I used to sell extended warranties on electronics.  I was very good at it.  Years of experience has taught me a few things about them.

The odds are always stacked in favour of the house.  This is a massive profit driving force for stores and they want to keep it that way.  Don’t say no immediately though as it can often be to your benefit to pick up the extended warranty.  They do their homework and you should do yours too.

When a sales person presents you with a warranty they will lay it all out; they take a long time to present and there is a lot of detail.  They have to because, technically, they are selling you nothing.  Imagine trying to get someone to buy something they don’t get to take home.   At its most basic level it sounds like a raw deal.  I would advise you give the representative a chance to run over the details so you can see if there are attractive elements to the plan.  In my history there have been a few biggies to look for in a good warranty.

Over and above “Manufacturer’s Defects “:  If a plan covers more than manufacturer’s defects this opens the door for interpretation and can give you more leeway in negotiating what is covered and what isn’t.  Hammer the sales person on this and you should get some answers as to what incidental coverage might be included, like dropping, temperature issues or misuse (see: kids).

Exchange Warranties:  With smaller products that have expensive and compacted parts being able to bring it into the shop and replace it with comparable value is a huge convenience.  This should be considered on products like cameras or computer components and upgrades.

Technical Support:  Some plans include technical support that will help you diagnose a problem over the phone.  Most manufacturers won’t even talk to you after the first year without a credit card.  Keep this in mind for computers and related technology.  With the average diagnosis from a computer shop costing $70 per hour you can get a fair bit of value here.

Before going to buy your new shiny thing make sure you come prepared with the knowledge of the manufacturer’s warranty and any extended options they have as well because this could be fine enough coverage on their own or better than what the sales person is presenting.

If you do get the warranty, take advantage of any free preventative maintenance included in an extended plan.  Often this means they will check your equipment, clean it and make small adjustments to improve performance for free.  It will extend the life of the product and keep you happy with your purchase over the long haul.

Finally, make sure you take a look at repair histories for products.  The Internet is your friend here and you should certainly Google “your product + issues” before you lay down any money on a warranty.  Knowing your product will tell you what a good value warranty is, if any.  There are tons of resources for this sort of thing on the Internet, including Smart Canucks.

I am not saying take the warranty.  Once upon a time I cared if you did.  I’m saying knowledge is the key and if you are excited about buying something this is just one more GOOD reason to spend a few hours browsing about it on the web.

And who doesn’t love to do that?

With the release of Loreal’s newest hair care collection, Hair Expertise, a few weeks ago, WebSaver.Ca has released a few new coupons for us to order. The 4 coupons above are the newest, and other goodies such as these are still available:

* $3 off any Youth Code product
* $2 off any Skincare product
* $2 off any Haircolour product
* $2 off any Haircare or Styling product
* $2 off any Cosmetics product

I’m very excited to try the Hair Expertise line, as Loreal haircare products have never disappointed me. Their Pro Vive and Studio lines are excellent.

Click here to order your coupons.

*Offer valid Saturday, February 26th only. Excludes prescription purchases, Shoppers Optimum Bonus Points®, Shoppers Optimum® MasterCard® points, products that contain codeine, tobacco products (where applicable), lottery tickets, passport photos, stamps, transit tickets and passes, event tickets, gift cards, prepaid phone cards, prepaid card products and Shoppers Home Health Care locations. Gift card cannot be redeemed for cash or credit, and is valid on your next purchase of $20 or more. Gift cards are subject to terms and conditions on the back of the card. One Shoppers Drug Mart Gift card per transaction per customer. See Gift card for expiry date. While quantities last.

A couple of important things to note here: If you opt for the $20 gift card, you can’t apply it to that transaction, as it’s valid on your NEXT PURCHASE of $20 or more. Also the gift card has an expiry date and we don’t know when that is. You’ll most likely have to spend $50 after coupons, as the cashier has to actually hand you the gift card, and I’m guessing they won’t if your after coupon total falls below $50, despite the fact that coupons are a form of payment and the store will get reimbursed by the manufacturer.

Judging by the popularity of the last Modcloth.com sale, I hope this sale will delight you all even more!  They are a great website of indie designers offering limited pieces of vintage inspired clothing and design items.

Click here to check out the Cabin Fever Sale

What about this adorable little dress marked down to $24.99?

Or if that’s too girly, what about something more classic like this dress marked down to $34.99?

Get on there! Check it out! Their selection is incredible.

Metro Ontario has a coupon on their Facebook page for 20 bonus Air Miles rewards miles when you spend at least $40 in a single transaction at Metro. This coupon is valid until March 10th 2011. You must “like” Metro Ontario on Facebook to access the coupon.

Click here to go print your coupon

Cake Beauty is offering 30% off their Strawberry Shortcake Collection for a limited time. Use promo code “STRAWBERRY” at the checkout.

Honestly? I don’t even care what it is … but I want it. Just based on the photo and the fact that it’s ridiculously adorable and I love stuff that reminds me of being a little girl 🙂

Click here to start shopping

Thanks annedougherty

Penningtons and Addition Elle are hosting a “Buy More Save More” sale from February 23 – 27  in their online stores.  Any purchase of $75 or more will be receive a discount with the appropriate coupon code… but be sure to enter the correct one or you might receive the wrong discount! The codes are:Click here to start shopping

For a limited time ARDENE stores are offering many of their purses for 2 for $20 and that’s a pretty sweet deal! An adorable bag can make or break a simple outfit and for $10 each you really can’t go wrong.

I love the lavender bag with the roses 🙂

Happy shopping ladies.

Thanks couponlady

Hey Facebook users … Milestones is offering a great little deal to all their Facebook fans… Buy 3 Entrées, get one FREE! This is a printable coupon and is valid until March 31st. The regular conditions apply such as 4 guests required, lowest value entrée is free, no kids meals, etc.

Click here to “Like” Milestones

Thanks Lotus!!

Hey Mommies….

Great news!

Until March 15th, GAP Factory Stores are offering up to 50% off ALL Baby and Toddler items up to size 5.

This is a pretty exciting sale, because lets face it, if you have used Baby Gap items you know they are going to last you through multiple children and countless washes. So stock up while it’s cheap!

Thanks for the heads up Couponlady!

(Or maybe I should ask whether or not you would wear a knock-off of this style as Kim Kardashian’s particular studded trench by Burberry Prorsum will set you back a mere $4,495USD from their S/S2011 collection!)

Studs and spikes have been seen all over the runways for the last few seasons, and now, they’re being bedazzled on the sleeves of the iconic trench.  Talk about extreme fashion!

Personally, aside from the whole $5k for a coat and whether or not the spikes will rust, I have enough issues with the trench on its own:

1.  Why does it seem to only come in a shade of beige which completely washes me out?  Tip: To avoid the washed out look, wear a trench in a colour that is darker than your skin tone.

2.  Who looks good in anything double-breasted??!!  (I’m shocked that Kim manages to pull it off as she isn’t exactly part of the itty-bitty…you get my drift!)

So mass clothing producers like H&M, Gap, Banana Republic, Zara, etc. take some notes!  Make trenches in colours other than wash-out-beige, think jewel tones like olive green, navy, burgundy, etc.  If wash-out-beige is the only fabric available then would you at least consider using darker coloured buttons and epaulets to make the trench more chic?

Aside from the right colour, good tailoring is key to a good trench!  And this doesn’t necessarily mean being double-breasted.  In fact, double-breasted in general, makes people look wider.  Unless of course the buttons taper to a V-pattern, towards the waist, which makes the middle appear slimmer.

April Showers are right around the corner, so consider the search for my dream trench…on!

So back to the title of this post, if money isn’t an object, would you rock the studded, spiked trench coat?

I stumbled upon a few links to get free advance screening passes to see Drive Angry in 3D today, Feb 23rd. These are only available in 4 cities so hopefully some of you can take advantage of this!

Halifax-Bayers Lake Theatre Doors open at 6pm Movie starts at 7pm Click HERE to print off your double pass PIN: DRIVEFB

Winnipeg-SilverCity Polo Park Doors open at 6pm Movie starts at 7pm Click HERE to print your pass PIN: DRIVEFB

Ottawa– SilverCity Gloucester Doors open at 6pm Movie starts at 7pm Click HERE to print your pass PIN: DRIVEFB

London– Western Film Doors open at 6pm Movie starts at 7pm Click HERE to print your pass PIN: WESTERNFILM

From now until March 6th 2011 you can get a personalized tote bag (these are GREAT for grocery shopping)  for $7.99 including shipping! You can personalize your tote with pretty much any picture you want. These also make perfect gifts, they are very thoughtful, unique and easy on your budget.  There is also the option of purchasing a  twin sided tote for $9.99 with shipping included. Use the coupon code FEB11TOTES at checkout to get this deal. They currently have another coupon code for 25% off your order, these two offers cannot be combined.

Click here to start personalizing a tote bag

Rickis Canada is having a final clearance sale on quite a bit of their winter styles.  Take 50% off the lowest marked price.  I found lots of items for just a few bucks, but unfortunately sizing is starting to become quite limited.  The sale is running in-store as well so you might fair better in-store.  If you decide to shop online they also are offering $10 off $40 by entering the code “SAVE10SPRING” at checkout.  Shipping will run you just under $10, so if you use the coupon code it will cover your shipping costs.

Click here to find a Rickis location near you or to shop online.