Advertisers have made an art out of making something seem like it is a great deal, especially when it is not.  There are tons of phony bargains out there waiting for you to spend your hard earned money on them, but being able to identify them for what they are will make you much less likely to fall for the tricks.  Here are some false bargains that you can definitely do without.

Frequent Flyer Reward Credit Cards

When these credit cards first hit the market, they were the latest thing and their popularity skyrocketed to where nearly everyone who flew periodically had some type of frequent flyer reward credit card.  Now that the novelty has worn off, many people are seeing that these credit cards are not such a great thing after all.  In the intervening years, the benefits have shrunk, the number of seats available has decreased, booking fees are imposed for most flights, and the number of miles needed to redeem a reward has increased dramatically.  A better choice would be a reward credit card that offers cash back on your purchases so you can choose what to purchase with that money.

Interest Bearing Checking Accounts

A checking account that earns interest for the account holder sounds like a great deal – until the terms and conditions of the account are read.  Most interest bearing checking accounts offer a very small interest rate, often less than 0.25%, but require high minimum balances to avoid monthly maintenance fees on the account.  For example, the average minimum balance for these checking accounts is $3,400, an amount that will earn less than $5 in annual interest, but dropping below this amount could cost you $25 per month in maintenance fees for the account.  You are much better off opening a free checking account that does not pay interest and has a much lower minimum balance requirement.

Going Out Of Business Sales

Many people go to “going out of business” sales expecting to actually see fire-sale prices, but this is often not the case.  In order to make as much money as possible, many closing stores advertise sale prices that are not much different from the prices you would have paid before the liquidation started.  Price shopping competitors will quickly show you that there is not much difference in the price and you may be better off buying the item from a competitor that will be around long enough to handle any issues that arise with your order.

Coming up with more ways to save money on everyday living expenses helps give you an edge and keeps you from overspending. Here are a few more tips that can help you do just that

Promo codes

How many times have you been shopping online and notice a box when you check out that is labeled “promo code?” Do you feel left out? Would you like to take advantage of it? Now there are websites that research these and supply you with the promotional codes. The savings can be significant:   up to 50% off or free shipping, etc.

You can find these at www.retailmenot.com and www.couponchief.com. These provide codes for major retailers including around 20,000 stores and online retailers. You can also find codes at www.currentcodes.com as well as www.freeshipping.org.

Finally, other sites that are worth a look include: www.couponcabin.com, www.savings.com, www.couponwinner.com, www.promotionalcodes.com, www.webcouponcodes.com and www.shoppersresource.com.

The only issue you should be aware of is that most of these sites require you to register and that means more email into your inbox which provide more coupons and deals. While this is a great concept, it can become overwhelming. So, try to stick with one or two sites at first. Then if you find that you do not like or use a site, be sure to close your account and unsubscribe from their email system.

Automobile repair

It has been well documented that repairs on vehicles are high because more people are keeping their cars in order to save money. While the miles are racking up so do the potential repair bills. How can you protect yourself from becoming a victim of the auto repair industry scam artists?

There is a website to help with this problem: www.repairpal.com. This site is based on the premise that information is a good thing when it comes to comparing quotes for repairs. In this manner, they offer free, down-to-earth quotes which are based upon repair prices at thousands of shops across the country along with analysis of invoices.

But it goes beyond that service by offering a listing of local mechanics for quotes on repairs and maintenance in your local area. The information is also tailored to the make and model of your vehicle. When you register for a free account you can store all of your vehicle repair records while signing up for email alerts on service reminders, safety issues and recalls.

Customer loyalty cards

Many merchants offer customer loyalty cards which provide you with discounts in exchange for shopping at their stores. This is not a new concept but is apparently picking up momentum as the economy struggles along and consumers look for the best buys in an effort to curb their spending.

In exchange for the use of the card, you will find discounts at local grocery stores, future discounts or coupons in the mail based upon your shopping habits, or even rewards for repeat shopping by offering “buy 10 and get the next one free” promotions.

The amount of money you can save will vary, but when you use these cards, you can make a nice dent in your regular spending.

Soon it will be vacation time across America. And while current economic conditions are forcing many to scale back on vacation plans, there are some ways that you can use your credit cards to help you save on vacation activities.

This assumes that you have less than 50% available on your balances. This is a must in order to be able to prevent from going over your limit and incurring charges because of it.

Obtain a cash rewards credit card. This is essential because with one of these cards you can earn cash-back on regular purchases. If you are a regular traveler for business, then a travel related rewards card would be most appropriate. The idea here is to get the maximum amount of cash back from your use of your card during the time you will be gone. Getting this money back is like having your vacation pay you money back on the things that you purchase.

Do some homework. Before you leave on your trip, investigate the location to which you will be going and find restaurants and other places that you will be patronizing. Look each place up on the Internet in order to find coupons and discounts that are offered which will help you lower your costs for the vacation. If you do not find any, pick up the phone and call those locations and ask about discounts and coupons. Keep in mind that some of these locations may only place things like this in the local newspapers. Find out if they do and where you can obtain them since you live outside of that area. Make sure that they know that you are coming to the area to spend money with them and are looking for ways to keep your costs in check.

Ask for better prices. This one you have to be careful with because you do not want to make sales clerks and merchants angry. However, saving money means being wise when it comes to the prices you pay. Many people leave their ‘money sense’ at home when they go on vacation and pay too much for items that they would immediately reject at home. You need to take your common sense with you, and if you have to, refuse to make some purchases if the costs are too high. Instead, find less expensive items that will help give you that sentimental feeling about your vacation, but not leave you broke at the end.

Take some things with you. Avoid making purchases when on the road for things that you can easily get before you leave. Like snack items and drinks. Truck stops and convenience stores make the majority of their profit on these items, not the fuel that you buy. Make a list before you leave and take what you can fit in your vehicle. Or, if you are travelling by air or other mass transportation system, do not make these purchases in large quantities where you will pay a premium. Wait until you arrive at your destination and then find a more economical solution.

Cut out non-essential things. If an activity is too expensive, then make the decision not to make it a part of your plans. This can be difficult if the vacation is a once-in-a-lifetime type that you never intend to take again. Look for something else to do that will still be memorable, but not carry the high cost.

These tips along with paying for things on your cash-back rewards card can help you have a less expensive vacation while maintaining a fun and entertaining time for everyone. The reason for going to begin with is to get away and be with your family. If you go with that mindset, you will have a good time while spending less money.