For the Savvy, There is No Junk Mail ?

   

I think it’s everywhere. The junk mail that is. In our place they come weekly without fail. From local restaurant, supermarket, department store even from local politician and many other sources, they just somehow stuck them in in your mailbox. But put your frustration aside, can this “junk mail” or more politely marketing material can be used somehow to boost our finance matter ? Yes, why not? They are here already anyway. Check this out…

“Junk Mail” Business

"Junk Mail"

Or should I say “local advertising delivery company” is actually quite useful for local economy. Imagine that if you are a small business and just open a barber shop in your local area. How do you marketing your new shop ? Yes, you might advertise it in local newspaper/community publication (good alternative) or even radio (broader range) or yellow pages, but nothing more powerful with “direct marketing” to customer. Your promotional material in potential customer’s mailbox, with very affordable cost and fast delivery.

The profit margin is also not that bad as the company just pay about $30 for every 1000 fliers delivered. And probably it’s not very difficult to recruit people to walk around for 2 hours weekly for some extra cash while exercising. So, bottom line, unless the government make it as illegal activities, those “junk mail” will not be stopped or reduced anytime soon.

The promotion

Of course, the main (and only) purpose of such flyer is to promote the business (and its product) and we as the potential customer is being the target. Now, instead of being a victim, how actually we can make use of this flyer to our own advantage and to make financial gain on your side ?

For a start, let’s find some marketing material from similar industry. For example: catalog of medicine from 2 different chemist, list of grocery product from 2 different supermarket, or even menu card from 2 different Thai restaurant!

all the bargain prices here

Groceries are one that everybody will buy continuously, so let’s focus on this. By using the “junk mail”/price catalog, note all the items that usually you buy(or want to buy) on your note (just get separate A4 paper sheet or special “grocery” notebook if you want) together with its price. If you have this “weekly special” from 2 different supermarkets – in Australia usually from Woolworth and Coles – then you will also find that almost never you will see identical item are on the catalog. (This probably need to be investigated further by ACCC as this anti-competitive behaviour is obviously not coincident and could indicate some price coordination at higher level of the marketing – at least city wide or regional)

Then bring your note when you go shopping as usual. But this time compare the price of your usual shop with the one on your note (if the item is there). Then if you are shopping in the big mall, then you can take your time to go to the other shop to buy the item with cheaper price. Of course this is a bit of hassle/inconvenience and you will think that the saving probably is not really significant. Well, try to buy bulk…. 30 cents different if you buy 10, it becomes $3. Do this every week you will save $150 a year. Not that trivial isn’t it ?

One Warning: as with seeing other catalog, please control yourself and stick with the one that you really need. Do not let the impulse buying cloud your judgment. It easier said than done, but you should try it.

Keep and maintain your notebook and do the same next week. Sooner or later you can do direct comparison of the prices and you will know immediately if a price is really a bargain or just a little bit trick from the supermarket. You can actually do the same with the medicines or other product with similar method.

Is it worth it ?

That depends on individual. If you are super busy and your time is more valuable than anything, then additional 1 hour of shopping to make $5 saving probably is not really worth it. But if you do the shopping as part as your weekly “entertainment”, probably 1 hour longer shopping is not a big deal. The main point is you gotta know your own priority and condition. If adding one hour of shopping means you loss opportunity to earn bigger money, then it’s not really worth it as well. But doing the saving by also educating your 7 years old, probably something valuable that you can do – and SAVE some money while doing it!

Hope this gives you a bit of idea on optimizing your day to day cost of living. But don’t over do it…

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Denis Kristanda  

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