Creative Ways To Buy At Half Price
以半价买东西的创意新招

One saying that has stuck with me through the years: “A dollar saved is worth two dollars earned.”
有一个我一直铭记的名言那就是：“节省一美元相当挣得2美元。”
 
It simply means that after paying income tax, payroll tax, sales tax, etc., that out of every two dollars you earn, you are left with about one dollar to spend.
简单来说就是在付完所得税，薪金税，销售税等所有的税收之后，你挣得的两美元只有一美元是自己的。

If you want to save money this year, you can go out and earn more, or you can use the six tips below to buy the things you want for less.
如果你今年想存钱的话，你可以出去挣更多的钱，也可以用以下省钱六招：

1.Make It Your Job
让省钱成为你份内的事情

Look at what you spend over the course of a year on clothes and household items. Suppose that number is $10,000. Make it your job this year to buy whatever you are going to buy, but for half the price. If you save $5,000, that's like earning an extra $415 per month.
检查一下你每年花在衣服和家庭用品上的开销吧，假设是1万美金的话，那么，尽到自己最大的努力以一半的价格去购买你想要的所有东西。如果你剩下5，000美金的话，就相当于每个月多挣了415美金。

2.Ask And You Shall Receive
问问自己你是否该接受

Call me a fool, but for years I did not know you could barter with retail stores on major purchases.
叫我傻瓜吧，因为好几年来我一直都不知道在零售店里买东西的时候可以和店主杀价。

One day I went shopping with a good friend of mine, and watched her negotiate her way to lower prices on everything. It was an eye-opening experience. I realized that most of the time, all you have to do is ask.
直到有一天，我和一个好朋友一起去买东西，看到她以自己的方式对任何商品都进行杀价。这次经历让我大开眼界。我因此认识到，大都数情况下你需要做的就是开口问问。

It’s the people who don’t ask that pay full price.
而那些付全价购买的人通常都是那些不会问的人。

3.Shop Consignment and Save
二手市场帮你省钱

Just about every piece of furniture in my house was bought from a consignment store. Why pay the high price of new?
几乎我家里的所有的家具都是从旧物寄卖店买来的。为什么要花高价去购买新的呢？

Consignment stores can be a great way to find practically new stuff at a fraction of the price. The best things to find deals on at consignment stores: furniture and designer clothes. Scout out the stores in the nicest neighborhoods, and you’ll often find things that were never used at all.
在旧物寄卖店里，你可以用很低的价格买到几乎全新的东西。在二手市场可以找到的最划算的东西有：家具，名牌服装。在离家最近的商店里去挑一挑吧，或许你会发现全新的物品。

4.Shop Online: Use Ebay and Craigslist
在线购物：用Ebay 或 Craigslist购物

Once you’ve found a brand you like, check online before you buy. I’ve been known to try on my favorite jeans at department stores, figure out what size works, than buy them on Ebay for almost nothing. I’ve found $300 jeans for $20 before.
如果你想买一个自己喜欢的品牌的话，在买之前先上网看看。许多人都知道我为了买一条自己最喜欢的牛仔裤，先到百货商场去试好大小，然后在易趣上以很低的价格买下来。有一次我发现一条商场卖300美元的牛仔裤在网上只卖20美元。

I like Ebay for smaller, lower ticket items.
我喜欢在易趣上买价格便宜的小东西。

For larger items, that you can pick up locally, Craigslist is great. You can find deals on washers and dryers, mattresses, furniture, lawn mowers and much, much more.
而对于那些你可以在当地提货的大件物品，Craigslist是最佳的选择。你可以在上面买到洗衣机，烘干机，床垫，家具，割草机及其他更多东西。

Be prepared to ask questions of the seller, and when you go visit the merchandise, don’t be afraid to walk away if it’s not what you want. In addition, reread tip #2 and make sure you ask them if they’ll take less!
准备好向卖家询问，然后当你看到商品后，如果不想买，要有走开的勇气。另外，再读一下第2条，确定你有和他们杀价。

5.Patience Pays Off: Bide Your Time And Save
耐心等待回报：付出时间，节约了成本

Create a watch list, essentially a wish list of items you want at half price. Develop a routine of checking in with the stores to see if your items are on sale. 
创建一份表格，列出一份你想要半价购买的所有物品的清单。定期去商店看看你想买的东西是否在打折。

At one point, I had my eye on a pair of chaise lounges from Frontgate; each week I checked their website, and by the end of the summer the chairs were half price. Patience pays off.
有一次，我在Frontgate上看重一对躺椅，每周我都上他们的网站去看看，然后在夏末的时候以半价买了回来。耐心会有回报的。

6.Use Age To Your Advantage: Your Life Experience Can Save You Money
利用年龄优势：你的人生经历可以帮你省钱

Of course I know you’re not a “senior”. But heck, if it puts money in your pocket, who cares what word it is?
我当然知道你不是一个年长者。但是，如果可以有钱赚，谁在乎用什么样的语言呢？

Don’t be shy about asking for senior discounts. If you were under 18 you certainly wouldn’t hesitate to ask for the student discount. Be brazen and bold about asking. Use your life experience to your advantage, and save yourself some money.
不要害羞不敢开口要年长者折扣。如果你未满18岁，你肯定会毫不犹豫地要学生折扣。要大胆的开口问。将人生经历作为一种优势，为自己省钱。