There are plenty of people today looking for ways to save money while still looking great.  This does not just apply to the clothing they are wearing, but also to the accessories they carry to finish off their outfits.  You can spend a lot of money in a hurry outfitting yourself if you are not careful.  Dropping hundred dollar bills is nothing anymore for some people.

For people who do still have to keep track of money a little bit more closely, you might want to consider going vintage.  Some people may think of “vintage” as just another term for something used or old.  If that is the case, they are missing out on the opportunity to find some truly great older merchandise.  If you have ever cleaned out a closet or an attic and found something that you forgot about owning, it may be vintage and it may be worth some money as well.  Vintage has turned into quite a nice little market, which makes selling and buying vintage a win/win situation for both parties involved.

Who would want to buy vintage items?  Well, people with an appreciation for older styles or people who like to avoid being like everyone else for starters.  The styles available are endless when you open yourself to considering more than just the latest fashions.  The irony is that people who use vintage items are often considered trendsetters for going against the grain.  Actually, they might just be trying to save a buck.  People buy things like vintage leather briefcases because they hold up well to abuse and because in most cases, they have been relatively well maintained during the years since they were manufactured.  They also usually sell for very reasonable prices on sites like eBay.

Other people search out vintage items as a way to make their home decor stand out.  In this area, everything old really is new again.  Popular collectibles like green depression glass are a great way to add a retro touch to your decor on the cheap.  If you are looking to save money, vintage is something that you really should check out.

When shopping for and using a reward card, be mindful of your average annual spending levels (that is, the average amount you charge on a card during a year). Some reward cards offer reduced rebates if cardholders don’t reach annual spending thresholds.

When estimating your annual spending level, pull out last year’s card statements and total what you spent, or at least look at your average monthly spending for the past
three months and multiply by four. If you’ve never used a credit card, you can get a good picture of your spending level by determining what items in your monthly budget
can be charged on a card. If checks have been your main form of payment, take a look at your check register.

Similarly, most cards require that you accumulate a certain number of points before you can redeem them. And a few cards offer more generous rebates if you let your reward points grow and don’t cash in your points at the lowest point redemption level.

A good real-life example of this is the Chase Freedom Card, which I mentioned earlier. It allows you to earn a “$50 check once you’ve earned $50 in rewards.” However, as an added incentive, if you save up $200 in rewards, you can redeem them for $250 cash back. That’s right. You can earn a 25% cash-back bonus just by choosing a higher point redemption level—and of course, continuing to charge on that card!
Knowing how many points are required for the rewards you’re most interested in—and how much you have to spend to reach a desired point level—is crucial if you want to get the max from your reward card.

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Keep your eyes out for offers that come in the mail. My wife and I are currently taking advantage of an exclusive postal offer we received on one of our existing Chase cards. It’s designed for people like us who routinely charge quite a bit—in our case, we have five kids and tend to charge more than the average family. Once we charge $24,000 on the card during 2008, $500 will be credited to our account. We automatically get another $500 if our annual spending reaches $48,000. The total will be $1,000 cash-back (which translates into an amazing overall rebate of 2.08%)—easy money don’t you think?

Watch closely for offers like this that come in the mail because this was a mail solicitation only. It’s also proof of how badly issuers want to keep our business. In this case, we hadn’t used the card in a long time. Needless to say, I was delighted to do business with Chase again!