Best 3 Ways To Find Real Deals On Amazon

3 ways to find the real deals on Amazon

Here’s some trivia for you: Amazon has more than 2 million sellers. That’s almost the entire population of Houston, Texas, all clambering to sell you things. Amazon has become the largest and most versatile marketplace in world history, and you’re almost guaranteed to find the item you’re seeking.

But when you’re dealing with 2 million faceless merchants, you have to be careful. You may think you’ve found a bargain, but then you’ll find the same item for significantly less. Some of these digital storefronts are misleading, as are their wares.

Here are three little-known tactics that many shoppers find useful, which can both boost your savings and safeguard your satisfaction.

1. Price tracking tools

In brick-and-mortar stores, many shoppers don’t take the price tag at face value. We assume that there’s a deeper discount than the one advertised. We find an expensive outfit, we frown at the label, and we turn to the salesperson. “I shop here a lot,” we say. “Can I get another 10% off?”

This kind of haggling becomes even more important when you’re buying a big-ticket item like a refrigerator or car. You might like the price, but when the dealer doesn’t offer you free shipping or a complimentary warranty, you say you’re going to walk out. These are both common tactics among seasoned shoppers.

Of course, that's a little tougher to do when you're shopping online. You can't easily find a customer service rep. Fortunately, there are loads of price-tracking tools online, like CamelCamelCamel and Keepa.

CamelCamelCamel works in much the same way as Keepa. When you're shopping on Amazon, you can go to CamelCamelCamel to get a price history on that specific product. You may discover that the deep discount you think you're getting isn't a discount at all.

Or, better yet, set up an alert for something you want to buy. CamelCamelCamel and other price trackers will let you know when the price drops.

2. Spot fake reviews

Amazon reviews are tricky because it’s so easy to post a fake one. When you find deep discounts, these positive remarks can push you over the edge.

You think to yourself, “Wow, I can get that whole set of power tools for $40! And people are raving about them!” But when those power tools arrive, they’re a shoddy product that easily wears out. Your bargain has turned into a complete waste of time and money.

But how can you possibly distinguish a real review from a fake one? As it turns out, there are websites to help spot a fake review, namely ReviewMeta or FakeSpot.

To sift through the reviews, these sites scan Amazon for words and phrases that fake customers often use. They'll also scan for bad grammar that may suggest that someone who speaks a different language is getting paid to write positive reviews. It isn’t an exact science, but you’ll probably get a more accurate picture of what actual customers think about a given product.

Better yet, these services are free and easy to use. With FakeSpot, for example, copy and paste an Amazon product onto its homepage. The site will almost instantly let you know if it’s suspicious.

3. Automatically apply coupons

Like I said earlier, there's always seems to be one more discount you can get when shopping. In the digital world, you can often find these discounts through a web extension like Honey.

Such extensions automatically search for coupons and discounts for products you're about to buy on Amazon and other shopping sites. You simply download the web extension, and an icon will appear in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. As you shop, you can click on this plugin and instantly find out the details on a given product.

Remember, you can also visit Amazon’s coupon site, collect the ones you want, and redeem them with a click. Your savings will be applied automatically to the final bill.

You can also use the coupons’ subscription service to keep the discounts flowing. The word "subscription" may sound suspect, but there is no additional fee. Amazon will help you keep track of your coupons on products you regularly buy. This is particularly convenient for cyclical household items like diapers, toothpaste, and tortilla chips.

Just like old-fashioned coupons, Amazon offers a wide range of savings, and Prime members receive especially appetizing offers that others do not. Tap here to get instant savings by using Amazon's coupons.

What other deals can you find online? Be sure to listen or download my podcasts, or click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen to the Kim Komando Showon your phone, tablet or computer. From buying advice to digital life issues, click here for my free podcasts.

Source: USA Today

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How South Africa’s White Population Has Declined Every Year Over The Past Decade

South Africa’s white population shrinks even further in 2017 The latest mid-year population estimates produced by Statistics South Africa.

South Africa’s white population shrinks even further in 2017

The latest mid-year population estimates produced by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) show that South Africa’s population is estimated at 56.5 million people.

Population estimates are necessary to ensure that government and various other sectors, including health, education and business, plan effectively for South Africa. The mid-year estimates provide an indication of the distribution of the population by sex, age, population group, and province.

The stats body’s survey showed that the country’s population is up from 40.6 million in 1996.

• 2001 – 44.8 million
• 2011 – 51.8 million
• 2015 – 54.9 million
• 2016 – 55.7 million
• 2017 – 56.5 million

Life expectancy at birth for 2017 is estimated at 61.2 years for males and 66.7 years for females.

Gauteng comprises the largest share of the South African population. Approximately 14.3 million people (or 25.3%) live in this province, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 11.1 million people (19.6%), while the Northern Cape remains the province with the smallest share of the South African population.

According to StatsSA, about 29.6% of the population is aged younger than 15 years, while the estimates indicate that the proportion of elderly (60 years and older) in South Africa is growing, reaching 8.1 % in 2017. According to the estimates, there are 4.6 million people in South Africa over the age of 60.

The mid-year population estimates show that regional variations of ageing exist in South Africa. While almost a quarter of the elderly live in Gauteng, they account for only 7.7% of the total Gauteng population.

In contrast, 12% of the elderly reside in Eastern Cape; however, nearly 10% of the Eastern Cape population comprises elderly persons. Mpumalanga’s population comprises 7% elderly, the lowest among the provinces.

Migration is an important demographic process in shaping the age structure and distribution of the provincial population. For the period 2016 – 2021, Gauteng and Western Cape are estimated to experience the largest inflow of migrants of approximately, 1,595,106 and 485,560 respectively.

StatsSA’s data showed a continuing theme among the country’s white population, which has been in steady decline over the past decade. The country ‘lost’ over 22,250 white South Africans over the past year, to an estimated 4.49 million total population.

There were 4.52 million white South Africans in 2016, as reported by Stats SA.

The data showed a big decline in the number of young white adults, while the only demographic showing any growth was recorded in the aging population – those people aged 70 and above.

Emigration experts have reported increases in the number of South Africans inquiring about immigrating to countries including Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the US, and even Canada.

The main reasons cited include financial concerns, political concerns, high crime rates, concerns over the standard of education, and BEE requirements in doing business.

More recent concerns include recessionary woes, and downgrades by top rating firms.

Source: PeepOnline.com

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Cape Town dam levels show minimal increase post heavy rain

Cape Town - The average dam storage levels for the City of Cape Town increased to 29.5% by Friday after the recent rain, with no reports of the feared flooding and displacement.

The average dam storage levels is only a smidgen up from Monday's measurement of 29.4%, but it is higher than the 27.9% of the previous week.

Following a warning by the SA Weather Service of possible flooding and gale force winds on Thursday, city officials were relieved that nobody was left displaced or injured.

''We expected flooding in our low lying areas but there were no reports,'' said the city's Disaster Management spokesperson Mandy Thomas.

She attributed this to a combination of early preparation in high risk areas like shack settlements, and the drought that has left the water table much lower than in previous winters.

''With the drought happening now, the water is absorbing very quickly so we don't get that flooded situation any more,'' said Thomas.

In the meantime, the city needs people to continue saving water, and to use no more than 87 litres a day per person while Level 4b restrictions remain firmly in place.

Under the latest restrictions, bathing should be avoided, showers limited to two minutes, gardens should not be watered with drinking water and toilet flushing should be kept to a minimum.

Source: News24.com

#GuptaLeaks: How Ajay Gupta was trusted with crafting SA’s global image

From the time of the notorious 2013 Sun City wedding, the Guptas’ activities in South Africa have attracted a great deal of negative international media attention.

Indeed, the reputational damage caused by the Guptas’ state capture to the global image of South Africa is probably incalculable. But one man might be able to help calculate it: Ajay Gupta, who for a full decade – until 2016 – sat on the board of Brand South Africa. That’s the body responsible for crafting a positive image of South Africa overseas.

Brand South Africa is responsible for promoting a “South African Nation Brand identity that will advance South Africa’s long-term positive reputation and global competitiveness”, to quote its online mission statement. Its goals are lofty; in addition to making South Africa look good on the global stage, it also aims to instil “pride and patriotism among South Africans”.

 - VISIT the #GuptaLeaks website

The “official custodian of South Africa’s nation brand” is a government-funded entity which reports to the Minister of Communications. Established by Thabo Mbeki’s administration in 2000, it was originally known as the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC). Its board of trustees is appointed by the President of South Africa.

In 2006, one of those appointed to the then-International Marketing Council board was a Mr Ajay Gupta.

This was confirmed by a 2016 statement issued by the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, which read: “Mr Ajay Gupta joined the board of the then IMC by agreement of the board on the recommendation of then Minister in the Presidency, Essop Pahad, who rightly or wrongly thought that [Gupta] had the skills, knowledge and capacity to facilitate the work of the Council – not because of his alleged proximity to the President.”

On an old page of the Brand SA website, Ajay Gupta is still listed as a trustee – though his tenure on the board ended in 2016.

Access to confidential information 

Investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh’s book The Republic of Gupta quotes former minister Pahad as explaining that Gupta’s “good understanding of India, also China and other parts of Asia” was what led Pahad to nominate him for the board.

The decision to nominate a man who has never been a South African citizen to the board of what is effectively the country’s PR firm seems surprising. Contacted for comment by Scorpio on whether this practice was routine, Brand SA’s chief financial officer Alice Puoane would only say: “The current board of trustees of Brand South Africa does not have a non-South African.”

Asked why Ajay Gupta would be considered an appropriate board member for Brand SA, Puoane replied: “All trustees of Brand South Africa are appointed by the President.”

The appeal of the position for Ajay Gupta is clear. The #GuptaLeaks emails show that as a board member of Brand South Africa, Gupta had access to confidential strategy documents, close communication channels with the Minister of Communications, and invitations to “board strategic planning sessions” involving guests like the national police commissioner and CEOs of state-owned entities.

In 2014, for instance, a document was circulated to Ajay Gupta and his fellow board members regarding a “Communication Strategy to respond to the trial of Oscar Pistorius”. It included the suggestion that the Oscar Pistorius trial be presented as “a triumph of our judicial system which is one of the most important pillars of our constitutional democracy”.

The document also included a note on what Cabinet’s approach to the Pistorius trial was: a directive not to comment until the trial was completed, which was advice clearly not heeded by a number of leading ANC figures.

In the same year, another memorandum circulated to the Brand SA board members informed them of “messaging in relation to the nation brand reputational issues emerging from the release of the Public Protector’s report” [on Nkandla]. The board was also circulated “draft key messages” for the BRICS summit in Brazil in July 2014.

Though Gupta may have received these communications with alacrity, there is little evidence that the businessman was a valuable addition to the board.

Ajay 'extremely inactive' in role

One of the only occasions on which Gupta may have made his voice heard on the board was before the 2010 state visit of President Jacob Zuma to India. At that time, news reports alleged, Gupta told the then-IMC board that his office – and not the IMC – would handle all matters relating to Zuma’s Indian trip.

Asked this week if the allegation was true, Puoane responded: “No such decision was ever taken by the board of trustees of Brand South Africa.”

A former Brand SA board member who spoke to Scorpio on condition of anonymity said that Gupta was extremely inactive in his role as trustee, especially after the 2013 Waterkloof scandal.

This is backed up by the #GuptaLeaks email trove. There is barely any evidence of correspondence with the Brand SA board from Ajay Gupta’s side, beyond a July 2013 email from Gupta’s personal assistant announcing that her boss had “only tentatively accepted travelling to Cape Town for the Consideration of Brand South Africa Report”.

Gupta’s inertia on the board was also confirmed by current Brand SA CFO Puoane, who said: “He was not very active.”

This itself raises questions, however. In particular: why was Ajay Gupta kept on the board for a full decade if he was contributing so little in formal terms?

Puoane confirmed that Gupta’s relationship with Brand SA is now over. “His term of office ended 12 March 2016,” she said.

Though Brand SA has not been shy to weigh in on contentious South African public affairs in the past, its website shows no trace of commentary about the scandalous revelations of the #GuptaLeaks emails over the past few months.

“The Gupta family has consistently failed to respond to questions about the #GuptaLeaks.”

Source: News24.com/

SA investor quits CSA’s T20 league

Cape Town – Cricket South Africa will be detailing later on Friday “the way ahead” for the intended Stellenbosch (Boland region) franchise in its T20 Global League – due to start in around three months – after the confirmed withdrawal of one of the two South African owners.

Brimstone, the investment company initially announced at the glitzy London launch as owners of the franchise - one of eight earmarked for the competition - have issued a statement confirming earlier reports that they had “quietly pulled out” of the deal.

Sport24 attempted to contact them on Thursday, and in a follow-up inquiry on Friday Mustaq Brey, their co-founder and chief executive, said they had issued an overnight statement, which he then forwarded.

It reads: “Brimstone today announced that it will not be proceeding with the proposed acquisition of a T20 Global League franchise.

“The consortium led by Brimstone was announced as the successful bidder of the Stellenbosch/Paarl franchise by Cricket South Africa.

“Following the announcement in June this year, Brimstone continued its own internal process in regards to the proposed acquisition of the franchise. As a result of this process the company has decided not to proceed with this venture.”

It then quoted Brey: “We follow a rigorous investment process. This venture had to undergo the same process and be tested against our standard investment criteria as all other investment proposals.

“Our investment decisions take cognisance of the risks and benefits to all our stakeholders. We wish CSA well with the T20 Global League and will continue to support the development of, and access to, the sport in various other ways.”

In response, CSA’s communications chief Altaaf Kazi said they would issue a release later on Friday “on the Brimstone issue and the way forward for the Stellenbosch franchise … the release will be self-explanatory.”

Most of the investors in the franchises are Asian-based.

With Brimstone’s confirmed pull-out, South African involvement is currently limited to one franchise - Pretoria - with Osman Osman of Blu Blood events management company (though the ownership has also since been described as an “SA consortium”) the lone stake-holder from these shores.

Source: Sport24.co.za/

Benefits of Auto Insurance Quotes

Auto insurance quotes are a smart way to achieve the rate you've been waiting for, as, auto insurance is a very competitive market. This is due to the diversity in automobiles purchased where make, model and other various factors determine your premium rate. They are easy to secure nowadays. All you have to do is to get online and fill-out quote requests. They are not all created equal. They don't all contain the same types of coverage, and the rates for coverage can be as different as night and day.

They are great tools that can save you from spending too much on insurance coverage, and best of all, they are free. They are not unlike many other products for which you shop online. You truly need to shop around for them. They are made available to consumers by the companies and agencies. If you are seeking the lowest possible insurance rates, you need to start with the lowest possible quotes.

They are not unlike many other products for which you shop online. Later on you will learn about a procedure that ensures that you succeed in that. They are something that each and every person must look for before going out to buy an auto insurance policy. In older time people have to go to agents and brokers of all the different insurance firms, companies, agencies and providers to collect the quotes of various different auto insurance policies. They are really helpful for people that are new to this arena. Well, while going for free auto insurance quote the concerned insurance agency may ask you for few things.

Cheap car insurance for young people can be a scary idea, since buying auto insurance can be a big and daunting task in general. It can seem like something that is a lot harder than it actually is. Cheap auto insurance quotes are as important as insurance policy for the car. But if one doesn't have enough knowledge about buying cheap about insurance, sometimes it will cost a lot to the consumer. Some websites can show you the different rates offered by the top companies in your particular state. You might be surprised at how many different auto insurance companies exist and how much their rates can vary.

Car insurance cost is based, among other things, on what your car is worth and what the repair costs will add up to. Low cost auto insurance companies maintain a list of the most frequently stolen cars. Car insurance is mandatory, but you don't have to get ripped off. You can save a lot of money on auto insurance, but it will take a little bit of work. Car insurance, just comparison shop, and check your price every year.

Car insurance is one of the most important things required after purchasing a car. Although there are a variety of such insurance providers available, the main difficulty is in actually visiting each of them, collecting brochures and then deciding on the one which is best suited for you. Car rental insurance is something few people think about getting. Understanding car rental insurance is important so that you will not waste money buying coverage you do not need.

Companies look for total mileage before providing you with the final quote. You can get premium benefits on these types of policies. Companies look at how likely are you to make a claim and what could be the size of that claim. Since you have some control over both factors, you can affect the rates you pay.

State Auto Insurance Online can show you the different rates offered by the top companies in your particular state. You might be surprised at how many different auto insurance companies exist and how much their rates can vary. Online auto insurance quotes are a great way to get cheap car insurance without leaving the comfort of your home. You simply fill out and submit the form, and within no time at all you will start receiving online auto insurance quotes that can help you save big.

Online you can actually get enough information to enable you know exactly what you are likely to spend. Visit quotes comparison sites online and get quotes from several insurance companies.

Compare internet auto insurance quotes to find the company that will be friendliest to a driver like you! One driver may get a great discount for having a clean driving history, while another may benefit from having a good credit report. Compare each insurer's rates, features and coverage to get the best car insurance policy for your needs.

Asking for insurance quotes is the first action you should take if you want to get a good plan at the best rate possible. Years ago it was a hard and time consuming task, contacting by phone with dozens of insurance companies or agents to get several quotes to compare with.

Check online and make sure you understand how much coverage you should carry on your vehicle based on age, wear and tear, etc. You want to get value for your money. Checking out the financial strength of an auto insurance company is necessary before you start paying them your hard-earned dollars.

Thank you for taking your time to read this article. Information shared here does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice. This article is intended to provide general information only and does not give advice which relates to your individual circumstances. Gurmit is an insurance and mortgage expert.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/

How To Compare Auto Insurance Quotes

The growth of internet has made the comparison of insurance quotes easy. The best place to compare auto insurance quotes is through the internet. The security of the vehicle is very important for the owners. The right way to maintain the security is to buy an auto insurance plan.

There are several insurers around the world, which offers auto insurance policies to the automobile owners. All these companies have their own their coverage plans and rates.

The comparison of auto quotes helps a person to understand the rate and the suitable policies. Most of the insurance websites allow the person to compare the auto insurance quote without any charge, while some others charge small service fee. The idea of both the insurance websites are similar. It is better to choose the free quote websites for the comparison process at the initial stage.

The comparison websites compare both, auto insurance quotes and the policies. The online auto coverage quote helps a person to save both time and money. A person can avoid paying the commission to agent. Thus, with the help of an auto quote comparison, the role of an agent is unnecessary. A person gets clear idea about the plan and the rates, with the comparison of the online auto quotes.

Tips To Compare Auto Insurance Quotes:

It is essential to compare the auto coverage quotes, to ensure that a person gets the lowest auto insurance quote. Numerous quotes are available on the internet. However, people need to keep in mind, certain tips to compare auto insurance quotes.

As an initial step, a person has to fill some personal information in online registration form. The registration is important, to request free comparison chart of auto quotes. Compare auto insurance quotes for the all the desired coverage plans with different companies.

The insurance rate is only a basic factor to buy auto insurance. Evaluate the stability of the car insurer in automobile area. Most of the new insurance companies provide lower auto insurance quotes. A person has to make sure that these companies offer good customer service and holds strong financial stability.

A person has to build up the credit history before requesting an auto quote. A bad credit history creates unpleasant impression on the insurer and as a result, insurer will give high rate insurance quotes.

Stick to the current company for a longer period, to cut down the insurance quote. When a person has to buy new type of insurance policy, a long-term stay with an insurance company provides lower quotes for them. The history of traffic law violation and two accidents will lead to a higher auto insurance quote.

Conclusion:

The comparison of auto insurance quotes with the help of local agents is a time consuming process. Therefore, the best place to compare auto insurance quote is the internet. In brief, a person needs to compare auto insurance quotes online, to access an affordable auto coverage policy. For more on this topic and actually getting a quote you can always refer to the resources below.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/