Spending money to get a discount on something sounds kind of odd, but lots of people are doing it through new websites. Basically you're buying a coupon that ends up saving you cash.
Vicki Powers knows how to get a good deal. It's her business. Powers writes the blog Houston on the Cheap and she's been watching the so called group buy sites with interest.
"Sometimes they are so attractive, you can't not buy them," Powers told us. "It's kind of fun to look at all of the sites and see what they offer."
We're talking deals 50 to 90% off the original price. Sites like the popular Groupon and LivingSocial want your email address so they can send you daily deals. The deals range from salon discounts, photography, food to even pole dancing classes. If you want the offer you must buy the deal, most of the time within 24 hours.
So why do businesses participate? They dangle the discounts to get you through their door. But experts say consumers need to be alert.
"The problem is sometimes these small businesses might not be able to handle the demand if they are a one or two person shop and 1,500 people buy it," Powers warned. "How do you schedule your salon service?"
The sites have been so successful, that new ones are popping up all the time. For example, Houston Coupon Deals is one of the latest sites just for the Bayou City. It doesn't limit you to just one daily deals like many of the sites out there.
"We just have about every category and we are looking for more," managing partner of the site Amberly Allen said. "We have salons, we have boutiques, we have spas [and] all kinds of different things."
Allen points out her site lets shoppers donate 10% of their purchase towards a charitable cause.
- So if you want to join the world of group buying, experts say do your research. Make sure the business you are buying a deal from is credible.
- Watch the expiration dates on the deals you buy. You might only have a few weeks to use it.
- And like everything else, always read the fine print. Make sure you understand how your particular site works in case you run into a problem.
Here is a list of some of the sites Powers told us about:
http://www.groupon.com
http://livingsocial.com/
http://www.houstoncoupondeals.com/
http://www.citydeals.com/
http://www.plumdistrict.com/
http://www.buywithme.com/houston
http://www.mytableentree.com/
http://www.idinedeals.com/houston/
http://www.dailydealster.com/houston
http://www.mydailydeals.com/houston
http://deals.villagevoice.com/houston
http://www.getgrouby.com/houston
http://houstononthecheap.com/
Vicki Powers knows how to get a good deal. It's her business. Powers writes the blog Houston on the Cheap and she's been watching the so called group buy sites with interest.
"Sometimes they are so attractive, you can't not buy them," Powers told us. "It's kind of fun to look at all of the sites and see what they offer."
We're talking deals 50 to 90% off the original price. Sites like the popular Groupon and LivingSocial want your email address so they can send you daily deals. The deals range from salon discounts, photography, food to even pole dancing classes. If you want the offer you must buy the deal, most of the time within 24 hours.
So why do businesses participate? They dangle the discounts to get you through their door. But experts say consumers need to be alert.
"The problem is sometimes these small businesses might not be able to handle the demand if they are a one or two person shop and 1,500 people buy it," Powers warned. "How do you schedule your salon service?"
The sites have been so successful, that new ones are popping up all the time. For example, Houston Coupon Deals is one of the latest sites just for the Bayou City. It doesn't limit you to just one daily deals like many of the sites out there.
"We just have about every category and we are looking for more," managing partner of the site Amberly Allen said. "We have salons, we have boutiques, we have spas [and] all kinds of different things."
Allen points out her site lets shoppers donate 10% of their purchase towards a charitable cause.
- So if you want to join the world of group buying, experts say do your research. Make sure the business you are buying a deal from is credible.
- Watch the expiration dates on the deals you buy. You might only have a few weeks to use it.
- And like everything else, always read the fine print. Make sure you understand how your particular site works in case you run into a problem.
Here is a list of some of the sites Powers told us about:
http://www.groupon.com
http://livingsocial.com/
http://www.houstoncoupondeals.com/
http://www.citydeals.com/
http://www.plumdistrict.com/
http://www.buywithme.com/houston
http://www.mytableentree.com/
http://www.idinedeals.com/houston/
http://www.dailydealster.com/houston
http://www.mydailydeals.com/houston
http://deals.villagevoice.com/houston
http://www.getgrouby.com/houston
http://houstononthecheap.com/
