After testing out new programs and policies in November and December during the holiday season, a few retailers choose to hold on to the more successful ones.

One of those retailers, Target, announced Jan. 8 that it will offer year-round price matching with online retailers.

According to Target spokeswoman Jenna Reck, “We learned a lot from the Holiday Price Match, and applied those insights to the development of this new, yearlong program.”

Now, shoppers can look forward to matching prices from Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com and Toysrus.com (or Babiesrus.com) any time they choose. Additionally, Target will match prices from its own website, which runs special promotions from time to time.

To read the rest of this column, click here.

If you remember to take advantage of them, price matching programs can save  you a lot of money. Stores like Sears and Lowes have offered price matching for years. Other stores offer the service seasonally, which is what Target has done in the past.

  However, things are changing. Target recently released information about its new Low Price Promise  price matching program.

Here’s what the retailer says about the new policy:
“If you buy a qualifying item at a Target store then find the identical item for less in the following week’s Target weekly ad or within seven days at Target.com, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com, ToysRUs.com, BabiesRUs.com or in a competitor’s local printed ad, we’ll match the price. Price match may be requested at Guest Services prior to your purchase with proof of current lower price or by bringing in your original Target store receipt and proof of the current lower price.”

The most important thing to note is the offer to price match websites. Very few retailers will price match anything outside of a printed ad. With the variety of barcode scanning apps available these days, lower prices are literally at your finger tips.
It’s also nice that they will match the price within seven days of purchase, plus you can still use coupons in addition to the price match.

How do you feel about the new policy? Are you more likely to shop at a retailer who offers price matching?

This week is the cut-off for many companies for guaranteed shipping by Christmas. Also, today is Free Shipping Day. There are over 1,000 retailers offering free shipping and you’ll get these orders by Christmas Eve. Some of the retailers participating include: Kohl’s, Oriental Trading Company, Land’s End, Office Max, Best Buy, Gander Mountain and more. Many of these stores will also be offering special discounts in addition to free shipping.

Now, below you’ll find some of the most important dates if you have other gifts you’d like to arrive by Christmas.

According to the USPS website:
*The cut-off for most Express Mail Military Service is today. Some cut-offs have already passed.
*The cut-off for most international shipping (Express and Global Express) is between today and Dec. 20, depending on where you’re shipping to. Some cut-offs have already passed.
As for Domestic shipping:
* Dec. 20 is the cut-off for First-Class Mail Service
*Dec. 21 is the cut-off for Priority Mail Service
*Dec. 22 is the cut-off for Express Mail® Service (Some Express Mail destinations may have extended service commitments)
*Dec. 19 is the cut-off for Destination Network Distribution Center (DNDC) Drop Ship
*Dec. 21 is the cut-off for Destination Delivery Unit (DDU) Drop Ship
*The cut-off for Parcel Post Service has already passed.

UPS:
* Dec. 21: Normal pickup and delivery service for air, international and ground packages.
UPS Next Day Air packages picked-up today will arrive Monday, Dec. 24. UPS 2nd Day Air packages picked-up today
will arrive Wednesday, Dec. 26.
* Dec. 22: Delivery of UPS Worldwide Express, UPS Next Day Air and UPS 2nd Day Air packages processed and labeled for Saturday Delivery. Pick-up service available for air and international packages only.
* Dec. 24: Normal delivery service for air, international and ground packages.
Pick-up service provided to scheduled pick-up account customers for air and international shipments if prearranged by Friday, Dec. 21. UPS On-Call Pick-up service and all UPS Drop Boxes also are available for air and international
packages to all customers.

FedEx:
* Dec. 17: Last day to ship FedEx Ground and Home Delivery
* Dec. 19: Last day to ship FedEx Express Saver
* Dec. 20: Last day to ship 2Day
* Dec. 21: Last day to ship overnight

Other popular retailers that you may have ordered from have these deadlines:
Toys R Us:
*Dec. 18 is the last day to order using standard shipping
*Dec. 19 is the last day to order using expedited shipping
*Dec. 21 is that last day to order using express shipping
*Free store pick-up will remain available through Dec. 24

Amazon:
*Gift cards (that come with a nifty gift box) will be available with free one-day shipping through Dec. 22
*Dec. 18 is the last day to order with free Super Saver shipping
*Dec. 19 is the last day to order with standard shipping
*Dec. 20 is the last full day to order with two-day shipping
*Dec. 21 will offer two-day shipping through 7 p.m. and is the last full day to order with one-day shipping
* Dec. 22 will offer one-day shipping through 3 p.m.
*Dec. 23 has local express delivery available when possible

Target:
* The last day to receive Seasonal Shipping is Dec. 19.

 Walmart:
* Dec. 19: Last day to order using the “homefree,” site to store and standard shipping options.
* Dec. 20: Last day to order using expedited shipping.
* Dec. 21: Last day to order using rush shipping.
* Dec. 22-24: Items with same day store pick-up will be available.
* Dec. 24: Items labeled “as soon as today” that are ordered by noon will be available for pick-up before 6 p.m.

I’ve already told you about the mobile baby coupons Target offers, and now they have another way to save: mobile health coupons.

Just text HEALTH to 827-438 to start receiving the coupons.

The offers I received in my first text include:
* 50 cents off Vicks Nature Fusion cough and cold relief item
* 50 cents of Pepto-Bismol digestive relief item
* $1 off Nature Made vitamins or dietary supplements
* $1 off Tylenol Cold multi-symptom relief item
* 50 cents off ZzzQuil sleep aid
* $4 off Abreva cold sore treatment
* $1 off Mucinex cough and cold relief
* $1 off three 30- or 40- count Hall’s cough drops
* $1.50 off Vicks DayQuil or NyQuil cough and cold relief item

The first batch of coupons expires on Nov. 3.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when you’re using mobile coupons: They CAN be combined with manufacturer coupons. So double up when you can and save big!

Are cards worth the cost to you? I love finding a greeting card that's just right, but I love saving money on them even more.

After a recent column about the quirky things we all do to save a buck, I received multiple messages from readers about greeting cards. I personally love finding the perfect card for an occasion, but I do hate the cost involved. It’s common to find individual cards for $5 or more these days.

A reader named Michelle from Bedford lets her son draw her greeting cards. She wrote, “My son Jared age 10 enjoys drawing things on homemade cards that he knows is their favorite things to cheer them up or bring a smile. This past Mother’s Day he drew a card with butterflies since he knows butterflies are my favorite. He also likes to use construction paper to cut out designs and glue on the paper. It can be a fun together project as well.”

One reader had a humorous trick to share.

Jeri from Roanoke wrote, “I buy two cards at the Dollar Tree for each birthday, anniversary, Valentine. Since they lay them down and don’t pick them up, I take them and put them in an envelope. Then on that day, I give them one of them, then the next year, I give them the other one. Then put that one away. So each year they get a card from the year before and they never remember getting it. If they do, I just say oh I didn’t remember that, I just liked that card. You can keep doing this year after year.”

That’s one way to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Andrea of Fincastle has a special tradition with her husband on their anniversary: “My hubby and I do not exchange gifts to celebrate our wedding anniversary, but we do like to exchange anniversary cards. However, the price of greeting cards (the really nice, sentimental Hallmark-like cards) is really outrageous. So for last 20 years or so on our 8/16 anniversary, we have made our annual trip to Wal-Mart where we each search diligently to find the perfect card with the exact sentiment we wish to convey. My hubby’s goal is to bring tears to my eyes, which he has on more than one occasion. After we read one another’s chosen card, we simply put the cards back on the rack and walk away. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, HONEY!!” she wrote.

If none of these solutions strikes your fancy, try out some of these tips:

* CVS, Target and Walgreens frequently provide coupons or run promotions on greeting cards. Sign up for Target’s mobile coupons and check out their website for printable coupons on cards. It’s also possible to break even by earning Extra Bucks or Register Rewards after the purchase from CVS and Walgreens.

* Hallmark and American Greetings provide coupons and promotions of their own from time to time. I’m a member of Hallmark Gold Crown Rewards and regularly receive coupons in the mail offering dollars off a purchase or free cards with purchase. Both card companies also post printable coupons on their Facebook pages and websites periodically.

* If you’re all about digital communication, there are tons of resources for free eCards. Evite by American Greetings is one of the most popular sites. It allows you to pick from a wide variety of invitations and greeting cards that can be sent with personalized messages. If you’re sending out invitations, the recipients can reply with yes, no or maybe and include a personal message for the host. Most digital options are free and you get to skip postage costs, making them especially attractive.

* Those of you with nice printers may be interested in print-at-home options. If you’re sending out 20 or more cards, the cost of ink can be a factor. But if you have a lone birthday card to send, this could work for you. American Greetings and Blue Mountain are two popular resources for pre-designed printables, but there are many other sites that also print cards. Etsy also offers various print-at-home options.

After graduating from college, I used cardstock and matching envelopes to create my own printable graduation party invitations. I chose a color I liked and designed my text on Microsoft Word. The process was simple, and with coupons regularly available for stores like Michaels, AC Moore and Joann Fabric, it was also inexpensive. If you’d like to add a little more flair to plain card stock, consider framing it with scrapbook paper or cutouts. All of these products can be found on clearance on a regular basis.

* It’s also possible to get free professionally printed cards. Websites such as Shutterfly, Cardstore, Snapfish, Treat and Tiny Prints regularly hold promotions offering free cards to new and current members. Each website also gives the user the power of personalization — choose your own text or add a photo. This option takes a little more research. Some sites require you to order select cards in bulk. Or if you want a free card, you’ll have to hunt for a promotion code.

* If you’re looking for something more instantaneous, photo postcards from stores such as Walgreens, CVS and Walmart can be a bargain if you seek out promotion codes or coupons. Each store regularly has promotions for online orders, which is very convenient if you have your photos uploaded to your computer, but there are also weekly deals in each store’s ad as well.

How do you save on greeting cards? Share your tips and tricks!

Here’s a roundup of some new money-saving tips that might lead you to major bargains:

RedPlum, one of the coupon booklets inserted in Sunday newspapers, has provided printable coupons on its website for quite some time. But the coupons online and the coupons in print are often different.

Recently, RedPlum started offering their Sunday coupon booklets in an eBook online. There is a print limit to the coupons, though, so try to access them as early as possible on Sunday mornings. This will be especially handy for any household that doesn’t regularly receive RedPlum with their paper. To try out the new site, visit ebook.redplum.com.

I’ve had a couple of great experiences at Kohl’s recently that led to big savings. On one visit, the saleswoman gladly scanned a coupon from my smartphone when I realized I had forgotten to print it out. On a second trip, I was able to combine a sale price, a $5-off coupon and $10 in Kohl’s Cash — I ended up saving more than $30 on a single purchase.

So now you know, always remember to stack those coupons at Kohl’s. You can combine two dollar-off coupons or a dollar-off coupon and a percentage-off coupon.

Here are some other ways you may not realize you can save at Kohl’s:

If you come within $2 of the Kohl’s Cash criteria (you spend $48 of the required $50), the retailer will round up and reward you with your $10 Kohl’s Cash.

If you forget to include a promo code in an online order, call (855-564-5705) or email (http://bit.ly/oDVF5U) customer service and they will adjust the price of your order for you. You are allowed two promo codes per online order.

CVS has gone mobile. Download the free CVS/pharmacy app for iPhone or Android and you can use your smartphone in place of your ExtraCare card at the register. Up until now, it was not in CVS’ policy to scan coupons from smartphones and you could not access your ExtraCare Card barcode from your smartphone. Now both can be scanned from a phone at the register.

Additionally, you can access your account to view your ExtraBucks rewards and any other savings. You also can send any available coupons directly to your card and skip the printer.

If you use the pharmacy for your prescriptions, there’s also a tool where you can scan your medications to request a refill. After scanning, you will have the opportunity to select a time and location to pickup your medication.

This is the most useful app I’ve downloaded in a long time.

Many shoppers are aware that Target offers store coupons online, but did you know they also offer manufacturer coupons?

Mixed in with the store coupons you’ll find manufacturer coupons available for printing. This is a great opportunity to find coupons that may have reached their print limit on other coupon sites. The major downside is that you can’t tell which coupons are manufacturer coupons and which are store coupons until they are printed. Either way, you could end up saving a lot.

Target will accept one manufacturer’s coupon and one store coupon for a product, so start stacking. There also are coupons available for apparel, accessories and other products throughout the store.

If you have a smartphone, I would also suggest signing up for text alerts and coupons. Target will send you new coupons every couple of weeks for products in each department, even apparel. Just have the cashier scan the barcode on your phone at checkout to get the savings.

To sign up for text alerts, visit http://www.target.comand click the icon labeled Target Mobile. On the following screen you’ll see an area to enter your cellphone number, time zone and preferred delivery time.

How are you saving an extra buck these days?

Sign up now for your summer Target Beauty Bag.

Target has just opened registration for its summer Beauty Bags. If you haven’t signed up for one of these in the past, I suggest you do so — they’re great!

After you sign up (be patient, the page is loading very slow), you’ll receive a small cosmetic bag in the mail filled with samples. In the past, there have also been store coupons included. These coupons were awesome because they could be stacked with manufacturer coupons.

To sign up and get more information, visit the TargetStyle Facebook page.

Most of the time when we hear the phrase “buyer incentives,” it’s related to large purchases such as a house or a car. For those bigger investments, you sometimes can get a tax break, a special deal on your loan or some sort of cash back reward for making payments early. But flip through retail ads today and you’ll see that stores are offering buyer incentives on just about anything.

Sometimes, however, it means the buyer spends more upfront.

I don’t know anyone who would argue with a sale price. But when it comes to having to buy a product to save in the long run, things get tricky.

For example, both Kohl’s and CVS are popular retailers in our area who offer their own store rewards for select purchases.

Kohl’s offers Kohl’s Cash throughout the year when shoppers spend a certain amount. After the cash is earned, shoppers can return at a later date to use the “cash” on future purchases.

CVS has a similar deal. Shoppers earn Extra Bucks for spending a certain amount on selected products each week. These “bucks” can be used in future shopping trips.

If you are a regular shopper at a store that offers these incentives, they can be very rewarding. I’m in a cycle of shopping at CVS because I prefer to make short shopping trips when what I need is on sale as opposed to big Walmart trips. Even though the normal prices at CVS are higher than those at Walmart, I save 50 percent to 75 percent on each shopping trip thanks to my coupons and Extra Bucks.

However, if you’re enticed to pick up a product at one of these stores because of the rewards you receive with a purchase even though you rarely shop there, think twice. For retailers, part of the appeal of these incentives is that many shoppers will forget to use their rewards or not bother to return. Then you really haven’t gotten a deal at all.

Similar promotions also can be found at Target, which regularly offers free gift cards with selected purchases. The plus side to receiving a gift card with purchase is that it won’t expire like store “cash,” which usually is valid for only a month or less.

Then there is the best kind of incentive, which most of us see as an old-fashioned sale. For many shoppers, there’s not much better than a sign that reads “buy one, get one free.” The free product is indeed an incentive, but the reward is immediate.

Similar deals include “buy one at regular price, get one for a dollar,” or “buy one, get one half-off.” You may not have thought of these purchases as incentives in the past, but it’s important to start doing so to really see the value in what you’re buying.

Do you have a preference when shopping? Are you often enticed by rewards after purchase, or have you been burned by them in the past?