Shoppers weigh in on digital receipts
Online shoppers are accustomed to receipts showing up in their inbox, but soon you could be receiving a lot more receipts via email. Brick- and-mortar stores and restaurants are offering digital receipts more often these days, and shoppers have found pros and cons to the system. So far, shoppers have the opportunity to receive digital receipts at stores such as Gap, Old Navy, Macy’s, Sears, Toys R Us and Kmart.
Local Goodwill stores to host fundraiser Thursday at Jefferson Center
Spotlights, high fashion, models strolling the runway — you’ll find all these things at the upcoming Second Runway event hosted by Goodwill Industries of the Valleys. The fourth annual fundraiser for the nonprofit will be held in Fitzpatrick Hall of Roanoke’s Jefferson Center on Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. The show will feature 66 outfits selected from local Goodwill stores. The theme: The people and clothing that have received
Summer vacation’s last days mean scores of bargains
Virginians are in the midst of a back-to-school tax holiday weekend. School and office supplies have been deeply discounted, and fall clothing is taking the place of swimsuits on the racks. But these aren’t the only bargains to keep an eye out for this time of year. I spoke to Brett Billick, senior director of Deals2Buy (www.deals2buy.com), a website that seeks out the best deals for shoppers, and he provided
Take advantage of the upcoming sales tax holiday
Virginia’s annual sales tax holiday on school supplies and clothing will take place Aug. 2 through 4. During this time period, shoppers can purchase eligible school supplies priced $20 or less per item and clothing priced $100 or less per item without paying sales tax. Though the timing of this holiday is to help parents prepare and save money for the upcoming school year, anyone can take advantage and save
Stay informed on product recalls
Consumers are constantly being bombarded with information about the products we buy. Ads promoting products are everywhere and it seems new warnings about the dangers of other products are popping up all the time. It’s easy to become desensitized to it all, but that can be unsafe when it comes to product recalls. Patty Davis, spokeswoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the government agency charged with protecting the
Technology helps scammers target entire population
Though we would like to trust people, in this day and age you should have your guard up against scammers. Threats can come from a knock at your door, a phone call, an email or even a message over social media sites. Most of us think we’re too smart to ever get duped, but just as technology progresses, so do the schemes of criminals. “The scam artists follow technology. So
Even in heat of summer, you can save energy
July is here and with it comes what’s normally some of the warmest days in Southwest Virginia. Many of us will be cranking up the air conditioning to stay cool, but that means you could be feeling the heat when your monthly utility bill comes. Luckily there are some small adjustments you can make in your home that will conserve energy and save you a few dollars. Virginia Energy Sense
Counterfeit coupons can end up costing shoppers
Have you ever been browsing the Internet and found a coupon that seemed too good to be true? Chances are, it probably was. Counterfeit coupons are a valid problem. Luckily, there are a few things to tip you off that a coupon might be fake. Is the dollar amount higher than the usual cost of the product, or is the coupon offering the product free without any additional purchase or
Style Street: Summer breezes in Roanoke
Whoever said wearing too much of a single color is a faux pas has been proven wrong, because June was definitely the month of matching colors. Whether it was matching shoes to tops, or only wearing gold accessories, the centerpiece to the outfits I saw was a unifying tone. Shorts and sandals are making their presence known, but I’m looking forward to seeing what summer styles will really stand out
Cool down at the pool without busting budget
Though we’d all love to sit by the water and relax all summer, many of us have neither the time nor the budget to invest in joining a swim club. Luckily there are many public pools and beach access on lakes with affordable entry fees. If you’re planning on visiting the pool multiple days each week throughout the summer, especially if multiple family members will be included, it’s best to
Become a Shoptimist ‘power user’
Craving more shopping news, tips and deals throughout the week? That’s what the Shoptimist blog is for on Roanoke.com. I update the blog during the week with coupons, sale notifications and bits of news, some of which never makes it into print. While the easiest way to stay up to date is to visit often and scroll through, there are a few other tricks to getting the most out of
Dollar Tree voted favorite dollar store among readers
The dollar store business in Southwest Virginia is booming. In March, Roanoke Times retail reporter and blogger Amanda Codispoti reported that between March and April, three new dollar stores were opening in Roanoke alone: one Dollar Tree and two Family Dollar locations. A Dollar General location is also set to open by the end of the year in southeast Roanoke. These are the three major dollar store chains in our
Deal updates at CVS, Kroger
There has been a flurry of deal news lately that affects Roanoke shoppers. Here’s a roundup of some items that have been popular on the Shoptimist blog, as well as some new updates. End of bag tags at CVS CVS has multiple ways for shoppers to earn Extra Bucks, but one program has recently been discontinued. As of Friday, the company ended the Green Bag Tag promotion. With this program,
Seniors can find many ways to save
Discounts for senior citizens are fairly common but unfortunately rarely advertised. I had to do some major digging to get details for this column. Often the information wasn’t listed online or posted in shops, so what’s the average consumer supposed to do? I recommend you ask — ask everywhere you do business. Part of the reason some businesses don’t widely post their discounts or offers for seniors is that they
Sales are springing up
Spring is here and that means your opportunities to shop are even more plentiful. Yard sales, flea markets, sidewalk sales and open houses are popping up everywhere. Locally, you can count on a few big events year after year and new prospects to explore as well. Hit the road this weekend or mark your calendars now for these shopping events: This weekend the J. Crew warehouse in Lynchburg is hosting
You can trim costs at the hair salon
To be perfectly , I don’t enjoy getting my hair cut. Even though it’s a necessity of life, I usually get stressed out by the process: making the appointment, blocking out time, worrying if my cut and style will look right, pulling out my debit card for the inevitable bill — it’s just not my favorite way to spend an afternoon. Luckily, I’ve learned a few ways to cut corners
Save on Salem Red Sox tickets; find other baseball deals
We're finally getting some warm weather just in time for the boys of summer to hit the field. The Salem Red Sox opened its home season Friday night against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, and there's a long season ahead (the last Sox game will be at home on Sept. 2), so you have plenty of opportunities coming up to catch a game. What makes the start of baseball season even
Cash in on your electronics purge
I always have a hard time parting with my old electronics. Whether it’s a cellphone, laptop or point-and-shoot camera, it’s hard to forget that at one time they were all valuable items. But keeping broken or outdated technology around doesn’t do any good. Luckily, we have plenty of options for recycling or getting cash for these items. Sell If you’re trying to make a little money off of your electronics
Got debt? Need a budget? There’s an app for that.
It’s easy to lose sight of your spending and debt when so many payments are automatically drafted and carrying cash is nearly obsolete. With most banks moving away from paper statements, you could go for months without seeing what’s going into and coming out of your bank account each day. That makes it tough to stick to a budget. With the help of some online tools, though, you can sort
50 ways to please an egg hunt lover
As a kid, I loved Easter egg hunts. Running around outside in the early spring weather, or inside if it was rainy spring weather, hunting for brightly colored eggs was always exciting . On Easter morning, the bunny always stuffed my eggs with some chocolate and special treats, but the egg hunts were all about who could gather the most — bragging rights were very important, as most of the
1. 41-vehicle wreck ties up traffic Sunday on I-81 in Rockbridge County
2. Virginia Tech football roster has holes on picture day
3. Medicare penalties hit hospitals in Roanoke, New River Valleys
4. Microfestivus beer event gets downtown Roanoke hopping
5. McFarling: 2 little numbers are a big hurdle for Virginia Tech football
6. Arrest made in case of missing Nelson County teen
7. DAN CASEY: Copter cost still stirring up dust
8. Virginia attorney general's office grows under Ken Cuccinelli
9. Roanoke farmers markets making local foods more accessible
10. Man's drowning is 5th in Lynchburg area
THE ROANOKE TIMES
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