If you want to brighten up a woman’s day, flowers are always a good bet. They’re beautiful, fragrant, and can almost always put a smile on a lady’s face. They also make great “get well soon” gifts, and can really improve the well-being of someone who isn’t feeling their best. Need to say “I’m sorry”, “I love you”, or simply want to let someone know that you’re thinking about them? Why not drop by your local florist and pick up a bouquet or two. Additionally, flowers are great for decorating the home. People who want to accentuate a room can do so with a floral touch here and there.

Unfortunately, most flowers don’t come cheap. Not to worry though; if you’re on a budget, getting great deals on flowers may require a little research and some leg work, but it certainly isn’t impossible. Check out our tips below:

Timing’s Everything

When it comes to buying flowers, WHEN you buy them matters a lot. Expect prices to spike during Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and other holidays. According to Oprah.com, when buying flowers, you can avoid the holiday rush if you just order them at least a week beforehand, and have them delivered two or three days before to escape the high markup. (Just be sure to hydrate the flowers and keep them in a cool place to preserve their freshness). Additionally, “During non-holiday weeks, shop on Tuesdays, often the slowest sales day of the week. Also be sure to ask the florist to make a bouquet using whatever flowers are in season. As with produce, you’ll get the best deal on what’s growing now and it will also be the best quality.”

Buy Wholesale

If there is a wholesale marketplace in your area, then be sure to check it out for good deals on flowers. In Los Angeles for instance, there’s a place called the flower district where you can get flowers of all kinds at incredibly low rates. However, when buying flowers wholesale, you may not be able to find someone to arrange them. Don’t think of this as a burden though, consider it as a chance to exercise your creativity! Research on great flower arrangements, and do your own bouquet. A retail florist’s labor rates can exponentially increase the cost of floral arrangements, so picking them out and arranging them yourself can save you a ton of money.

Costco

Speaking of wholesale, you may get a good bargain for flowers if you’re a member of a wholesale club like Costco. The store may not be selling flowers on site, but ask around, and they can definitely connect you with other stores where you can get them for a lower price.

Shop For Deals

Can’t find bargains in your area? Then take the search to Internet. There are a lot of bargain websites out there that focus particularly on the flower industry. DailyFlowerDiscounts.com for instance is a great web-based portal that delivers the most up-to-date discounted deals by online florists. If you don’t mind shopping for flowers online, this website is a great place to find discounts and coupon codes for online retailers.

Image credit: Vince Alongi on Flickr

A room may be “fully furnished,” technically speaking, but it still won’t be complete if it didn’t have any accents or decorative pieces. Paintings and photographs are popular decorations because not only do they look great, but they’re easy to transport as well. However, art comes with a price, and often, that price isn’t as low as we’d like. But that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to find decent art at a cheap price. You just have to be patient and willing to do the legwork.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

IKEA and other furniture stores

If you’re planning to buy art on a budget, then heading to an art gallery isn’t recommended. People at galleries are the big players in the industry, and dealing with them can cost you more than just a pretty penny. If you’re just looking for something to spice up your home, consider checking out the art selections of furniture stores. IKEA is a good place to start. The retailer sells decent artworks at low prices. Sure, these artworks are mass produced, and there’s a chance that another home in your neighborhood has the same piece, but if you can get past the fact that the pieces in these stores aren’t unique or one-of-a-kind, then furniture retailers can be a goldmine.

Estate Sales

If you’re really adamant about finding one-of-a-kind paintings at low prices, then estate sales could be a good bet. You can purchase a lot of items with a “classic” feel to them at these sales, so it would make sense that you’ll find some of those good old paintings that you’re looking for.

Yard Sales

Yard or garage sales can be a long shot if you’re looking for art, but then again, it wouldn’t hurt to swing by a neighborhood yard sale to see what you can pick up. You may not get a hard-to-find painting, but there’s a good chance that you’ll score some great framed photographs or posters for your home.

Online

Yep, you can pretty much find anything online nowadays, and that includes art. Check out auction sites such as eBay and bid on artworks that catch your eye. Exercise caution when doing this though, as dealing with people on the Internet is much riskier than business transactions done face to face. However, if you do thorough research on the seller before putting your money in, and you should be fine.

Art Students

Check the local university’s art department and see if some art students are willing to sell their works. Since they’re not professional artists yet, you can probably haggle on a good price for items that you like. And who knows, if you buy a piece from someone who becomes famous later on, you can even re-sell his work for a profit.

Do It Yourself!

Nothing screams Y-O-U than a D-I-Y project. Creating your very own works of art will not only be easier on the budget, you can make sure that no other home in world will have the artworks that you have. Just head to the local crafts store, purchase some supplies, and paint away. Not much of a painter? Consider buying (or borrowing) a good camera that takes high-res images and take your shot at photography. Print it on black and white (or sepia) and you can end up with “artsy” shots that would be perfect for your home.

Image credit: HerryLawford on Flickr

Last week, we wrote about how users can get personal computers for cheap, by buying refurbished items. This week, for the benefit of our Apple-loving friends, we’ve decided to do the same thing for Macs and other Apple products.

Apple computers can set you back several hundreds to thousands of dollars. That’s quite a sum of money for the average Joe, so a lot of consumers hesitate or opt to buy the inexpensive Windows models instead. However, fans of Apple gadgets will adamantly argue that Apple’s attention to detail and quality brings about a user-experience that the PC just can’t match.

If you’ve already set your eyes on an Apple machine and you’re planning to get it (while breaking the bank, in the process), hold your horses first. Consider buying Apple Certified Refurbished products instead. Users that decided to do this reported saving hundreds of dollars, and said that they’ve had very little problems with their refurbished purchases.

Apple’s refurbished products are apparently “good as new,” but come with huge discounts. Sure, you won’t get your products in those big glossy boxes (refurbished items come in regular cardboard boxes) but who cares? When it comes to gadgets and electronics, it’s the inside that counts. Apple guarantees that all their refurbished items undergo an extensive process of quality control and testing, so there’s very little to worry about. Additionally, all Apple Certified Refurbished products are covered by a one year limited warranty, so just bring your purchase to the an Apple store, if you happen to encounter problems with it.

Apple’s Refurbishment Process

According to Apple, their “Certified Refurbished Products are pre-owned Apple products that undergo Apple’s stringent refurbishment process prior to being offered for sale. While only some units are returned due to technical issues, all units undergo Apple’s stringent quality refurbishment process.”

So what exactly can be expected in this process? Here’s how it works:

First off, the device is fully tested—this includes a full burn-in testing. Apple will then replace any parts or defective modules that were found in the above-mentioned testing process. After this, the product will go through a complete cleaning process, and more inspections will take place. Once it passes that stage, Apple will repackage the product, and include the appropriate manuals, cables, and other peripherals. The product will also have the operating software originally shipped with the unit and custom software offered with that system. Afterwards, the refurbished item is given a new refurbished part number and serial number. Finally it will go through another QA inspection before being put up for sale.

You can find refurbished items on Apple’s website. If you see something that you really like, be sure to grab it right away. Apple’s inventory of refurbished products is limited, and items tend to go quickly, so act as soon as you can!

Got an old Mac lying around?

Do you have old Apple devices (working or nonworking) just lying around? Then be sure to look into Apple’s Reuse and Recycling Program. If your old iPhone, iPad, or computer qualifies for the program, then you’ll be able to receive an Apple gift card.

Simply tell Apple about your device, and get an estimate on the fair market value of the item (estimates are performed by a third-party vendor called PowerON). PowerON will provide some prepaid options so that you can ship the product to an Apple facility for evaluation. After this, your Apple Gift Card should arrive in the mail. Talk about an easy win for the user and the environment!

Image credit: lejoe on Flickr

Thinking about getting computers for cheap? Then consider getting refurbished ones. Not only are they a whole lot cheaper, but a lot of refurbished gadgets still come with warranties. And while these items are considered “used,” Microsoft enforces several quality control rules that are applied to the refurbishment process, to ensure that the electronics are free from defects and can still perform competently.

When buying a refurbished computer, be sure to go to an authorized refurbisher. As previously mentioned, Microsoft has certain standards when it comes to refurbishing, so you should make sure that you’re doing business with someone’s who’s official and certified.

How to Buy a Refurbished PC

The guys at Microsoft gave a lot useful tips in their Authorized Refurbished guide that you can view here. According to Microsoft, “A refurbished PC sold by a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher or MAR has been cleaned of prior data, updated as needed with minor repairs or replacement of components, tested, and has genuine Microsoft Windows operating software installed on it so it is ready for a new owner.”

The first piece of advice that they gave was to “Ask the seller how the PC was refurbished.” While there a number of different ways to refurbish a PC, Microsoft has approved certain standards and practices that MARs must adhere to. Additionally, whoever refurbished the PC should also follow certain systems for data wiping and reporting, and should also conform to the standards of the Department of Defense.

However, if you come across someone who’s not an authorized refurbisher, then be sure to ask the following questions to determine if  the PC was refurbished properly.

- “Who does the refurbishing and what are their standards and policies?”

- “What process is used to make sure the hard drive data has been wiped and the hard drive is virus free?

- “Where did the pre-owned PC come from and has it been upgraded with any new or used parts?”

- “What is their equipment disposal policy and are they environmentally responsible?”

Another great tip from Microsoft is to “Ask if genuine operating system software is installed.” When buying from a MAR, be sure to look for the original Certificate of Authenticity (COA) that should be attached to the PC when it was newly purchased. Additionally, you should also look for a SPECIALLY DESIGNED Windows COA for the refurbished items. The refurbished PC COA should have the MAR’s name, as well as a unique product key, product name, and a statement that reads, “For Use on Refurbished PC Only—No Commercial Value—For Authentication Purposes Only.”

Last (but certainly not the least,) when buying a refurbished PC, “Find out if you get any support, warranty, or other services.” Even if a MAR has completely complied with all above-mentioned standards, unexpected problems can still arise with your machine. This is why it’s best to find out if it comes with any sort of warranty or coverage. Be sure to ask the following questions before finalizing the sale:

- “Does the PC have a warranty, and if so, what does the warranty cover?”

- “What is the return policy?”

- “What is the return or failure rate of the PCs they sell?”

- “Do the offer technical support and is it free or fee-based?”

If you get the PC from a MAR, you’ll be able to access a free web-based operating system support from Microsoft. You can still purchase additional support on top of this, so be sure to contact the company if you need additional benefits.

Image credit: kjarrett on Flickr