BuyVia Blog: Expert Tips for Saving Money in Online Shopping with Coupons and Discounts
Christmas Holiday 2018 Shipping Deadlines
Last Update: 11/29/2018
Back in the day, when all gifts had to be bought in stores, retailers would helpfully remind us how many “shopping days” there were left before Christmas - not counting the Sundays, and often Saturdays, when stores were closed. Now, in the age of the Internet, every day can be a shopping day, and store hours are any time we’re awake.
However, that doesn’t mean you can just put off all your shopping until the last minute. Because the snag with doing your Christmas shopping online is, you have to factor in delivery time to be sure your gift will arrive before Santa takes off for the year. So instead of counting shopping days until Christmas, you have to count shipping days.
Fortunately, BuyVia has taken the work out of counting for you. We’ve checked websites for all the major stores to see how long their expected delivery times are for regular shipping, express shipping, and free shipping. If a store doesn’t have this information on the Web, or the information is conflicting, we’ve called customer service to get the scoop or extrapolated from the previous year - so you can just relax and enjoy your eggnog.
Black Friday 2018 Ad Leak Timeline
Everybody asks, when is my favorite store going to leak their Black Friday 2018 Ad? It helps to look back at 2014 to see when the major stores had their Black Friday Ad Leak.
Be sure to look at our Black Friday Ad Scans and Deals Page
Eco Friendly Green Shopping in 2018
Being green in 2018 is a lot more difficult, the recycling landscape has changed, forcing us to make major changes.
Recycling is Dead
The Truth about Black Friday Sales
Last Update: 10/1/2018
The truth about Black Friday? Black Friday has morphed into Black November, and retailers - both traditional and online, begin running their Black Friday deals on November 1st. That’s right - as soon as you finally hit the bed after a fright filled night of collecting candy from your neighbors, retailers are gearing up to relieve you of your holiday shopping budgets. With dilution of the term Black Friday, the best sales are saved for the day itself.
Be sure to look at our Black Friday Ad Scans and Deals Page
Questioning Black Friday
AT&T Next vs Verizon Monthly Device Payments vs Apple iPhone Upgrade Program vs Apple iPhone Payments
Last Update: September 20, 2018
Can you believe a hidden iPhone Payment plan is the best one available? Be careful where you start your shopping.
Smartphone Product Cycle
Should I Switch? Verizon Unlimited Data vs More Everything Plan
Last Update: September 21, 2018
Verizon Wireless Unlimited Data 2018
In 2017 Verizon Wireless brought back the Verizon Unlimited Plan. Previously they had an unlimited data plan but stopped offering it for years. Those with grandfathered unlimited data hung onto it fiercely.
Selling Unwanted Electronics, iPhones, and Smartphones: 6 ways to trade in and get cash
Last updated: 9/11/2018
New gadgets are being pushed out almost every month, meaning the electronics industry is producing a significant number of obsolete products that need to be sold, reused or recycled. It's not news that people want the latest, greatest smartphone or tablet.
The electronics industry is counting on people to upgrade their devices to stay profitable. Companies are great at hyping up new products to make them appear essential pieces of computing gear. Planned obsolescence makes it such that older devices don't work as well with newer operating systems. It seems like just yesterday that the iPhone X was released, but in a few weeks there will be likely be a new iPhone out on the market. Have you been thinking of upgrading lately?
Should I Switch? AT&T Unlimited Data vs Mobile Share Plan
Updated: 9/20/2018
AT&T Unlimited Data Plans
AT&T Wireless introduced a new unlimited wireless data plan for its new and existing customers starting in 2017, after years without one. Clearly AT&T's goal is to meet the competition. This plan does not require a DirecTV subscription.
Note: AT&T may temporarily slow speeds after 22GB of data use per line each month, when the network is congested.
Unlimited & More Plan
What Not to Buy on Black Friday 2018
Last Update: 10/3/2018
Black Friday is the most hyped-up shopping day of the year. It becomes a strategic battle to find the best deals: ads are leaked almost a month beforehand, shoppers line up Thanksgiving afternoon, and people stampede to get the big ticket items.
Though it may seem that everything you buy on Black Friday is a great deal, that’s actually not the case. Lots of sites lure shoppers in with deep discounts and then sell products that don’t give you the most bang for your buck.
In the spirit of being an informed shopper, here are 6 items you should NOT buy on Black Friday:
5 Things to Consider When Determining the Best Rewards Credit Card of 2018
Last Update: 5/25/2018
Unlike most Best Credit Card sites, we get zero dollars when you sign up for a credit card, so our information is unbiased.
When it comes to choosing the right rewards credit card, you've got plenty of options. In exchange for making purchases on a particular piece of plastic, nearly everything you can think of is offered - from free airfare and hotel stays to cash back for gas, grocery, restaurant, and travel purchases. The challenge is determining which of the many options out there is best for you. To do so, you need to examine card features, such as how rewards are earned and redeemed, and how those features align with your own spending habits.