Making the most of "Holiday Promotions" for your man!

For the holidays we see all kinds of promotions, some legitimate and some ... well let's say a little sketchy!

Depending upon what you are searching for one can be somewhat overwelmed when trying to figure out the good, the bad, and the ugly with holiday promotions. We're not talking about the Walmarts and the Targets and the Best Buys ... one can pretty easily discern if the iPad is on sale or not. But what about shopping for a clothes item that is a little out of the ordinary or a woman's purse or maybe a men's wedding band? How does one compare and make an informed decision? How do we really get what we are paying for and not led down the proverbial primrose path?

For starters it pays to decide if one is searching for the best price or the best value. What's the difference you might ask? We have found that price alone is sometimes very misleading. You can go online and find a men's tungsten carbide ring for $30.00 on eBay. It looks like the real thing and is priced right. It might even come with a warranty but that is doubtful. So what is the difference betwen that particular ring and one that sells for hundreds more? Here is where value comes into play.

A $30.00 ring has certain enticing benefits - not the least of which is price. Maybe all you need is a "beater ring" for tough outside jobs that might destory a custom KOA inlay ring that sells for hundreds. Maybe replacing this $30.00 ring every year or two is OK by your standards. It gets a little worn and beat up and so you just spend another $20.00 or $30.00 dollars and a new one shows up at the door. In this case it truly might be the best price and the best value if this reasoning meets your current needs. Lose the ring? No problem, get a new one. Broken? No problem, you can come up with another 30 bucks.

Now let's look at a different scenario. You are buying for that special man in your life. You know what he likes. He drives a Porsche, he wears designer jeans, and he goes to his favorite haircutter at least every 2 weeks. He loves fine dining and fine clothes and he is alsovery particular about his image overall. A $30.00 eBay ring? I don't think so.

You are probably looking at a $400-1,000.00 band with either exotic inlays if not genuine diamonds. Best value? Lies in the eyes of the beholder in this case. Look at the image below, this is a Titanium ring with exotic wood inlay that sells for over $500.00. It is available in in virtually any size and color of wood that you might want. Best value? Might be to the gentleman we just described. Best value if one wants a beater ring to work with in the garden? Probably not as exotic inlay rings do not fair well when abused. In fact they can chip or break when wet unless they are specially treated with a water repellant.

Bottom line, when shopping a few pointers:

1. Know the peson well who is receiving the gift

2. Shop at reputable stores - have they been in business long or just opened their doors?

3. Shop around - do you need to make the decision today or can you look aroung and educate yourself first?

4. Ask a friend or a loved one - someone you can trust - they might be able to give you invaluable advice and help cut through the price versus value decision

5. And sometimes you just feel that it is the right decision. Go with yoru instincts. Trust yourself. Chances are you made the right decision.

Happy Holidays!