of the easiest ways to achieve a double discount when shopping online is to purchase a <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/how-to-use-groupons-wisely.html" target="_blank">Groupon</a> (the original Groupon site only, but one can hope the others will follow suit) via the Israeli <a href="http://www.cashback.co.il/?uref=1346" target="_blank">Cashback</a> site. You not only get your item or service at the Groupon's discount, you also get a 4% rebate from Groupon to you cashback account. <br />
<br />
While not every occasion lends itself to double discounts, be aware that they do happen, are becoming increasingly common, and be prepared to take advantage of them when they come your way. <br />
<br />
<br />Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-15359696894485172852015-07-12T11:34:00.000+03:002015-07-12T11:54:06.002+03:00Frugality with food (online and offline)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaekn7jgajMLCfjkwMHTtcxIcn3ddjHJOV9FOKJ8LiN5fgeOjZKKa4BQHhvnqmDdttAExE6sc6-5M6TtJ7ng7d5_0i3S2AsxRZ1ofkmWKyuG_xDxfQEpUWhogSb36eGSZ2v_a-De_3tk_F/s1600/fresh-vegatables1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaekn7jgajMLCfjkwMHTtcxIcn3ddjHJOV9FOKJ8LiN5fgeOjZKKa4BQHhvnqmDdttAExE6sc6-5M6TtJ7ng7d5_0i3S2AsxRZ1ofkmWKyuG_xDxfQEpUWhogSb36eGSZ2v_a-De_3tk_F/s320/fresh-vegatables1.jpg" width="320" /></a>My eldest son likes to eat tomatoes the way others eat apples - straight from the refrigerator, in huge bites. Since I also like having the odd tomato around for salads and sandwiches, I usually buy a lot of tomatoes. However, last time I got some, I'd forgotten that Eldest was going to the US for the summer and our family's tomato consumption rate would be dropping drastically. As a result, I found myself with several soft-ish tomatoes which weren't compeltely spoiled, but really wouldn't do for fresh dishes. Then I remembered that there was a discussion on my local email list not long ago about how <i>resek agvaniot </i>(tomato paste) is full of sugar, and thus a potential stumbling block for diabetics and followers of low-carb diets. So I decided to carry out a culinary experiment and see if I could rise to the challenge of making tomato paste with no sugar that would be every bit as good as the store-bought. I think I succeeded, and I promise to share the recipe below.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>See, while it's important to be thrifty while shopping for food - say, by using <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/04/using-shopping-coupons-in-israel.html" target="_blank">coupons</a>, <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/06/saving-while-grocery-shopping-with.html" target="_blank">comparison shopping</a> or by taking advantage of a rebate program such as <a href="https://www.snapin.co.il//?ref_id=17096" target="_blank">Snap.In</a> - it's also important to know how to use any leftovers effectively to reduce spoilage and waste. That said, we're talking about food that's a bit stale or soft, not moldy or seriously rotten food. That should be thrown away (on the compost heap if you have one). I would strongly suggest not using raw fish or meat that's in any way 'off', either. We're talking about food which may be slightly unappetizing to look at or serve, not things which can make you severely ill.<br />
<br />
While some foods are fairly straightforward to salvage: <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Stale bread can be turned into French toast or croutons </li>
<li>Tired-looking celery, carrots, <i>kishuim</i> and cabbage can be boiled and rendered into vegetable soup stock (freeze in ice-cube trays and store for future use)</li>
<li>Over-ripe bananas can be turned into yummy banana bread, or blended into smoothies</li>
<li> Bruised apples can be made into apple crumble or applesauce</li>
<li>Softening summer fruit or berries can similarly be used in a crumble or turned into jam</li>
</ul>
<br />
Sometimes you may have a freezer full of those, or just want a little variety. That's when I turn to the Internet for ideas.<br />
<br />
As much as I like my shelf full of colorful cookbooks, I recognize (with more than a little regret) that the printed cookbook, along with the <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.com/2015/07/getting-fit-for-less.html" target="_blank">exercise video</a>, is yet another item the Internet is, slowly but surely, rendering obsolete. Increasingly, when I'm looking to make a new dish, the Internet is the first place I go to. Back when I had a clunky desktop computer, I used to print out the recipes and keep them in a looseleaf binder. Nowadays, with laptops, tablets and smartphones available, It's a lot easier to just bring the computer into the kitchen with me and search for a recipe while I work. Recipes my family likes, or just those I find intriguing and plan to make some day, are put in my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/saveourshekels/recipes/" target="_blank">Pinterest account</a> for future reference.<br />
<br />
Other than <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, and of course a plain Google search, my favorite places to search for recipes are not necessarily the giants <a href="http://allrecipes.com/" target="_blank">Allrecipes</a> and <a href="http://www.food.com/" target="_blank">Food.com</a> - though they're quite likely to have something I can use, being a visual person, I prefer <a href="http://foodgawker.com/" target="_blank">Foodgawker</a>, which aggregates recipes from thousands of blogs. If you have an exotic ingredient on hand, say some coconut flour you got from <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">iHerb</a> or <a href="http://goo.gl/lGqtxi" target="_blank">Vitacost</a> and have no idea how to use it, you can search and find plenty of recipes containing that ingredient.<br />
<br />
If you have specific ingredients you want to use up, <a href="http://www.supercook.com/" target="_blank">Supercook</a> can help you come up with recipes incorporating those very items. So can <a href="http://www.recipematcher.com/" target="_blank">Recipematcher</a>.<br />
<br />
Need more than a simple written recipe, perhaps to demonstrate a specific technique? There's always <a href="http://www.videojug.com/tag/food-recipes" target="_blank">Videojug</a>, <a href="http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_1199_easy-cooking-tips.html" target="_blank">eHow</a> and, of course, endless cooking channels just a search away at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a>.<br />
<br />
So don't chuck your not-so-fresh food - find a way online to re-use and even improve it, and freeze for later whatever you don't need right now.<br />
<br />
Anyway, here's my meager contribution to the concept- homemade, sugar-free <i>resek agvaniot:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Peel your tomatoes (once they're not taut and fresh, this is very easy to do with your hands after you make a small slit in the tomato's skin) and dice them. Puree with a wand blender in a deep bowl or in a food processor - it'll be much lighter and waterier than tomato paste at this point. Add seasoning - I used a pinch of salt, some garlic powder and freshly ground black pepper - and microwave in a covered Pyrex bowl in 5-minute increments , and then 1-minute ones, until the puree condenses into a paste. Mix well each time you take it out of the microwave to check on it.<br />
<br />
I made about 200gr. of paste from 5 medium-large tomatoes. Given relatively high price of tomatoes and how cheap store-bought <i>resek agvaniot</i> is, I'm not sure that buying tomatoes just for this purpose is a huge money saver (though it might be, if you go to the <i>shuk</i> at the very end of the day and offer to take the not-so-nice tomatoes off the vendors' hands for a much reduced price). It is certainly worthwhile, though, to prevent throwing out completely spoiled produce a couple of days later, or if you want sugar-free, preservative-free tomato paste.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-24270485280495661272015-07-06T20:19:00.001+03:002015-07-08T19:08:12.159+03:00Getting in shape for less<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpBLRiFD1AW_IkvIiJDAYj3UYUtH-yh0lNVbeTy77v9_UDxdCebP8pANDZVi1LB925lERM6w78ChUhDNlxYt1QbZ2n5TZNnFp-612ecNKzapf5fcFWrsD8VkvGaBxlh9eaxdnkw7Gz1kB/s1600/get-fit-and-healthy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpBLRiFD1AW_IkvIiJDAYj3UYUtH-yh0lNVbeTy77v9_UDxdCebP8pANDZVi1LB925lERM6w78ChUhDNlxYt1QbZ2n5TZNnFp-612ecNKzapf5fcFWrsD8VkvGaBxlh9eaxdnkw7Gz1kB/s320/get-fit-and-healthy.jpg" width="320" /></a>We all know that balanced nutrition and regular exercise are the key to living a long, healthy life, but as many of us have concluded over the years, that's far easier said than done. As the burgeoning list of secondhand gym memberships for sale on sites such as <a href="http://www.yad2.co.il/Yad2/Yad2.php?SalesCatID=54&SalesSubCatID=580" target="_blank">Yad2</a> and <a href="http://www.homeless.co.il/yad2/inumber3=357$$inumber4=5181" target="_blank">Homeless</a> attest, many of us make resolutions we find hard to keep later on.<br />
<br />
While nothing will ever replace willpower and perseverance in the struggle for good health, there are several tools online which can make the task both easier and cheaper for you - some even free. One less thing to worry about, in this case money, can do wonders for your resolve!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Mind you, if you're looking for used (and thus cheaper) home exercise equipment such as yoga mats, free weights, or home gym sets, the sites mentioned above are a great place to start looking. So is, occasionally, <a href="http://www.agora.co.il/toGet.asp?searchType=subCategory&dealType=1&iseek=50009" target="_blank">Agora</a>. But if you're committed to working out in a gym after all, the next couple of sites I'll be mentioning will help you to stick to that resolution.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.gym-pact.com/" target="_blank">Pact</a> is an app/website where you commit to exercising in a gym a specific number of times a week and pledge a penalty in case you fail. If you manage to reach your goal for that week, you can earn on the scale of $0.3-5; if you don't, your money will go to those who persevered. I wouldn't count on getting rich from this even if you manage to meet all your weekly exercise goals, but an incentive is always nice to get, right? The app uses GPS to determine if you've actually gone to the gym and works all over the world. You can also make a similar commitment to eat more vegetables or to list your meals online on the <a href="https://www.myfitnesspal.com/" target="_blank">MyFitnessPal</a> website/app.<br />
<br />
If you like working out in a gym, but don't want to commit, you might want to inquire if you can purchase a <a href="http://freefit.co.il/" target="_blank">Freefit</a> card through your place of work or a consumers' group you may belong to (I saw that government employees can get it through <a href="http://test.tov.org.il/theatre_shovar_ProdDesc112045.html" target="_blank">Tov</a>, and engineers and technicians through <a href="http://www.hot.co.il/liat/sale/sale-freefit-may15.htm" target="_blank">Hot</a> if they have its Isracard). You get a charge card with a balance of NIS 400 to use at any gym on their plan, at reduced rates (there's a <a href="http://freefit.co.il/Pages/ClubList/" target="_blank">list</a> on the Freefit website), without having to commit to one particular place. When you go to the gym, you swipe the card to record and pay for your visit. This way you get variety, and it's cheaper as well.<br />
<br />
Even if your preferred choice of exercise doesn't involve going to the gym but rather exercising at home or going outside, you have plenty of options how to keep costs down. In fact, your best resource is entirely free (well, at the cost of an Internet connection, but you have that anyway): Search <a href="https://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> for just about any type of home exercise you can think of, and you'll find a plethora of full-length videos. You could probably never repeat a workout if you chose to. So much for spending out on pricey exercise videos which get old fast!<br />
<br />
If pounding the pavements is your preferred exercise, there's a good chance you've already heard of <a href="http://runkeeper.com/" target="_blank">Runkeeper</a>. This popular app tracks your walks, runs or biking routes, gives you information as to speed,calories burned, and you can also track other sorts of workouts for a full exercise log. While you're moving, you can listen to music provided by the app (it connects with your playlist). It can even suggest new routes with sights to see if you're in another city.<br />
A simpler app I use by proxy (my husband has it on his phone and uses it when we walk in the evenings) is <a href="http://www.mapmywalk.com/app/" target="_blank">MapMyWalk</a>. It gives you your route and speed, which is all we need at our stage of fitness (lousy, thanks for asking ;) ).<br />
<a href="https://www.endomondo.com/" target="_blank">Endomondo</a> is another popular app which tracks your progression through your fitness plan, and helps you with the specifics of workouts, etc. so you can reach your fitness goals. It'll even cheer you while you're exercising.<br />
<br />
We all know that exercise is only one side of the weight loss coin. If your goal is to lose weight, or just learn healthier eating habits, there are several sites which will help you achieve this goal. Research has shown that people who write down everything they eat lose and maintain weight better than those who don't, so whether you're counting calories or carb grams, or just want to be able to track your food intake and exercise energy output, it's worth becoming familiar with a site that helps you figure it out . My personal favorite, which I've used for years (on and off, admittedly more off than on) is <a href="http://www.fitday.com/" target="_blank">Fitday</a>, but I also like <a href="http://sparkpeople.com/" target="_blank">Sparkpeople</a>, with its great articles, success stories, exercise videos and sense of community in its forums. Some of my friends are happy using <a href="https://www.myfitnesspal.com/" target="_blank">MyFitnessPal</a>, which as mentioned earlier, also interfaces with Runkeeper.<br />
<br />
Bottom line: whatever fitness path you choose to take, you can now do it for a lot cheaper. <i>Viva la</i> Internet!Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-46674311808373272472015-07-01T23:13:00.002+03:002015-12-25T12:46:24.296+02:00My 10 favorite items to buy at Vitacost<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWz8HYw3wkmGAJKhA7a5owlsHmxb1VYPiV2_vvuzjMZSy-wIerH1CY41pBYSGy_SZ0bI-SdQcUJqnwl6etQWxUCdUsLo7KmaCiiPhadJ39myGBDMbntcV5e1vuHPkjJ1ZlSHxbq0P_VDYe/s1600/IMG_20150701_214501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWz8HYw3wkmGAJKhA7a5owlsHmxb1VYPiV2_vvuzjMZSy-wIerH1CY41pBYSGy_SZ0bI-SdQcUJqnwl6etQWxUCdUsLo7KmaCiiPhadJ39myGBDMbntcV5e1vuHPkjJ1ZlSHxbq0P_VDYe/s320/IMG_20150701_214501.jpg" width="320" /></a>Though <a href="http://goo.gl/lGqtxi" target="_blank">Vitacost</a> is known primarily as a large online retailer of supplements and 'natural' products, my first encounter with the store back in 2010-ish had nothing to do with ingestibles. I was actually searching for a pedometer, after trying out a couple of poor-quality ones I bought locally, both of which conked out after less than a week of use. As I had no desire to shell out another NIS 150+ for an item I saw cost far less abroad (e.g., sold by US vendors on eBay but with exorbitant shipping costs), I headed over to <a href="https://www.google.com/shopping" target="_blank">Google Shopping</a> to see if I could find an online store that not only had a high-quality pedometer, but also wouldn't gouge me on shipping costs. In the end, I bought <a href="http://amzn.to/1JwfCkZ" target="_blank">this pedometer</a>, but for a lot less, and shipping at the time was only $7.99. Naturally, having finally found a rare website with what I considered fair shipping prices intrigued me, I returned to see what else they had to offer.<br />
<br />
The rest,as they say, is history.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>[In case you were wondering, the pedometer is excellent and though it needs the occasional battery change, still works perfectly after 5 years. Unfortunately, it is no longer sold at Vitacost, though they do have <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/sportline-345-calorie-step-and-distance-pedometer" target="_blank">another one</a> for sale.]<br />
<br />
While prices for packages up to 1.63Kg are now a flat-rate $10.99, and certain international shipping restrictions have been put in place since I first started shopping there (some items need to be bought in multiples of 2,3, or 4, and not all items will be sent abroad), I keep on shopping at this online store because of the large selection, the reasonable prices (sometimes the identical item at <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">iHerb</a> will be more expensive and count as heavier, so it's worth comparing identical 'baskets' at both sites), and the superior quality. The BOGO and 12% off your order deals don't hurt, either.<br />
<br />
Some tips and tricks to shopping at Vitacost:<br />
<ul>
<li>For your first shopping experience there, you can sign up to the site through <a href="http://goo.gl/lGqtxi" target="_blank">my link</a>, which will give you a $10 discount off a purchase of $30 or more, essentially almost cancelling out the shipping costs. The coupon code you'll receive expires after 30 days, however, so if you're just browsing, I recommend you don't sign up just yet.</li>
<li>For subsequent shopping trips, try filling up your cart without checking out. A couple of days later, Vitacost may gently encourage you to bite the bullet by offering you a 10% off coupon. </li>
<li>Don't forget <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/saving-money-online-for-shopaholics.html" target="_blank">cashback</a> (though not for for your first purchase). <a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=BDKTufSy8Xn7Fu9Yjl83Yw%3D%3D&eeid=26471" target="_blank">Ebates</a> only has 4% cashback, but will often overlook other discount codes you use. <a href="http://www.mrrebates.com/?refid=890023" target="_blank">Mr. Rebates</a> and <a href="http://www.befrugal.com/cashback/?ref=ONXTUFD" target="_blank">BeFrugal</a> have higher cashback rates (6% and 8.5% respectively), but are stricter about you using only coupon codes existent on their sites. The <a href="http://www.cashback.co.il/?uref=1346" target="_blank">Israeli cashback</a> (read more about it <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/theyve-arrived-israeli-cashback-sites.html" target="_blank">here</a>) will give you back 4%. </li>
</ul>
As always, all foodstuffs I recommend are kosher, though not necessarily O-U. If you don't recognize a Kashrut insignia, you can check it out <a href="http://www.kosherquest.org/symbols.php" target="_blank">here</a> .<br />
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Let's start out with a short and simple recipe for a sugar scrub that's great to use in the bath or shower. I bought a similar one at Sabon or Body Shop, I think with a <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/how-to-use-groupons-wisely.html" target="_blank">groupon</a>, and while I enjoyed it very much, I figured that I could make my own for far less. So I ordered some <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-glonaturals-essentials-collection-sweet-almond-oil-16-fl-oz-473-ml" target="_blank">sweet almond oil</a> and <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-100-pure-sweet-orange-oil-1-fl-oz-30-ml-5" target="_blank">fragrant essential oil</a> from Vitacost. After they arrived, I got out a clean, dry wide-mouthed glass jar about the size of the body scrub I'd bought, filled it about 3/4 of the way with demerara sugar (bought locally at the supermarket, of course. I have my limits!), and then poured the almond oil until the sugar was fully saturated+1cm above. Then I added a few drops of essential oil - about 5 drops, not too much or the smell would be overpowering - mixed the whole thing up with a plastic spoon, and placed it in the bathroom. <i>Voila</i>, sugar scrub at the fraction of the price!<br />
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This <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/nubian-heritage-bar-soap-african-black-5-oz-2" target="_blank">Nubian Heritage Black Bar Soap</a> is a lot of fun to use. It has a nice fragrance, is delicate enough for both facial and body use, and it's really cool to watch this black soap produce white foam.<br />
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Anyone miss bacon bits? (vegetarian ones, obviously.) While <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/frontier-natural-products-organic-bac-uns-vegetarian-bits" target="_blank">these</a> aren't quite as good as Betty Crocker's Bac-Os, they're still quite bacon-ey, and missing the red food coloring to boot. Definitely worth a try in your scrambled eggs!<br />
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After a few times we ran out of both regular and UHT (<i>Amid</i>) milk when the stores weren't open, I decided to order some <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/bobs-red-mill-milk-powder-non-fat-dry-22-oz" target="_blank">Nonfat milk powder</a>, which is notoriously hard to get in Israel. This is obviously not an option if you keep <i>Chalav Yisrael</i>, but it works well for our family. <br />
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I actually first bought <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/arm-hammer-advance-white-extreme-whitening-baking-soda-and-peroxide-toothpaste-mint-6-oz" target="_blank">Arm & Hammer Advance White toothpaste</a> on my last trip to the USA. It was on sale and I figured it was worth a try. And was it ever! I love the whitening effect this toothpaste has, and was delighted to find they sold it at one of my favorite stores. <span id="goog_1516101965"> </span><br />
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Another item I was introduced to on a previous trip to the US was shelled hempseed, which has a nutty flavor, is full of omega-3 fatty acids and great sprinkled on yogurt or salad. Also great is the slightly naughty feeling I get when eating them because, you know, <i>hemp</i>. I've since sampled several brands, and the <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-certified-organic-hemp-seed-shelled-raw-13-oz-368-g-6" target="_blank">Vitacost brand</a> is, in my opinion, both the tastiest and gives you the most bang for your buck.<br />
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I really like the flavor and texture of these <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/eos-lip-balm-smooth-sphere-strawberry-sorbet-0-25-oz" target="_blank">EOS lip balms</a>. Vitacost has the cheapest per-item price that I've seen for these balms, outside of Chinese knockoffs, which I, personally, would be very reluctant to use on my lips. The downside is that you have to buy at least 2 at a time, and they have to be the same flavor. They make great gifts for females of all ages, though. <br />
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This <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/simply-organic-get-crackin-grinder-3-oz-3" target="_blank">Simply Organic</a> pepper grinder is a great value for your money, as at 85 grams, you get more than twice as much as similar pepper grinders found here in Israel, at about 1.5 times the price (even less when on sale). You can unscrew the cap and refill with peppercorns you bought in your local <i>shuk</i> for even better value. I know lots of fans of the Simply Organic spice brand; I've also bought their chili powder and it's very good. <br />
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When the dietician suggested my husband drink pomegranate juice for its antioxidants, after buying locally for prices of 15-20 NIS/liter, I tried <a href="http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-100-pure-pomegranate-juice-concentrate-16-fl-oz-1" target="_blank">Vitacost's pomegranate concentrate</a> . Not only is it tasty, but you can easily make 4 liters from a single 16oz. bottle of concentrate, which (when figuring in shipping costs) puts it on the low end of the price range for fresh-squeezed juice here. Also, the concentrate keeps for far longer if you keep it in the refrigerator once you open it.<br />
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I could probably recommend many more Vitacost products, but this post is quite long enough and I'll let you discover other favorites on your own. Don't forget to get and use your <a href="http://goo.gl/lGqtxi" target="_blank">$10 off coupon</a> for your first purchase!Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-82719283532867468652015-06-24T19:31:00.002+03:002015-06-25T07:08:21.168+03:00The 1 important rule about using vouchers and membership cards<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4CHm3226b0zzTB_xWHVsn0dIFOV1yZa-PCZTo_tdOUcpXnYSYO0LzAUs0W_ag4hTbPe0DXWzh5eoGhhYaDSR0gA2rVbxQOZG4SWKLWwW4-h9nqWYY7ArXIrfUz2XYqlwynRYHR6ZNtqw/s1600/membercards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4CHm3226b0zzTB_xWHVsn0dIFOV1yZa-PCZTo_tdOUcpXnYSYO0LzAUs0W_ag4hTbPe0DXWzh5eoGhhYaDSR0gA2rVbxQOZG4SWKLWwW4-h9nqWYY7ArXIrfUz2XYqlwynRYHR6ZNtqw/s320/membercards.jpg" width="320" /></a>I've already discussed how to make the most of your <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/whats-best-use-for-vouchers-tavim.html" target="_blank">vouchers (tavim)</a> , either the ones you get at work or those you receive filling out <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/making-money-online-survey-sites.html" target="_blank">surveys</a>. Chances are, you also have one or more membership cards for a variety of chain stores. <br />
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Have you ever left a store after shopping and paying full price, only to remember you have vouchers or discount cards you could have used...but now it's too late, or you left the cards in your other purse/desk drawer/wherever? I know I have, way too many times. <br />
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<a name='more'></a>See, the most important rule about vouchers and benefit cards is...you need to remember to <i>use them</i>!<br />
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While the app that whispers "Psssst..." in your ear when you approach the cash register has yet to be invented, here are a couple of apps which can help you use those membership cards and vouchers. <br />
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But first, a word about membership cards: many stores offer them, but are they worth it? My guidelines about when to acquire a membership card are as follows:<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>When it's being offered free of charge. </b>If someone's giving me a <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/04/the-price-is-right-freebies.html" target="_blank">freebie</a>, no strings attached, I take it. It doesn't <i>require</i> me to shop in that store, but at least I have the option if the deals offered are attractive enough. Credit cards with no monthly fee also come under this category, though I'm not a fan of accumulating many credit cards as a general rule. </li>
<li><b>When there's no yearly renewal fee.</b> If I need to pay a specific amount per year for the "privilege", the card is usually not worth my while. </li>
<li><b>When you're able to recoup the cost of the card in savings when making your first one, maximum two, purchases. </b>If you need to shop multiple times to cover the membership fee, that means so many shopping trips you're obligated to make at that particular store. Unless you're 100% sure you'll actually want to shop there that many times, pass on the offer.</li>
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Now, about those apps I was talking about earlier:<br />
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<a href="http://payz.co.il/" target="_blank">Payz</a> (the link is to the app's website, which contains app downloads for both iPhone and Android) is an app in which you enter any and all credit cards, membership cards and <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/whats-best-use-for-vouchers-tavim.html" target="_blank">vouchers</a> you possess. Then, you can look up local businesses and see which of them can be used at a given business, and under what conditions. This can assist you in your decision where to shop.<br />
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/il/app/remember-krtysy-mw-dwn/id512883088?mt=8" target="_blank">Re-member</a> is an iPhone-only app (unfortunately, as it looks to this Android user to be really cool). You input all your membership cards, and instead of producing the card at the cash register, cashiers can scan the card directly from your phone. This lightens your wallet considerably, as you don't have to stuff your wallet with all the physical cards. <br />
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<a href="http://cardsapp.com/Download" target="_blank">Cardsapp</a> is a US-based app (the other two being homegrown) which works on the same principle as Re-member, but as it only contains very few Israeli businesses, and not the most popular ones either, at this stage, I would think that its usefulness is limited for most Israelis. But it's probably worth a trial download just to see if you, personally, can benefit from it.<br />
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Happy Shopping!<br />
<br />Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-32193076335306220892015-06-19T10:55:00.000+03:002015-06-19T16:49:00.705+03:00Snapping for $$ - photography apps which can make you money<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXReeMXkeAPJp62utcBpt2vgxUxW2nZX2ywz5wLCGIdrzwyLoxEnZlri48KFYFNf8Mvs27ZfAnqdl8Do8HPogoN9WYc7RDJD0bjVR69ybXl3LC6LuTFJYfAFhjLHIK26jVcORS9fE782M/s1600/flash-clipart-entertainment-digital-camera-still-hi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXReeMXkeAPJp62utcBpt2vgxUxW2nZX2ywz5wLCGIdrzwyLoxEnZlri48KFYFNf8Mvs27ZfAnqdl8Do8HPogoN9WYc7RDJD0bjVR69ybXl3LC6LuTFJYfAFhjLHIK26jVcORS9fE782M/s200/flash-clipart-entertainment-digital-camera-still-hi.png" width="200" /></a><br />
Do you like snapping photos with your smartphone as you go about your daily activities? Believe it or not, you can make money from this hobby of yours.<br />
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There are several apps available where you can upload photos taken with your smartphone's camera. Advertisers from all over the world are constantly looking for good-quality, genuine photos not necessarily posed or taken by professionals, and these apps are the perfect venue to connect between them and amateur photographers around the world. While this probably won't make you lots of money, it's a great incentive to hone your photography hobby while making a little something on the side out of it.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Typically, you can make money with these apps in one of three ways:<br />
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1) After you've downloaded the app onto your smartphone, you can upload photos from your phone to the app's platform, and add hashtags to it so it can be searched by its topic. There is often also a social media aspect to this, in that you can rate or like other people's pictures, or follow other photographers' work. If an advertiser finds your photo and finds it suits his or her purposes, they'll pay royalties for its use, with you and the site splitting the proceeds according to a predetermined amount. Usually the pay is a few dollars per photo. However, you can sell each photo multiple times if there is a demand for it. <br />
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2) Advertisers will publish "tasks" or "missions" at the site on a particular topic, which you can join for a chance to win larger amounts of money (sometimes hundreds of dollars). <br />
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3) The site selling the photos to individuals or companies will embed ads inside your photos, and when people click on the photo with the ad, this generates revenue, some of which is shared with you. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQifd-XUBkgd2Ga2PzRF3HtERDcSSRvR390YQ5-ApI5X9ANpW4Y-8L5_p8XDQBniru2UBq9Z8j0NZG4NJIc0C101TlJkGGiYEcEVp_FXGmAcJhfLXUGqutQ30raHvCnO3L7LMKd4REVhA4/s1600/Screenshot_2015-05-12-09-46-47.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQifd-XUBkgd2Ga2PzRF3HtERDcSSRvR390YQ5-ApI5X9ANpW4Y-8L5_p8XDQBniru2UBq9Z8j0NZG4NJIc0C101TlJkGGiYEcEVp_FXGmAcJhfLXUGqutQ30raHvCnO3L7LMKd4REVhA4/s200/Screenshot_2015-05-12-09-46-47.png" width="111" /></a>The most user-friendly app of this type I've found is <b>Foap</b> (<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.foap.android" target="_blank">Android</a>/<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/foap-sell-your-photos/id521142420" target="_blank">iPhone</a>). The site charges $10 per photo from advertisers and will pass on $5 to you. New missions on a variety of subjects, with rewards starting at $100, are constantly posted. You'll be asked to review and score other people's uploaded photos, and
your photo will at the same time undergo a "community review" by other
users. If the photo is deemed of sufficient quality by the community, it
will join your online portfolio (hint: Since the community review is
entirely subjective and depends on the tastes of the particular other
users uploading photos at the time, if you think your photo is good but
it didn't pass muster the first time, try re-submitting it). Each photo is rated by the community on a scale of 1 to 5, with a rating of 2.6 required to make the cut to be published. Interestingly, while many of the photos that sell are highly rated (4.5+), there are quite a few in the 3-4 range that advertisers have bought as well. So you don't necessarily have to have a superior quality smartphone camera or professional photography skills to sell, but a good eye and unique subjects can definitely help, along with a decent helping of luck. A very similar app (American rather than European) is <b>Snapwire </b>(<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=re.snapwi.android&hl=en" target="_blank">Android</a>/<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snapwire-sell-your-authentic/id725106358?mt=8" target="_blank">iPhone</a>).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjRbxStg4TWBQmyxl6SQLYkFfdzLT-rJPi00jZ1h-Qls2c0iH9KvWqo7qYzRG2K4Lg2q3kXlOxZtrO93aRVXdSx0Ah1fF87PzeNi8GMc5fn8d0HUS2hMGwwln2hCbniMMbM3bgnjVMJdo/s1600/Screenshot_2015-06-05-18-11-25.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjRbxStg4TWBQmyxl6SQLYkFfdzLT-rJPi00jZ1h-Qls2c0iH9KvWqo7qYzRG2K4Lg2q3kXlOxZtrO93aRVXdSx0Ah1fF87PzeNi8GMc5fn8d0HUS2hMGwwln2hCbniMMbM3bgnjVMJdo/s200/Screenshot_2015-06-05-18-11-25.png" width="112" /></a><br />
<b>Clashot </b>(<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.depositphotos.clashot" target="_blank">Android</a>/<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/clashot/id572266787" target="_blank">iPhone</a>) is also a photo-selling app, but you only make on the order of $0.44 per photo (according to their <a href="http://clashot.com/p/faq.html" target="_blank">website</a>) and can withdraw your earnings to Paypal once you reach $50. This could be worth it if you participate in their offers (like a task or mission). They also ask you for a photo ID for some reason, which doesn't seem to be a requirement with other apps and I can't figure out why they would care.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEt8lxej5c4QY0cJxDOijzpBQDdEpl6YkmSJJs7_2d42qnCCFQaBMabODmd-Kti9FY0aAsiC3kPw5LK_W_mn5QaiPL79YKn6g9K7L47IPgEhfCk8DPgjPsLb7h2Er3YjanWmmxP_a5s7CU/s1600/Screenshot_2015-06-19-10-04-32.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEt8lxej5c4QY0cJxDOijzpBQDdEpl6YkmSJJs7_2d42qnCCFQaBMabODmd-Kti9FY0aAsiC3kPw5LK_W_mn5QaiPL79YKn6g9K7L47IPgEhfCk8DPgjPsLb7h2Er3YjanWmmxP_a5s7CU/s200/Screenshot_2015-06-19-10-04-32.png" width="112" /></a><b>Scoopshot </b>(<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scoopshot.mobiapp&hl=en" target="_blank">Android</a>/<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scoopshot/id417797386?mt=8" target="_blank">iPhone</a>) has many short challenges (as in, 1 or 2 days) and tasks that pay differing amounts of money (the one's I've seen are $10-€50). Winners are posted daily and paid promptly, and you can cash out via bank transfer or Paypal. You can also post videos on your profile. You can even earn money at Scoopshot also by people merely viewing your photos and clicking on embedded advertising links the stock photo site puts in them. The Scoopshot site has a very good <a href="https://www.scoopshot.com/marketing/faq/" target="_blank">FAQ</a>, which also covers some general legal aspects to posting photographs/videos online. <br />
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Even if you don't get rich from this (and most likely, you won't), as I said earlier, this is a great way to develop a hobby on the cheap, enhance your mind's eye, get recognition from other photographers all over the world...<i>and</i> make a bit on the side, perhaps.<br />
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Enjoy! <br />
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Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-70919783476729577162015-06-10T22:56:00.001+03:002015-06-11T07:46:48.082+03:00Selling your stuff online, without shipping it overseas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjXlIi2IL9uy2JsjNgv0TTtVh2dSRgPRKwvX9ZTb90f3hJsmCUlvbtB0BN_dYvlFTSAH8uiL-ZL-tPglfy-1nYEKvbeqQ8osdIVMOjp9EhPVqZYF2a7gRQKnBA-C-P7csPEnJSdFPAFZN/s1600/2ndhand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjXlIi2IL9uy2JsjNgv0TTtVh2dSRgPRKwvX9ZTb90f3hJsmCUlvbtB0BN_dYvlFTSAH8uiL-ZL-tPglfy-1nYEKvbeqQ8osdIVMOjp9EhPVqZYF2a7gRQKnBA-C-P7csPEnJSdFPAFZN/s320/2ndhand.jpg" width="320" /></a>If you're like the average Anglo-Israeli, you probably have plenty of stuff hanging around your house that you don't really need and takes up space in your closet or shed. Stuff that other people might enjoy and use.<br />
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Of course, you always have the option of donating your stuff to charity, giving it away (e.g., via <a href="http://agora.co.il/" target="_blank">Agora</a> or <a href="https://www.freecycle.org/browse/IL/Israel" target="_blank">Freecycle</a>) or selling it on eBay, but this isn't always the best solution for heavy, fragile or very expensive items. Try sending, say, a large crystal vase abroad, and you'll end up either with a huge shipping bill because of the weight of the padding, or a broken vase and one very dissatisfied customer. Your best bet is probably to attempt to sell it to someone nearby, preferably someone who'll pick it up from your house or an agreed-upon meeting place.<br />
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To this end, you have several options online. You can also help others get rid of their unwanted stuff , and help the planet as a bonus, by buying secondhand and helping others recycle <i>their</i> unwanted goods.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>If your Hebrew is passable, to the extent you can handle a phone conversation comfortably, you'll get the largest exposure by posting your stuff for sale on <a href="http://www.yad2.co.il/Yad2/Yad2.php" target="_blank">Yad2</a> or <a href="http://www.winwin.co.il/SecondHand/SecondHandPage.aspx" target="_blank">WinWin</a>. Posting a regular ad is free, but it costs (not too much) to feature an ad for even more exposure - and in the case of WinWin, you can also get an ad in the print version of Ynet. If your Hebrew isn't that great, you can always post your wares at<a href="http://www.janglo.net/component/option,com_adsmanager/page,show_category/catid,91/order,0/expand,-1/Itemid,355/" target="_blank"> Janglo</a> and be confident you'll be selling to a fellow Anglo, or at least a fluent English speaker. <br />
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<a href="https://shpock.com/en/" target="_blank">Shpock</a> (with a Sh, not Captain Kirk's sidekick) is an app where you can sell and buy goods from private people located close to you. There are free download versions both for iPhone and Android, and the items for sale are listed in order of proximity to your location. You can also search for specific items you're interested in.<br />
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<a href="https://www.levmarket.co.il/" target="_blank">Levmarket</a> and <a href="https://market.mamazone.co.il/market/instances/mamazone/app.html?#!marketMain" target="_blank">Mamazone Market</a> are two barter-type sites which work on a similar platform and use virtual hearts as their currency, Levmarket using purple hearts and Mamazone Market using red. You can exchange purple hearts for red as you wish for use at the relevant site. Some of the more expensive items and services have a price combined of both hearts and Shekels. Both sites have an English version.<br />
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List your items in the relevant category, name your price and wait for messages from interested buyers to come in. The hearts you earn from selling your stuff can be used to get items you're interested in that others have posted. I've noticed that because actual money doesn't change hands, the psychological barrier that normally comes with spending real money is much reduced, and good stuff goes quickly.<br />
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<a href="http://bigso.co.il/" target="_blank">Bigso</a> is an online local marketplace much like eBay - there are real retailers as well as just plain people who want to sell their extras. There is a 5% cashback when buying from this site from <a href="http://www.cashback.co.il/?uref=1346" target="_blank">Cashback.co.il</a> (for more about this site, see <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/theyve-arrived-israeli-cashback-sites.html" target="_blank">this post of mine</a>) that doesn't take away from your profits. Posting stuff for sale is free. The site is entirely in Hebrew.<br />
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Happy selling and buying!Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-76124940285832457062015-06-03T14:30:00.000+03:002016-01-24T08:12:25.350+02:00Saving while grocery shopping with smartphone apps <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2P-yInyIxbT0DYDV5GhdGPxdaKjN6bY1g9Ibdp7bAXTRAUXaRnvTA1ql5wriwD7XwJj3xBSFkycK32JQ2OJVRufviXsd8WFpz2lK49__qBHHKtKEWZrIUKqNOsuz55bFdqtR2zDoUdG3w/s1600/shoppingcart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2P-yInyIxbT0DYDV5GhdGPxdaKjN6bY1g9Ibdp7bAXTRAUXaRnvTA1ql5wriwD7XwJj3xBSFkycK32JQ2OJVRufviXsd8WFpz2lK49__qBHHKtKEWZrIUKqNOsuz55bFdqtR2zDoUdG3w/s320/shoppingcart.jpg" width="211" /></a>As a grocery shopper for almost all of my adult life, I've long since found out that here in Israel, at least (and I suspect everywhere), there is no such thing as one store with the lowest prices on everything. Some people get around this by shopping in several supermarkets every week, getting only the lower-priced products at each store. As I have neither the time nor the inclination for that, I keep a mental list of which stores tend to have lower prices on which type of groceries, and depending on the contents of my shopping list for the week, the <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/04/using-shopping-coupons-in-israel.html" target="_blank">coupons</a> I have on hand and the sales advertised on <a href="http://israflyer.com/" target="_blank">Israflyer</a>, I choose where I'll be shopping that week. But though old habits die hard (at least for me), there is a better and easier way to shop cheaply in the 21st century.<br />
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Not long ago, I introduced you to <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/saving-at-pump-with-your-smartphone.html" target="_blank">an app</a> that enabled you to determine which gas station in your immediate vicinity was cheapest, even before you get into your car. Wouldn't it be nice if there was an app or a website that did the same, only for the supermarkets in your area? <br />
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As luck, or rather technology, would have it, there are several. While all help you out with your comparison shopping, each comes at the task from a slightly different angle, so you might want to try them all before settling on one or the other. As with <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/saving-at-pump-with-your-smartphone.html" target="_blank">Fulltank</a>, the information is 'crowdsourced' - prices at different supermarkets is relayed as close to real-time as possible by the site's/app's users. All apps mentioned are entirely free to download.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWF8KzNCMot9ml2X5itulpFrOvctz-CMPIfQh37pLoYFouimJLke0_cC-maSO07gvwWfiyshfNmdDh6uovsu9x25e42qFsOaCMes-uZPhy8omjDViOH5hKaHRGuFNPpMOncOje0w2QSG8/s1600/Screenshot_2015-05-05-19-29-19.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWF8KzNCMot9ml2X5itulpFrOvctz-CMPIfQh37pLoYFouimJLke0_cC-maSO07gvwWfiyshfNmdDh6uovsu9x25e42qFsOaCMes-uZPhy8omjDViOH5hKaHRGuFNPpMOncOje0w2QSG8/s320/Screenshot_2015-05-05-19-29-19.png" width="180" /></a><a href="http://www.pricez.co.il/" target="_blank">Pricez</a> is probably the most comprehensive of all the sites I know of this type. You can also download their app (for iPhone or Android) on the site's homepage - the links are in the upper left corner. You can input your own shopping list either by typing it in freestyle (in Hebrew), scanning or typing in the barcode number of the products, or searching for your desired groceries on the site and adding them to the list. Once you have your list, the site can calculate at which supermarket you'll pay the least.<br />
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An especially cool feature is that if a certain item has a <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/04/using-shopping-coupons-in-israel.html" target="_blank">coupon</a>, the lower left corner of the item will be colored red with the letter "ק" inside. Clicking on the red corner will bring you to the relevant coupon, either to print out (from the site) or to present on your smartphone (in the case of the app).<br />
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<a href="http://www.pricez.co.il/" target="_blank">Pricez</a> also keeps track of price trends on the items at the site, so it's easy to see when an item really is or isn't discounted. You can also set up price alerts, so that when, say, the price of chicken drops below NIS 10/Kilo, you'll know where to shop.<br />
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All in all, it's a really useful tool. However, as there are so many functions to this site, there's a certain learning curve involved. It seems the creators of the site/app understand this, as they've helpfully provided a series of <a href="http://www.pricez.co.il/Video" target="_blank">short videos</a> to help you find your way around. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXn1Rufrprob6L-TUwxbM797JhgiPPSdwZMWMdzIUnUEut5PtWxa9WNueJbLzrhJ7RE_J7JcEI1A6xUXWa6KHv24MmcmRq9df7TsAf1sIlBU1LnqdpzsroPMA7cgcpqxr2cCHt99hJ6jUq/s1600/Screenshot_2015-05-05-20-12-40.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXn1Rufrprob6L-TUwxbM797JhgiPPSdwZMWMdzIUnUEut5PtWxa9WNueJbLzrhJ7RE_J7JcEI1A6xUXWa6KHv24MmcmRq9df7TsAf1sIlBU1LnqdpzsroPMA7cgcpqxr2cCHt99hJ6jUq/s320/Screenshot_2015-05-05-20-12-40.png" width="180" /></a>Another, simpler grocery shopping app (and the one I probably use the most) is <a href="http://www.zollo.co.il/" target="_blank">Zollo</a>. This app helps you determine which supermarket in your area is cheapest for the items on your personal shopping list. You can also scan your shopping receipt into the app, and a few hours later will get a comparison of prices, both in the aggregate and per item, of your grocery list at several different supermarkets in the immediate vicinity. The app will also tell you how much you'd save per year by shopping at the cheapest store. By doing this, you're also contributing input regarding prices at the supermarket you shopped at and helping the Zollo user community as a whole. <br />
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Currently, the fully functional app (where you can compare prices before going shopping) is only available for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/il/app/zollo-zwlw-hsww-t-mhyrym-lqnywt/id582359178?mt=8&ls=1" target="_blank">iPhone</a> users; the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=il.co.zollo.api" target="_blank">Android</a> app is still under development and currently, only enables you to compare prices after the fact. As an Android user, I nevertheless enjoy this app very much, as it's simple and intuitive to use. I'll be very happy when the Android app's functionality is similar to the iPhone's, however. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPiXHRxMRMWCAxK50Bey4DynRJHx1Rg_MKa0osdhUaFVk1e7vTVjAfFOKkT_NyD3yxfRdbBcUchXGrgBnk-BcYG3GoS9C-QFMAoglIQtsuSjsSZh-Fl8OZXd_qTIvrxZSeqgJIGRyaeUS/s1600/Screenshot_2016-01-24-08-09-35.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPiXHRxMRMWCAxK50Bey4DynRJHx1Rg_MKa0osdhUaFVk1e7vTVjAfFOKkT_NyD3yxfRdbBcUchXGrgBnk-BcYG3GoS9C-QFMAoglIQtsuSjsSZh-Fl8OZXd_qTIvrxZSeqgJIGRyaeUS/s320/Screenshot_2016-01-24-08-09-35.png" width="180" /></a>Yet another price comparison website and app ( <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/il/app/mysupermarket-lqnwt-hkm-bswprmrqt/id807028895?ls=1&mt=8" target="_blank">iPhone</a>, and more recently, also for <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mysupermarket.il&hl=en" target="_blank">Android</a>) is <a href="http://www.mysupermarket.co.il/" target="_blank">My Supermarket</a>. <br />
This program is geared mainly towards people who do their shopping online. You can start shopping at any one of five online providers (Shufersal, Mega, Yeynot Bitan,Victory or Rami Levy), pick out your groceries on the site/app, and the program will automatically compare the price of your basket between the online merchants available in your area. You can switch from one online supermarket to the other with a simple click, and then send your order to the merchant of your choice. <br />
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Happy (and cheap) Shopping!Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-79368950087549484332015-05-31T14:35:00.002+03:002016-10-31T19:23:56.224+02:00My 10 favorite items to buy at iHerb<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhua9fRXgtMP-TDdnMlRv3eARe75en6-huUAAimHNCyZnVXLigM5XV_nrh8XzE88XC-m9Bn7DoyUTenOK1cGVEI_EITXmbdicuWmuk1MzJpDCz0ja1rWzRwL76z1oyKLEphChfXT3WJO-H4/s1600/2014-01-01+08.15.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhua9fRXgtMP-TDdnMlRv3eARe75en6-huUAAimHNCyZnVXLigM5XV_nrh8XzE88XC-m9Bn7DoyUTenOK1cGVEI_EITXmbdicuWmuk1MzJpDCz0ja1rWzRwL76z1oyKLEphChfXT3WJO-H4/s320/2014-01-01+08.15.28.jpg" width="320" /></a>I'm sure many of you are already familiar with <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">iHerb</a>, a large, California-based online retailer selling mainly nutritional supplements and foods, and also "natural" cosmetics and toiletries. If not, you can read more about it in <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/cheaper-than-your-local-drugstore.html" target="_blank">my post</a> discussing how to buy cosmetics and toiletries online for less. iHerb's large variety of quality products, their reasonable prices (both of the items and on shipping), and their great customer service have made me a repeat customer of theirs.<br />
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While obviously, my favorite items may not be your cup of tea, I'd like to show you some of the products I've sampled from the store and find myself repeatedly ordering because they're just <u>that</u> good. If there are others you'd want to recommend, feel free to do so in the comments. <br />
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<a name='more'></a>As I mentioned a <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/05/theyve-arrived-israeli-cashback-sites.html" target="_blank">couple of posts ago</a>, there is now cashback for iHerb via <a href="http://www.cashback.co.il/?uref=1346" target="_blank">Cashback.co.il</a>
- 4% for new customers and 1.5% for returning customers. For new
customers, you can also get a 5$ discount for your first purchase up to
$40, or a $10 discount when purchasing over $40, by entering the site to
sign up through <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">this link</a> or by typing <span style="color: red;">DDH472</span> in the area where you put the coupon code when checking out. <br />
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<b>A note about Kashrut:</b>
All foodstuffs mentioned in this post are kosher without exception,
though not all are O-U. You can identify the kashrut symbols by checking
<a href="http://www.kosherquest.org/symbols.php" target="_blank">this list</a>.
Keep in mind that not all the kosher foods are listed under the "Kosher"
link at iHerb; you can zoom in on any product front and back and see if a
symbol is present.<br />
<br />
So here are my personal top 10 at <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">iHerb</a>:<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://www.iherb.com/celestial-seasonings?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Celestial Seasonings herbal tea</a> - while these are available in Israel in natural food stores for about the same price or slightly higher, the selection available online is far greater. I have yet to see my personal favorite, <a href="http://www.iherb.com/celestial-seasonings-herbal-tea-black-cherry-berry-caffeine-free-20-tea-bags-1-6-oz-44-g/39563?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Black Cherry Berry</a>, in any store here. Yummy, healthy, caffeine-free teas that even my kids like. If you can't decide which to pick, try their <a href="http://www.iherb.com/celestial-seasonings-herbal-tea-sampler-caffeine-free-5-flavors-18-tea-bags-1-0-oz-30-g/62951?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">herbal tea sampler</a>. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.iherb.com/acure-organics-cell-stimulating-facial-mask-1-75-oz-50-ml/40499?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Acure Organics Cell Stimulating Face Mask</a> - How can anyone resist a mask whose application instructions start with:"Apply evenly over the face until you look like a green sea-monster"? Seriously, though, it leaves your face feeling clean and smooth, and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. I can't vouch for the cell-stimulating properties, but it doesn't seem to be doing my cells any harm, certainly. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.iherb.com/acure-organics-brightening-facial-scrub-4-fl-oz-118-ml/36379?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Acure Organics Brightening Facial Scrub</a> - an exfoliating companion for the mask above. Can be used 2-3 times a week, but I recommend using it less for very sensitive skin. Also leaves your face feeling clean and fresh without aggravating your skin. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.iherb.com/search?sug=mrs%20dash&kw=mrs%20dash&rank=1#p=1&rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Mrs. Dash Herb blends</a> - I was introduced to these herb blends on a trip to the US several years ago and fell in love with the amazing flavors. Until I found they were available at <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">iHerb</a>, I would stock up on them on our rare trips to the old country, or ask relatives to bring them for me when they came to visit. I'm so glad I can now order them when I want to! My staples are the <a href="http://www.iherb.com/mrs-dash-original-seasoning-blend-2-5-oz-71-g/49588?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Original Seasoning Blend</a> (the "secret ingredient" in my household-famous chicken soup), <a href="http://www.iherb.com/mrs-dash-garlic-herb-seasoning-blend-2-5-oz-71-g/50521?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Garlic & Herb</a>, and <a href="http://www.iherb.com/mrs-dash-table-blend-seasoning-2-5-oz-71-g/49590?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Table Blend</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.iherb.com/life-flo-health-retinol-a-1-advanced-revitalization-cream-1-7-oz-50-ml/29793?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Life-Flo Health Retinol a 1% Adanced Revitalization Cream</a> - Probably my most earth-shattering discovery ever at iHerb. I can't begin to tell you how much this cream did my skin good. Acne, small wrinkles, hyperpigmentation - all have been improved since I started using this cream regularly at night. However, some important caveats: Pregnant women should not use this cream, as it contains a derivative of Vitamin A which can cause birth defects. Also, it's recommended you start using it sparingly, only 1-2 evenings a week as a night cream, to get used to the retinol. Too much exposure and it can cause redness and irritation. Also, it's imperative to go out in the sun well-covered in sunscreen with at least 30SPF when using this cream. Some dermatologists recommend using it only in the winter, but I use it year-round while taking precautions with no ill-effects. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.iherb.com/frontier-natural-products-certified-organic-powdered-spinach-16-oz-453-g/55824?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Spinach powder</a> - makes a great addition to green smoothies and quick spinach kugels and Quiches, or other baking uses. I've never seen anything like this here in Israel, and 1lb. goes a long way.</li>
<li><a href="http://il.iherb.com/Physician-s-Formula-Inc-Concealer-101-Perfect-Concealer-Duo-Green-Light-0-26-oz-7-4-g/39496?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Physician's Formula Concealer Duo</a> - Great for both light coverage of slight imperfections, and the green concealer hides the more obvious red spots beforehand. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.iherb.com/walden-farms-creamy-bacon-dressing-6-packets-1-oz-each/44593?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Walden Farms Creamy Bacon Dressing Packets</a> - It's creamy. It's bacon-flavored (or so they tell me, never having tasted bacon). It has no sugar, carbs or calories, but it *does* have an O-U hechsher. What's to complain about? </li>
<li><a href="http://www.iherb.com/earth-science-deep-conditioning-masque-for-hair-olive-avocado-6-oz-170-g/16737?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Earth Science, Deep Conditioning Masque for Hair, Olive & Avocado</a> - Ever wanted to star in a Pantene shampoo commercial? Use this stuff and you may qualify. Leaves my hair smooth and silky, every time. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.iherb.com/nutiva-organic-coconut-manna-15-oz-425-g/24380?rcode=ddh472" target="_blank">Nutiva Coconut Manna</a> - for the coconut lover, in one word, YUM. I think you're supposed to use this in cooking, but it was gone straight from the jar before we ever got to find out. Another jar is on its way. </li>
</ol>
Let me know your finds at <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">iHerb</a>; there are thousands of products I've yet to sample and would probably love to.<br />
<br />
Happy Shopping!<br />
<br />Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-41751704783645588152015-05-28T20:08:00.000+03:002015-06-02T21:25:26.833+03:00Your shipping address abroad: Package forwarding services<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUis3LsS_PsIdzmJq2FZN7ahSv48ovNAzkMH2zIU2hoxcCdrAV0NXpAShomGb2zzRVnZzwPbWROsohCu9Hu27RaXgL-DrC_-sa31bTavjqOOlpuHl72FwkbetFdeBG_r4n4T7cU_rGgyz/s1600/parcel_globe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUis3LsS_PsIdzmJq2FZN7ahSv48ovNAzkMH2zIU2hoxcCdrAV0NXpAShomGb2zzRVnZzwPbWROsohCu9Hu27RaXgL-DrC_-sa31bTavjqOOlpuHl72FwkbetFdeBG_r4n4T7cU_rGgyz/s320/parcel_globe.jpg" width="320" /></a>If you're one of those people whose mother comes to visit from the US twice a year, bringing with her all the packages you've had sent to her house from American online retailers - you can skip this post. This one's for all the rest of us with no 'private shipping service' as described above. <br />
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As you probably well know, shipping items from the USA can be an expensive endeavor. Not only because the USPS's rates are fairly high to begin with, but also (as described in <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/04/buying-clothing-and-shoes-online-for.html" target="_blank">this post</a>), I'm guessing because of the high demand for American goods, sellers take freedoms with extra shipping charges from their international customers they never would with their local ones. And those "free shipping on orders over $49"? For us international customers, they're as rare as hens' teeth (though not entirely nonexistent - check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/saveourshekels" target="_blank">my Facebook page</a>). Then there are the retailers who just won't ship abroad, no matter what. The UK is closer and shipping costs are not that expensive, and there are also free shipping options where they don't jack up the price of the items to cover shipping, but there are still British retailers who won't sell to Israel. <br />
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That's how the various package forwarding services came to be.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The deal is that you sign up (for free, usually) at the forwarding site and you get a virtual address in the US, UK or whatever country you're shipping from. Then, when you shop at a retail store,instead of your own address, you input the address the forwarding site has given you instead of your own Israeli one. Once the package arrives a the forwarding company's office, they weigh and measure the package and check out the invoice as to the parcel's value, and then tell you how much they're charging to send it to your house, often by courier, including any taxes, insurance or other fees. After you pay, they will send you your package, often directly to your house via courier.<br />
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As a rule, I try my best to avoid shipping companies. Their rates are often not much better than the retailers themselves, and the package going through a third party just adds another level of complication. However, if you have your heart set on the occasional amazing deal from a site that either has expensive shipping or none at all to Israel (e.g., eBay sellers who only ship in their country, or Zappos, Walmart or the Apple store), it may be worth it. Also, many of these companies offer personal shopping for those stores which only accept locally-issued credit cards or Paypal accounts, consolidating two or more packages, returning unwanted merchandise, and dealing with Israeli taxes and tariffs. Again, depending on what you buy, this may be worth it for you.<br />
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Some important guidelines for shopping through package forwarders:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Always, <u>always</u></b><u> </u><b>check out the site's shipping calculator before ordering your package from the store. </b>You definitely don't want to be hit with a huge shipping bill by surprise. All of these types of sites have one where you input the item's estimated value, weight<span id="goog_735425536"></span><span id="goog_735425537"></span> and dimensions, and preferred shipping method (e.g., airmail or freight). Do your homework and see if it's really worth it before you buy. Weigh and measure items similar to those you're buying in similar packaging (for example, clothes will usually be in a nylon envelope, shoes in a cardboard box) to get an idea of what you'll be paying.</li>
<li><b>Prefer free shipping within the country, and don't forget coupons and <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/saving-money-online-for-shopaholics.html" target="_blank">cashback</a>. </b>Compare the different cashback sites and check out <a href="http://www.retailmenot.com/" target="_blank">retailmenot</a>.</li>
<li><b>Package forwarding companies have deals on shipping rates occasionally - take advantage of these if you can. </b>Some will knock off a certain amount or percentage of the shipping price to attract customers or induce you to buy at certain times or specific retailers, others offer flat-rate shipping costs on specific items. See what's best for you. </li>
</ul>
There are dozens of different forwarding companies. I have tried only a couple, but if you have positive or negative experiences with any of the ones listed, please let me know (by comment, mail or Facebook).<br />
<br />
One of the most popular package forwarding sites here in Israel is <a href="http://usa.buy2.co.il/Buy2USA/Shopping" target="_blank">Buy2USA</a> . Besides very good customer service, there are a couple of distinct advantages to using this site. First, you can calculate exactly the <a href="http://usa.buy2.co.il/Buy2USA/HowMuch?amazoncalculator=1#amazonCalc" target="_blank">shipping on any item from Amazon</a> by copying and pasting the link into their calculator, forgoing the need to measure and weigh a similar item yourself. Second, some items have flat shipping rates - for example, a pair of shoes always costs $20 to send (excluding VAT or other taxes, if eligible). <br />
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Another Israeli-based package forwarder from the USA is <a href="http://mustop.co.il/" target="_blank">Mustop</a> . They often have reduced shipping rates when shopping at certain sites. I found their customer service to be excellent as well. <br />
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If you're shipping a very light item (under 1-2lbs.), your best bet is using the American <a href="https://www.shipito.com/" target="_blank">Shipito</a>. They offer shipping via USPS Economy Mail, which is the cheapest method.<br />
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I've never used package forwarding services from the UK or Australia, so if you choose to use these, please tell me about your experience: <br />
<br />
UK: <a href="http://www.ukpostbox.com/" target="_blank">UK Postbox</a>, <a href="http://www.ukaddress.com/" target="_blank">UK Address</a>, <a href="http://www.parcelflow.co.uk/" target="_blank">Parcelflow</a><br />
Australia: <a href="http://www.sosmail.com.au/" target="_blank">SOS Mail</a><br />
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<br />
<br />
Happy Shopping!<br />
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<br />Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150957056453448264.post-44824506641600767802015-05-22T18:35:00.003+03:002017-08-05T23:59:52.489+03:00They've arrived! Israeli cashback sites<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jT1ok96JO1mi-rBSYC619wERAcwG5cokwa-OA9Ifyi2eLZHAKJUvAXhE_gkWCb8qWr3tSv05InEkhT4J8BQy07JDmByhzzStJelZdbG_jM3nEqa76xDpYlg6KqqO7MlC43JwdfyqIEW1/s1600/cashback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jT1ok96JO1mi-rBSYC619wERAcwG5cokwa-OA9Ifyi2eLZHAKJUvAXhE_gkWCb8qWr3tSv05InEkhT4J8BQy07JDmByhzzStJelZdbG_jM3nEqa76xDpYlg6KqqO7MlC43JwdfyqIEW1/s320/cashback.jpg" width="320" /></a> 3% cashback for flying El Al? 4% for your purchases through <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/how-to-use-groupons-wisely.html" target="_blank">Groupon</a>?<br />
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You just knew this was going to happen eventually, didn't you?<br />
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So far, I've mentioned American and British-based <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/saving-money-online-for-shopaholics.html" target="_blank">cashback</a> websites and how they can save you money on your online purchases abroad (and if you're unfamiliar with the idea of cashback, I highly recommend you go <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/saving-money-online-for-shopaholics.html" target="_blank">read the post about it</a> before reading this one). It was only a matter of time before some enterprising Israelis decided to import the concept here.<br />
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Thus was born <a href="http://www.cashback.co.il/?uref=1346" target="_blank">Cashback.co.il</a> .<br />
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The site is fairly new - only a couple of months - but they've already managed to attract the attention of some heavy-duty internet shoppers I know, who've already cashed out on their purchases.They've also been written up in Ynet (According to their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cashbackim/photos/a.1565073593780155.1073741830.1548727858748062/1587919928162188/?type=1&theater" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> ) on May 19th, 2015.<br />
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<a href="http://www.cashback.co.il/?uref=1346" target="_blank">Cashback.co.il</a> has snagged some attractive cashback deals not only with major Israeli retailers and providers of services such as El Al, Issta, <a href="https://www.booking.com/s/22_8/saveou32" target="_blank">Booking.com</a>, WallaShops, Golf Kids & Baby and Mega BaInternet, but also several international favorites - JDate (NIS 30 cashback), and 5% cashback for purchases at Next, Asos and StrawberryNet, among others (If you don't know what these online shops are, see my series on buying <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/03/cheaper-than-your-local-drugstore.html" target="_blank">cosmetics and toiletries</a>, as well as how to buy <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.co.il/2015/04/buying-clothing-and-shoes-online-for.html" target="_blank">clothing and shoes for less</a> online). Unlike the US and British cashbacks, they even have a decent percentage of cashback for <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">iHerb</a>* and <a href="http://saveourshekels.blogspot.com/2015/05/being-your-own-importer-shopping-at.html" target="_blank">several Chinese websites</a> .<br />
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<a href="http://www.cashback.co.il/?uref=1346" target="_blank">Cashback.co.il</a> gives you an NIS 10 reward just for signing up, and you can cash out your earnings to your bank account or your Paypal account once you reach NIS 100. <br />
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I only mentioned one Israeli cashback website so far. So why, you may ask, do I speak of 'sites' in the plural? <br />
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The reason for this is that there's another Israeli cashback website called <a href="http://cashbackil.co.il/signup.php?ref=SOSblog" target="_blank">CashbackIL</a> . However, I have much less input and information about the veracity of this site and am in the process of researching this, so I can't recommend it to you as of yet. However, you're welcome to check the site out yourself, sign up and help me check whether this site is to be recommended as well (keep in mind they can't access any of your private money; the worst thing that can happen is that you won't get your cashback). <br />
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Happy Shopping!<br />
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*4% for new customers in their 1st year, 1.5% for returning customers
registered at <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=DDH472" target="_blank">iHerb</a> over a year, for new products. You need to email the
cashback website the order number to receive cashback.<br />
<br />Save Our Shekelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18339858891984135683noreply@blogger.com0