Andrew’s Blazer Battle - How a $450 J.Crew Blazer Became $225
Welcome to Saving Money with Andrew!
It was late on a Saturday evening, near closing time at our local J. Crew. I needed a blazer. We were with our two kids and in a hurry to leave, but when I got to the register the blazer I found rang up at $450. Full price, and far more than I wanted to pay.
And so I sprang into action. First, I asked the cashier if there were any discounts. He said sorry, but this one was full price. I started to get stressed, but my wife (thinking quickly!) asked if they would match any online pricing. He hesitated, and I looked on my phone and found a 25% coupon for jcrew.com. In a stage whisper, I told my wife that I’d rather buy the blazer there, but for a discount like that we’d have to buy it online.[1]
A slightly awkward silence ensued, and the cashier checked the register again. All of a sudden, the blazer rang up at 50% off for a $225 savings in two minutes! With our kids getting antsy, we headed home with a very nice savings win.
The moral of the story? As I’ve written about before, asking nicely can sometimes yield great savings. And also, realize that at most chain clothing stores, almost everything is at least a little bit negotiable. The blazer fits really well, by the way!
And now, Andrew’s pick(s) of the week:
Can the U.S. Put an End to Surprise Ambulance Bills? is a classic story of injustice. In 2020, Congress banned most surprise medical bills except for ambulance rides, for no clear reason. The story talks about a big issue (who should pay for expensive ambulance rides?) from the perspective of a very sympathetic patient hit with a $7,370.45 surprise bill for a 30 mile ambulance ride despite having paid up for good health insurance.
Here’s Why a New York City Lobster Roll (With Fries!) Costs $32
Have You Checked Your Mailbox Today? Neither Has Anyone Else
Will the Tie Ever Make a Comeback? No.
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[1] As it turns out, J.Crew will generally match online offers in-store, and offers price adjustments for full-priced items if you find it for less within seven days of your original purchase. It’s a good strategy (for most stores) to look up the item on your phone in-store before going to the cash register.