Buying a top of the line vacuum does not have to cost full price.

My family was recently on a hunt to get a high quality vacuum for less than the advertised price.  We researched online and decided the Dyson DC33 Multi-Floors Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner was the right fit for our home and lifestyle.  We liked that it converts into various hand held tools by pressing a few buttons, the canister can be cleaned with a visit to the trash can instead of replacing bags, it’s lightweight, and can be used on both carpet and hardwood floors.

On average, the vacuum sells for around $320.  To cut costs, we compared which store would give us the best savings.  Knowing that Plastic Jungle offers Bed Bath & Beyond discounted gift cards for 10% less than face value as well as discounted Home Depot gift cards for 6% less than face value, Bed Bath & Beyond seemed like the obvious choice.

However, our final step was to stack Plastic Jungle’s discounted gift cards with a store coupon to maximize savings.  I immediately grabbed a 20% off Bed Bath & Beyond coupon and decided to read the fine print.  The text on the coupon explained that it was not valid for the purchase of Dyson vacuums.  As Plan B, I checked the limitations of a Home Depot 10% off coupon and found it can be used on a Dyson vacuum.

We quickly ordered enough discounted Home Depot gift cards from Plastic Jungle to cover the purchase and a 10% off Home Depot coupon from from eBay.  About one week later, everything arrived in the mail and we made a trip to Home Depot to buy a $320 Dyson vacuum for under $270 (15% off)!

For those who are visual learners, here’s the deal comparison in visual form.

What ways have you saved with Plastic Jungle?

Homeowners and renters alike, replace broken appliances without breaking the bank.

Are you frustrated because your clothes washer or dryer is on its last leg?  Perhaps replacing your refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, or stove is just around the corner.

Trying to score the best savings in a rush can be difficult.  Consider making your next appliance purchase cost-effective and stress-free by taking a few steps now.

• Research. With abundant tools at your fingertips, you can find product reviews in minutes through sites like Appliance Buyer’s Guide or Good Housingkeeping. If you have a Consumer Reports online subscription, you can even see how products perform when tested over and over again.
• Estimate. Get an idea of the price range and best store to buy a replacement that will meet your needs.  Scope out the inventory at places like Best Buy, Lowe’s, and Home Depot to score even bigger savings by using discounted gift cards from Plastic Jungle as tender.  If there is a Sears Outlet in your area, you can stack their 20-60% off prices with a Sears discounted gift cards from Plastic Jungle (which are usually 8% off).  No Sears gift cards are available right now, but you can set up a notification today or check back on Plastic Jungle soon.
• Get Ready. Go ahead and order the appropriate amount of discounted gift cards from Plastic Jungle.  Also, check for store coupons (most stores have a 10% off sale and/or coupon regularly).

When that appliance finally does stop working, you’ll be set to head to the store with your Plastic Jungle discounted gift cards to score extra savings on an item you can be confident about.

Today’s retail climate gives us plenty of ways to spend money, but many of us consider saving to be a chore. It’s a shame, because with the smallest amount of effort, saving up to 35% can be had when you purchase discounted gift cards on Plastic Jungle.

If you’re a hard-core, never-pay-retail shopper, you’ll start with the discounted gift card from Plastic Jungle, then you’ll double- or even triple-dip into easily found coupons and promo codes.

The key to turning that small-ish percentage off into significant outlet-clearance variety prices is combining the gift card (means of payment) with existing sales and promotions (entered at checkout).

We’ve got a story about a Jungler who saved more than $500 on a personal big home improvement project – window coverings (not cheap!) — already posted on the Plastic Jungle blog. The post details how Marcy, a Jungle fan, purchased discounted Home Depot gift cards, added that to a rebate and in-store sale, and came up with huge savings.

Do It Now – Two Examples of Double-Dip Savings

Save on Omaha Steaks

1)      Purchase a discounted Omaha Steaks eCODE (electronic gift card)  on Plastic Jungle >>>

2)      Go to www.Savings.com or www.RetailMeNot.com (or Google “Omaha Steaks Deals” to find other coupon sites). Click through the coupon link of your choice. This sets up the promo code which will be applied at checkout. Right now, looks like the best deal is to choose an Overstock Bargain, which could give you up to 60% off (on STEAK!).

3)      At checkout, use your already discounted Omaha Steaks eCODE (at time of writing worth up to a 17% discount).

4)      Start counting the money you’ve saved by DOUBLE-DIPPING: Steak at up to 77% off.

Save at JC Penney or JCP.com

1)      Purchase a discounted JC Penney Gift Card or JC Penney eCODE on Plastic Jungle >>>

2)      Go to www.Savings.com where you’ll find all kinds of coupon codes. Find one that suits your needs. Let’s say today it’s “10% off, sitewide” (code=SAVE10), or for in-store value, go to http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/2005/11/jc-penney-coupons.html (I just Googled “printable JCPenney coupons”), where you’ll find a printable coupon for $10 discount on $50, $15 discount on $75 and $20 discount on purchases of $100 or more.

3)      Check out the JCP.com outlet and clearance racks for already discounted merchandise. (ie: Landing page patio sale has items up to 60% off.) This could be your triple-dip!

4)      At checkout, use your coupon or promo code (online) and pay with your discounted JC Penney Gift Card or, online, your discounted JC Penney eCODE (at time of writing worth up to 14% off). Also look for free shipping coupons or links.

5)      Your savings could be up to 33-80% of regular retail prices, depending on the deal you choose.

Plastic Jungle gives you bottom-line savings, and with minimum effort, you can compound those savings by double-dipping with a quick “–deals” or “–coupons” search in your favorite search engine.

Happy (Discount) Shopping from all of us deal mavens at Plastic Jungle!

The PJ 10

What were we buying in March? Well, there weren’t any spectaular retail “events” that drove us to specialty stores, so as expected the top three gift card sellers were big box chains offering groceries and fishing supplies and everything in-between. Spring was a bit late late this year, so clearly we were driven to hot, caffeinated coffee, putting Starbucks into our Top 10 Gift Cards in March. And iTunes, with the diversity of media on offer these days, from music to books to TV and movies, proves it’s a great gift card to give and get.

Honorable mentions from March? JC Penney, Pottery Barn, Cabela’s, Barnes & Noble, and Nordstrom.

Salivating over the potential savings at a favorite store? If you’re ready to ditch your unused gift card and trade up to one of the favorites, you can safely and securely SELL or EXCHANGE your gift card on Plastic Jungle, with many different payout and trade options, including an Amazon.com Gift Card, Facebook credits and Paypal account funding.

Top 10 Gift Cards in March, 2011

10 SEARS

Purchase discount Sears Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 9% OFF.

9 KOHL’S

Purchase discount Kohl’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 14% OFF.

8 STARBUCKS

Purchase discount Starbucks Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle — when they come into stock. Set an Alert Now.

7 MACY’S

Purchase discount Macy’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle — when they come into stock. Set an Alert Now.

6 BEST BUY

Purchase discount Best Buy Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 5% OFF.

5 LOWE’S

Purchase discount Lowe’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 7% OFF.

4 iTUNES

Purchase discount iTunes Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 7% OFF.

3 TARGET

Purchase discount Target Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 5% OFF.

2 HOME DEPOT

Purchase discount Home Depot Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 7% OFF.

1 WALMART

Purchase discount Walmart Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle — when they become available. Set an Alert Now.

What’s your favorite gift card of the moment? Something to get ready for spring — sporting goods or travel? Let us know in the comments below.

Rain and snow are behind us (we hope) and it’s time to open up the house, get up to the cabin, and get going on home improvement projects.

What’s on sale at the home improvement stores? If you want to be the first to know about any home improvement promotion, get on the store’s email sale alerts list to receive notifications regularly. Lowe’s has an everyday low price guarantee. Go ahead and “Like” Home Depot on Facebook, and get privy to Friday sales from 50-70% off. Follow @SearsDeals on Twitter, and big-discount flash sales at Sears (think Kenmore appliances and paint and Craftsman tools) are at your fingertips.

On Plastic Jungle, you can set a discounted gift card email notification alert to be emailed as soon as any discount gift card becomes available at the discount you’re looking for.

Click through now to see the percentage off you’ll save on:

Discount Lowe’s Gift Cards |  Discount Home Depot Gift Cards |  Discount Ace Hardware Gift Cards |  Discount Bed, Bath & Beyond Gift Cards |  Discount Restoration Hardware Gift Cards |  Discount Pottery Barn Gift Cards |  Discount Target Gift Cards |  Discount Sears Gift Cards

Angling for Home Improvement Sales

Have you ever thought of Amazon.com for Appliances or Equipment? If not, the Amazon.com Home Improvement and Tools page, flush with thousands of searchable listings, will be an eye-opener. Dishwashers to pressure washers, kitchen fixtures to light fixtures, hardware, storage, even lawn mowers are called up at a great price in a flash. You could actually turn a gift card you’re not using — could even be a chain restaurant gift card — into an Amazon.com Gift Card by exchanging it on Plastic Jungle.

Think about “double-dipping” – that is, buying a gift card at a discount at Plastic Jungle, then purchasing at a sale price or using a rebate. (And maybe even add free shipping for a deal-lover’s trifecta!) You get the deal with the sale price, AND you’ve got an additional deal in your hand with the discounted gift card. For the deal-lover’s trifecta, add a free shipping coupon or promo code to keep costs down.

Do-It-Yourself, Whatever It Is!

Homeowners regularly attempt their own landscaping, painting, and decorating. But installing a toilet? Making your home more secure? Patching drywall? These and hundreds of other projects are detailed, some with video, on Lowe’s Video & Project Center, and at the Home Depot Home Improvement Clubs.

Another source for how-to do it is TV, of course. You can search the archives of HGTV, or the DIY network for ideas, tips, and video to get the job done.

What’s on your home improvement slate? A new entertainment center? Painting the house, inside and out? Creating an outdoor living space to enjoy your new landscape? Let us know in your comments!

Happy Earth Day. What are you doing to save the Earth today?

You may not even have the snow melted out of your driveway yet, but I’m sure you’ve got summer on your mind. For many families, summer camps are being booked this month. Summer road trips and family reunions are starting to pop into the calendar. And surely, one day in the very near future, the Earth will turn and the weather will warm up.

Perhaps because of finances this summer it’s not the whole-Earth-worship trip to Bali you’d hoped for, but a good-ole American road trip. If you’ve got driving on your mind, you’ll need gas and fuel saving tips. See our post on Gas Saving Tips, which includes very pertinent links to the discounted gas cards offered on Plastic Jungle.

And in case you’re looking to ditch your automobile altogether, sell your gas card (or any other gift card with a minimum balance) on Plastic Jungle today.

Get to the Giveaways!

Ms. Veronica’s Mothers Day Giveaway – Mothers Day is coming up soon, and you could win a sweet, handmade collection of Mothers Day gifts to save you from a frantic Sunday morning trip Trader Joe’s ravaged flower department. Ms. Veronica’s has up for grabs a lovely handmade bracelet, hair clip and stationery. Enter by following Ms. Veronica’s blog, plus try out the bonus entries listed on the giveaway post. NOTE: new subscribers also get 20% off their first order! Contest ends April 27, 2011; see entry page for contest details.

Win a Viking 30” Gas or Electric Range – In another nod to Mothers Day (or maybe just improving your cooking skills for home entertaining!) it will take you only a second to follow up on this giveaway. Visit Facebook, “Like” Viking, and enter to win a 30” Viking gas or electric range in your choice of 24 fabulous colors or finishes. Contest ends April 30, 2011; see the Facebook’s official Viking page for official rules and giveaway details.

Thompson’s Deck of Your Dreams Sweepstakes — Maybe your summer will include home entertaining and it’s time for an outdoor upgrade: win a $10,000 prize for a home fix-it. The Thompson’s Company, makers of Thompson’s WaterSeal, has teamed with HGTV/diy Network star Jeff Wilson to help take your visions of a backyard paradise from dream to reality. The winner will receive $10,000 and a personal visit from Jeff Wilson to kick off the planning and design process. Contest ends Oct 1, 2011; see entry page for official rules and details.

Can’t wait to get started on your home do-it-yourself project? Get instant savings when you purchase discounted gift cards to Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Ace Hardware today.

Deadliest Catch Giveaway – If you’re a Deadliest Catch fan, you’re going to be excited to enter the Deadliest Catch Giveaway where the grand prize is an iPad, and there are 40 more Deadliest Catch prizes to win. See the Discovery Channel Store’s Deadliest Catch sweepstakes rules for details. Hurry to enter, giveaway ends April 29, 2011.

Travel Channel’s Win a Trip to Montana Giveaway — Travel Channel and the Montana Office of Tourism are giving away a trip for two to Montana. The winner will choose between a winter adventure and a summer getaway to either Glacier National Park or Yellowstone National Park. Enter to win daily; the more you know about Travel Channel, the better you’ll do. Contest ends April 30, 2011; see the contest’s official rules for details.

Enjoy a great spring day today, and even if you’re a stalwart Earth fan, take the time to put litter in its place today, or walk or bike instead of driving, or put a little more effort into using re-usable coffee cups or mugs, re-usable shopping bags, or think twice about what you need to print.

Happy Weekend!

Image Courtesy of The Go Green Blog

Step by step, a Plastic Jungle fan shows you how to save $100s by combining discounted gift cards, coupons, and rebates.

It is fair to say that most households have wish lists. From house to house, these lists can be as diverse as the inhabitants. You could be pining for fresh electronics (new TV or gaming system), or home improvements or furniture, or maybe a special accessory, such as a pricey designer purse or a pair of shoes. Often, wish lists develop when you move into a new space, as our Plastic Jungle fan, Marcy B., relates.

In her letter, Marcy B. outlines how she went about saving big on renovating her window treatments in her new home. She explains that it wasn’t a matter of combing the Internet, or paging through Val-Pak coupons, but a matter of patience and a small amount of planning.

Thanks to marketing and promotions, all shoppers get the idea that we could save big, but jumping the hurdle to map out the steps can be a stumbling block.

Her letter explains her simple process, step-by-step:

You are welcome, Marcy! : )

Marcy's Living Room Before the New Blinds

Marcy's home with her new blinds. Success at a discount!

As it turns out, Marcy is also a guest contributor for a parenting site: MamaModerne.com, and she wrote up her story as an article, “Saving Big on Big Purchases”. Check it out for more details on how to save when it comes time to pull out that wishlist.

What’s on your wishlist?

Consider the following categories. When you’re dealing with a wishlist, it’s OK to be greedy. Writing out what you want might help you prioritize your wants and needs. (Well, that sounds like another blog post!)

Consumer Electronics: get gift cards from Best Buy, Kohl’s, Target, Walmart, Sony Style, Apple Store, Office Depot, Staples, JCPenney

Home Improvement: get gift cards from Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target, Bloomingdale’s

Furniture: get gift cards from Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma Home, JCPenney, Macy’s, Walmart, west elm, CB2

Designer Apparel & Accessories: Zappo’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Bergdorf-Goodman, Tiffany & Co., Burberry, Coach

Pick up any of the above gift cards on Plastic Jungle’s Buy Gift Cards page.

Get thinking, and let us know if you’ve got any strategies for saving with discount gift cards.

February saw the Superbowl, the Oscars, Valentine’s Day, and Presidents’ Day all packed into a few short weeks. Plus, a few frozen moments across the country kept shoppers inside and online, no doubt.

Many of the usual favorite gift cards showed up in February’s Top Ten, plus a very conspicuous hanger-on at #11, giving hope to all girlfriends, wives, and mothers out there for something a little more than a card.

I’m thinking the bridal business might be busy this year, because TIFFANY & CO came in at #11 on the sales chart. (Right now, there are no discounted Tiffany & Co gift cards for sale on Plastic Jungle. You can set a Tiffany & Co alert to be notified via email when gift cards become available.)

Where did lingerie retailer VICTORIA’S SECRET land during the month for love? Still in the top 50, at #28, but well behind #9, CABELA’S.

10 JCPENNEY

Purchase discount JCPenney Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 14% Off.

9 CABELA’S

Purchase discount Cabela’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently up to 12% off.

8 BARNES & NOBLE

Purchase discount Barnes & Noble Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 9% Off.

7 KOHL’S

Purchase discount Kohl’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 14% Off.

6 MACY’S

Purchase discount Macy’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle — when they come into stock. Set an Alert Now.

5 LOWE’S

Purchase discount Lowe’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 7% Off.

4 WALMART

Purchase discount Walmart Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 3% Off.

3 BEST BUY

Purchase discount Best Buy Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 6% Off.

2 TARGET

Purchase discount Target Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 3% Off.

1 HOME DEPOT

Purchase discount Home Depot Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 7% Off.

Ready to ditch your unused gift card and trade up to one of the favorites? You can safely and securely SELL your gift card on Plastic Jungle, with many different payout options.

What’s your favorite gift card of the moment? Something to get ready for spring — sporting goods or travel? Let us know in the comments below.

Saving money is not always easy. Many of us have to weigh a cost of time : benefit ratio. It’s got to be simple, foolproof, and secure. We do our best to make the gift card-swap process as easy as it can be. Plus, Plastic Jungle offers a few ways to redeem your gift card. You can exchange your unused gift card for an Amazon.com Gift Card; for cold, hard cash; to fund a PayPal account; and you can even exchange your gift card for Facebook Credits.

More stores are taking PayPal as a method of payment on their websites. For example, the Abercrombie & Fitch network of clothing stores that also includes Hollister Co., and Gilly Hicks. While you can’t use the same gift card to pay at all three sites, you can use a PayPal account as payment at checkout at each of these stores. It becomes really efficient to exchange a gift card for instant PayPal account funding on Plastic Jungle and check out at Hollister in the same day you make the gift card swap.

Other online merchants who accept PayPal as payment include: Sears, Walmart, Best Buy, eBay, newegg.com, Delta Airlines, 1800Flowers.com, Zappos and many more. The PayPal Store Directory will give you a complete list of retailers who accept PayPal for payment.

Check the Plastic Jungle “Sell Gift Cards” page to see what the exchange value will be for your unused gift card.

Plastic Jungle’s Top 10 Gift Cards for January 2011 (in reverse order)

10. iTunes (down from #4 in December)

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted iTunes Gift Cards >>

9. Nordstrom

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Nordstrom Gift Cards >>

8. Kohl’s

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Kohl’s Gift Cards >>

7. Apple Store

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Apple Store Gift Cards >>

6. Macy’s (down from #2 in December)

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Macy’s Gift Cards >>

5. Best Buy (up from #9 in December)

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Best Buy Gift Cards Now

4. Lowe’s (up from #10 in December)

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Lowe’s Gift Cards >>

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Target Gift Cards >>

2. Home Depot (up from #5 in December)

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Home Depot Gift Cards >>

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Walmart Gift Cards >>

View gift cards you loved in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, Fall 2010, and December 2010.

Here’s this week’s roundup of the web’s hot sweepstakes and giveaways.

The NFL matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers is a classic made in NFL Heaven. Luckily they are not playing at Lambeau, outdoors in the snow, because I think the sight of everyone having to shovel off their seat would put most of the Northeast into an even deeper depression. Well, if you need a shovel at a good price, check out our stock of discounted Home Depot Gift Cards… at the moment, purchase one at 7% off face value!

I digress. Let’s cheer you up.

Hooters Retaurants Big Game Giveaway on Sunday, February 6th. That’s right, that’s Super Bowl Sunday: just show up to Hooters and watch the big game, and you can enter to win a Sharp 42” LCD HDTV that will be given away during the game. Each Hooters Restaurant location has a TV to give away. When you’re at the restaurant just sign up to enter. Contest ends right after the Super Bowl on 2/6/2011. Check rules and details at Hooters restaurants.

Get discounted Hooters Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle >>>

Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco

Win a $450 Gary Danko Gift Card offered by Bloomspot.com. If you’re too mature for Hooters, San Francisco “experience” peddler Bloomspot.com is calling your name by offering up a meal at one of the country’s finest dining establishments: Restaurant Gary Danko. Just follow the link and enter your information – you can enter by listing with Bloomspot or not; read carefully. You’ll need to be in San Francisco to enjoy it, but prepare to be spoiled with a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience featuring New American cuisine perfectly served. Bloomspot offers experiences in New York, Boston, Miami, and more. Contest ends January 28, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time; check official rules for details.

Get to San Fransisco on discounted American Airlines Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle >>>

Get to San Fransisco on discounted JetBlue Airlines Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle >>>

The HGTV Dream Home 2011 Giveaway. Enjoy all Seasons in Stowe, Vermont.

Enter twice per day — once on HGTV.com and once on FrontDoor.com — for your chance to win the luxuriously furnished HGTV Dream Home 2011, plus a new 2011 GMC Acadia Denali and $500,000. Enter Through February 18, 2011, at 5 p.m. EST. Check Contest Rules for details on prizes and terms and conditions.

Don’t be jealous of that exquisite vacation home, spiff up your own (or get that shovel) with discounted Home Depot Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle >>>

Hopefully this diverse and exciting set of giveaways gets you happy and ready for the weekend. While you’re watching, let us know what everyone’s favorite play of the game was. Here’s to it being a Packer play… ; ) OK… Here’s to a great Super Bowl game in Dallas on Sunday, and let there be plenty of guacamole to go around.