Best Price Treadmill - 3 Key Tips To Saving Hundreds On Your Next Treadmill

If you're in the market to buy a treadmill, your timing couldn't be better.  Treadmills are giving you more value for your money every year.  In fact according to a recent Runner's World article:

"Today's treadmills are better than ever. In particular, most brands have improved their stability and controls.  Meanwhile, they continue to offer a dazzling variety of features."

If you're buying a treadmill no doubt you want to get the best price.  Having been researching and reviewing treadmills for over 3 years, I've seen some killer treadmill deals and some completely overblown, overpriced treadmills.  

I've also seen the same treadmill offered at vastly different prices - sometimes the difference is as much as $800! And people are still buying the overpriced treadmills!  

There are ways to getting the best price on a high quality home treadmill that many people don't know about.  So to help you save some money, here are 3 key tips to getting the best price on your treadmill:

#1 Buy Online 

If you want to save money, buy online.  This is the case with most items from computers to DVD's to electronics and especially treadmills.  Because when you buy online, the treadmill dealer doesn't have to pay to rent a storefront, pay salespeople, pay hydro, heat, etc. 

They can ship directly from their warehouse.  This saves them a lot of money and in turn these savings are passed on to you in the form of lower prices. 

Obviously you don't want to just buy from anyone online. Make sure the online treadmill dealer offers secure ordering, prevalent contact information (phone numbers, email, online help, address), at least a 30 day money back guarantee and of course - high quality treadmills.  It also helps if they offer customer and/or expert testimonials.

#2 Buy Direct From the Treadmill Brand Manufacturer

Buying direct from the treadmill manufacturer means you skip the middleman (i.e. the store), which always has to mark up an item to make their profit (and pay their employees, rent, etc.)  There are several treadmill manufacturers that sell online direct to the consumer at wholesale prices and it's a great way to get a brand name treadmill for a discount price.  

Also, if you watch closely, many manufacturers will drop their prices even more when they are phasing out a certain treadmill.  I've seen a $1500 treadmill go for $899 when the manufacturer was trying to close the model out.  

Again, make sure these treadmill dealers offer secure ordering, prevalent contact information, at least a 30 day money back guarantee and high quality treadmills.

#3 Save on Shipping and Sales Tax 

Whether it's an online store or an online treadmill manufacturer, many online dealers offer you free shipping.  Some offer free shipping all the time whereas others offer it at certain times of the month.  

Shipping your treadmill can cost you as much as $200 - so why pay for it if you can get it free? I've yet to see an actual store offer free shipping on treadmills - it's always an add on at the cash register.  

Another area where you can save money is on sales tax.  Many online dealers won't charge you sales tax (depending on the state) which can also save you a considerable amount on your treadmill.    

So those are 3 key ways to get the best price on your treadmill.

0% APR Credit Cards Can Save You Thousands

Low interest credit cards are available as alternatives to those with middle-of-the-road to very high interest rates. If you have a credit card with a high interest rate anywhere from 17% to 24% or higher, then you may not realize that it is costing you hundreds and even thousands of dollars every year in interest alone. Once you understand your credit and how it is impacting your debt situation, you will see how low interest or even 0% APR credit cards can be a much better solution.

Gather Your Statements

Collect your statements for all high and low interest credit cards. Include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, department stores, retailers, grocers and any other revolving accounts. For each bill, make a record of the total balance, minimum payment amount and interest rate. You might also want to include your estimated monthly payment (if it's more or less than the minimum) and the monthly finance charge. 

Compare Cards

If you compare the numbers for each card, you will be able to see which ones are costing you the most money. The higher the APR and the higher the balance, the more you will end up paying in interest in the long run. And, if you only pay small amounts of what you owe, you can go on paying for over 20 years. Now you can see the benefit of having a low interest credit card.

Categorize Your Debt

Once you've figured out which are the low interest credit cards and which are high, you need to categorize them from highest to lowest. Then reorder them, if necessary, based on the estimated amount of interest you would pay for the entire year. In other words, if you have a high rate card with a low balance, the overall interest may be less than a low interest credit card with a very high balance. This step will help you to focus on the cards that are taking the most of your hard earned money.

Negotiate With Your Bank

Before you cut up your plastic or send it through the paper cutter, call you current credit card company. Many consumers don't realize it, but companies would rather lower your interest rate than lose your business. Tell them that you've been offered a better deal on a low interest credit card. They may just match that offer, saving you the time and effort used to close and open a new card.

Shop Around For 0% APR Credit Cards 

Some banks just won't budge. You may have to do some digging to get a low interest credit card. Check online, talk to your local bank and sort through those direct mail offers. Ask your friends, family, co-workers and other acquaintances to learn about the cards they use.

Carefully Read the Fine Print

Many cards look too-good-to-be-true - 0% interest on transfers, lifetime low rate, frequent flyer miles, insurance benefits, etc. Often times, the offers are just that. 0% offers may only be applied to a limited amount or during a specific time frame. Fixed rates may increase if you so much as miss a single payment and so on. Pay close attention to all terms and policies, making sure to read the fine print. Don't accept a low interest credit card until you are sure you understand all that is involved. 

Maintain Good Credit

Now you can stop throwing money down the drain. Treasure your low interest or 0% APR credit card and maintain your good credit rating. Pay more than the minimum amounts and don't get behind. Just as fast as you were able to lower your APR, it could jump up to astounding numbers.

0% APR Credit Cards - What You Need to Kno

0% APR credit cards are an appealing option for frequent shoppers that rely on having a low monthly interest rate when they cannot pay off the entire balance of the credit card in any month. But what you really need to know about 0% APR credit card offers, often times is never discussed.  

For starters, the APR is the commonly-used acronym for "Annual Percentage Rate," which is the annual month-to-month rate that you can expect to get for your credit card balance. Naturally, if you frequently carry your credit card balance over from month-to-month, it is important for you to have a low or even 0% APR credit card.

How it Works

Every credit card company makes money when shoppers use the card, but do not pay off the balance at the end of each month. Because the credit card company has lent shoppers money so that they can make their purchases, the credit card company will charge interest on the balance until the entire balance is paid off. The credit card company has the potential to make a generous profit from the balances of their customers each month. Naturally, as a consumer, having a 0% APR credit card means that your balance is carried over from month-to-month without any charges applied.

Beware of High Interest Rates

It may seem like credit cards actually lose money by investing in a 0% APR credit card promotion. However, the 0% APR credit cards actually help credit card companies find customers. For example, if there is a shopper that has a high APR (some are up to 20%) and he or she is having a hard time paying down the balance of the credit card, the purchaser is in an ideal situation to transfer their balance to a 0% APR credit card for a period in which they can focus on working down their debt. The situation is ideal for someone who is in short-term debt. However, to balance the 0% APR credit cards against the credit card company's need to make a profit, as soon as a trial period expires, many credit card companies will increase their rates drastically. As a consumer, you need to read the fine print so that you are aware of the deadlines associated with this change-over.

Where to Find a 0% APR Credit Card

It may seem harder than it really is to find a 0% APR credit card. It's advantageous to find a card that doesn't require you to pay a month-to-month rate on the unpaid balance. However, credit card companies frequently   enact 0% APR credit card promotional deals, so take a look around for what deals are available to you currently.

0% APR credit cards can make managing your debt very easy. While most of them do not require annual fees, it is important for you to understand what you are agreeing to before you sign a contact with a company. While most 0% APR credit cards eventually increase the rate after a set period of time, the duration of the promotional period varies by company. As with any credit card agreement, a little research and education into the details of a 0% APR credit card can go a long way towards helping you make a decision that can positively effect your finances. Choose wisely!