Sneaky supermarket tricks you need to know

Joanna Robinson

 
Gabrielle Marks/Flickr
 

It might seem like the economy is on the up but we’re not out of the woods yet – we’re all still trying to stretch our pounds as far as we can. With the the weekly shop still making a significant dent in our hard-earned cash and the  supermarkets up to all kinds of tricks to get us to spend more money, what better time to learn how to beat them at their own game?

• Make your food go further
• Tricks to look out for
• Savvy Shopping
• Find the best deals on MySupermarket

Make your food go further

First off, if you make some adjustments at home you won’t have to go to the supermarket as often, which is one easy way to solve the problem!

• Keep a good supply of canned, frozen and dried foods you know everyone in your household will eat. That way, even when your fridge is looking a little sad, you’ll still have options and won’t have to rush out for extras.
• According to the excellent Lovefoodhatewaste website a shocking one third of the food we buy in the UK gets thrown away. They explain that it’s largely related to dishing up portions which are too large. You can check out their portion planner to avoid this. They’ve also got some brilliant recipes for using up your leftovers, and they’re not complicated, so think before you throw!

Preventing food waste should be one of your top priorities; as well as making a significant environmental impact, you’ll theoretically be saving a third on your food bill!

Look out for their tricks

Obviously you can’t avoid the supermarket forever, (now isn’t that a nice thought?!), but you can be aware of all the marketing ploys and save some serious money on your shopping trip whilst helping your health and the environment.

Sweets and goodies near the checkout

Convenient isn’t it? Supermarkets love to prey on tired, hungry and irritable shoppers. But don’t get caught out like this. Never go shopping when you’re hungry. It might sound obvious, but you’ll end up buying things you don’t need, and more often than not they’ll be unhealthy and expensive.

Pretty packaging

Ooh, the Tesco Finest cheddar cheese looks delicious….but wait a second, it’s all about what’s on the outside.

The reason we don’t tend to buy a supermarket own brand produce is because they purposely package it to appear bland and unappealing. However own, basic or mid-range brands more often than not offer better value for money than Tesco Finest or Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference for instance.

As well as costing less, they’re also often equally as tasty. Why not test a few out on your family and see if they can tell the difference? OK, it doesn’t work in every case, but you’ll get to know which items really are the best value.

Special Offers

We all love a special offer. Big writing and colourful signs make us feel like we are winning and the supermarket is giving us something for free. This is NEVER true. Suppliers pay the supermarkets handsomely to have their products placed in a prime position and on special offer because they know it will get customers to buy their product, even if they wouldn’t usually.

Buy-one-get-one-free offers can be useful, but only if you were going to buy the product anyway. Buy two for £X can also be good, but always remember to look at how much the item costs individually. Then if the saving when buying two is significant, it’s probably worth getting the deal – only if you needed the item in the first place though!

If there isn’t much of a saving, ask yourself if you really need two. If you don’t, don’t get it.

Getting 50% extra deals, or a certain percentage, can seem appealing. However, these offers often tempt you to buy a brand you wouldn’t normally get. If this is the case, always look at the price per Kg or per 100g. This will allow you to compare exactly how much you are paying for the amount of product. You’ll often find that even though you get more with the brand on offer – you are actually paying more per Kg or 100g.

There is an easy way to avoid these – have a shopping list and stick to it. If items are on special offer and seem like a bargain, people are often coerced into buying them. If it isn’t something you use often, or something you were planning on buying anyway, don’t be tempted!

Real Offers – product reductions

Supermarket stock that doesn’t shift gets reduced – we’ve all seen it. These are not like the bargains supermarkets brag about, they are genuine bargains.

Take advantage of them by finding out when your local supermarket gets rid of its stock (this is usually later in the evenings or on Sundays). Much more produce will be sold at bargain prices as it reaches its use by date and most of the things you buy you’ll be able to freeze so you won’t have to use them straight away.

Dirty display tricks

Did you know that supermarkets stack their shelves tactically? They put the most expensive items right in your eye-line to make you spend more. Look above and below and you can often get better deals. This also works on your kids sitting in the trolley. Items are positioned so they reach out and grab the top of the range products. It’s no coincidence that the finest range of organic cereal is at their eyeline when you’re looking for own brand cornflakes…

The first way to get around this is look at the whole range and compare the prices. Don’t grab and run.

Secondly, if you can, leave the kids at home. That way they won’t distract you from finding the best value items or get their hearts set on the most expensive items.

Also, men are apparently more susceptible to eye catching displays in supermarkets – so be strong guys, or suggest that perhaps after all the weekly shop is a job for the ladies.

To show just how sneaky supermarket displays are we did a little research at our local Tesco.

	Biscuits	Butter	Bread	Crisps	Cereal	Toilet Roll
Top shelf	65p	£1.29	61p	46p	85p	£1.96
above middle	£1.28	£1.31	99p	30p
Middle shelf	£2.54	£1.92	£1.14	51p	£2.32	£2.05
below middle	£71p	£1.65	£1.19	40p	£2.12
Bottom shelf	26p		72p	28p	£1.53	£1.99
Maximum saving	£2.28	63p	58p	23p	£1.47	9p

This table clearly shows just how much more expensive the product in the middle of the shelf (right in most people’s eyeline) is. So give your neck some exercise and shop around on the shelf.

The supermarket maze

Believe it or not, all supermarkets follow a similar overall layout. Fresh produce; fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy are all stocked around the outer limits of the store whereas pre-packed, processed and frozen foods are placed in the centre of the store.

They do this on purpose. It means that to get to the stuff you need for your diet, you have to look at all the stuff you don’t. Then as you work your way through the aisles, you buy stuff you don’t need. You therefore spend more and they make more. Cunning isn’t it?

They also keep staples such as bread and milk towards the back of the store in an attempt to get you to walk past almost everything else to find them. Plus, if you’re looking for tea bags, it’s no coincidence that biscuits are just next to them. Supermarkets pair up like for like products knowing that you’re more likely to end up buying both.

You can beat them at their own game. Help your health and your wallet – stick to the perimeter. If you have to go into the middle, use the aisle signs to go straight to the product you need. Then you won’t be looking at unneccessary items.

‘Convenient’ bags and packets – loose is cheaper

When you’re whizzing round the supermarket thinking about ten other things at the same time, it’s easy to opt for pre-packed items.

But, buying items like fruit or vegetables loose, is invariably cheaper than buying them in bags or packets. This is because the supermarket has to pay someone to pack them. They also have to pay for the materials and the overheads for the factory where they pack them which all adds up to a bigger price tag.

Do it yourself for free. You’ll also help the environment by saving on packaging and producing less waste.

Weight comparison

Supermarkets have to give the price per weight or volume of each item. It’s written underneath the price in much smaller writing. This is great for shoppers as it means we can look at how much the item really costs per 100g or kg. This way we can easily see how much we are really paying for an item and it helps us compare.

However, to trip you up, supermarkets tend to show the price per unit in different amounts for similar products. For example they might mark own brand orange juice as 52p per litre and then they’ll mark Delmonte orange juice as 8p per 100ml. This is meant to confuse you and stop you being able to compare prices.

It’s easy to beat them if you know your metric measurements though. A litre is 1000ml so that means that a litre of Delmonte costs 10 times 8p – 80p. This is actually more than the own brand, but it seems like it’s less when you just look at it because of the smaller unit measurement.

Don’t let them fool you. Get measurement savvy and get the most for your money.

Our Shopping Trip

To put our tips into practice, we went on a shopping trip of our own to see how much we could save. Here’s the impressive (if we say so ourselves!) results:

Shopping at Morrisons (all prices accurate on 16th Jul 2009)

Shopping List	Most Expensive Option	Cheapest Option	Saving
Peaches	£1.98 pack of 6*	£1.28 punnet of 6	70p
Royal Gala Apples	£1.15 for 5 (approx 650g) pre-packed	90p for 5 (approx 650g) loose	25p
Tomatoes	69p for 6 (approx 400g) pre-packed	67p for 6 (approx 400g) loose	2p
Red Onions	79p for 3 (approx 525g) pre-packed	52p for 3 (approx 525g) loose	27p
Granary Loaf	£1.09 from the instore bakery	95p off the shelf	14p
Cheddar Cheese	£4.42 for 500g – store luxury brand	£2.73 for 500g – store budget brand	£1.69
	Total – £10.12	Total – £7.05	Total – £3.07

*Advertised as ’50% extra free’!

You get the idea -  we  saved a massive 30% on our shopping bill, and that’s just one small shopping trip. So if you spend about £100 on your weekly shop, you could be saving as much as £30 a week! That’s a serious saving over a few months or even a year.

Top Shopping Tips

Here’s just a few extra tips to help you save as much as you possibly can:

• Before you go shopping have a look on Mysupermarket. You can compare prices of any items at all the major supermarkets, so you’ll be well prepared when you reach the shops.
• Try not to visit the supermarket when all you need is 2 pints of milk – you’ll just end up buying things you don’t need, as well as wasting time and petrol.
• Try eating one or two vegetarian meals a week and you’ll be able to cut back on the meat you buy and save a small fortune.
• Buy fruit and vegetables that are in season – not only is this better for the environment, it’ll help your wallet too! Produce shipped from overseas incurs more transport costs and is therefore always more expensive.
• It’s not always cheaper to buy in bulk if you end up throwing loads of food away. However you can buy staples (like rice and pasta) in bulk since they work out cheaper, last for ages and you know you’ll always use them. Its worth checking out the bargain basement supermarkets such as Aldi, Lidl and Netto for these kind of products as well as for things like salt, sugar and flour.
• Once you’ve been round the supermarket and got everything you think you need (want), go through the basket just before you get to the check-out. Do you really need that jar of cajun fish relish? Or was it just displayed enticingly? Take out items that you don’t really need before you get to finally pay for your goods.

Got more of your own savvy shopping tips? Share them with the other Moneymagpies on our forums.

How to Get Hotel Discounts

Learn money-saving secrets, such as how to get a free hotel-room upgrade, from an anonymous concierge.

“Hotels don’t want you to know this, but many of them give free upgrades. I know a sneaky but effective way to get one—and I’ve done it myself many times. The night before you check in, call the concierge for restaurant recommendations and casually mention how excited you are for the trip and that it’s a special occasion. If it’s a specific noteworthy celebration—a birthday, an anniversary—by all means, mention that, too. You may score a nicer room and a comped bottle of wine as well. Once you’re at the hotel, come by the concierge desk after 6 p.m. to ask about other activities. Many guests will have gone to dinner, and we can devote more time to finding you deals. Most concierges have discount vouchers and coupons for museums and tourist attractions, but that’s not all: Often we can help you score secret friends-and-family discounts at local department stores, which can save you a ton if you plan to go on a shopping spree. We can also provide services you would pay more for elsewhere. Once a guest needed flowers for an event she was attending. I picked out a bunch at the market and arranged them for her myself. Not only were they beautiful but the guest walked away paying only a fraction of what she would have been charged by a florist.”

How to get a free upgrade

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

By Fran Golden, Budget Travel

I have a long, transcontinental flight coming up. I dread being cramped in a coach seat, but I can't afford first class. What are my chances of getting bumped up for free?

They're actually better now than ever. To cut costs, some U.S. airlines have been offering fewer flights in recent years, and coach can be overbooked. If a carrier bumps passengers, it's frequently required to provide either a substitute flight or a refund or both, per government regulations. The airline may not want to bump people if first-class seats are available.

Read the original story on Budget Travel 

So how do carriers select the lucky few who get ferried to first class? It's all about the miles. Computers track frequent-flier and program miles and upgrade passengers automatically, based on who has earned the most. About 95 percent of those in first class on domestic flights last year were upgraded or used frequent-flier miles (sometimes with an additional fee), according to Joel Widzer, author of "The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel."

But you need a lot of miles to qualify: Delta requires you to fly at least 25,000 a year to qualify for its entry-level Silver Medallion level. On the other hand, you can sometimes find upgrade certificates for sale online, courtesy of frequent fliers who can't use them before their expiration date. For instance, some United/Continental vouchers on eBay start with bids as low as $1.

But even if you don't travel often, simply being a member of the airline's frequent-flier program helps your chances. It indicates some level of brand loyalty. Having an airline-sponsored credit card in your name helps, too, though those may come with hefty annual fees.

Does dressing up so that you look like you'd belong in first class improve your chances of getting upgraded?

Looking polished helps, but not as much as it once did. There's one outfit that seems to work better than even the finest couture: a military uniform. In the past few years, it's not unusual to see a first-class passenger give up his or her seat for military personnel.

Any other tips for flights?

Remember that gate agents deal with a lot of demanding, obnoxious passengers, and offering a few kind words and a smile goes a long way. John E. DiScala, founder of travel-advice site johnnyjet.com, reveals that chocolate helps him get upgraded -- or at least moved to a better coach seat-about half the time. DiScala says he brings one-pound chocolate bars for the gate agents and flight crew, who have discretion on seating after the cabin door closes.

Some people swear by the sob- or celebration-story strategy. Personally, I wouldn't go this route unless you really are a newlywed, on your way to a funeral, etc. Karma, you know.

Showing up late might work, but it's risky. A man sitting next to me once in business class on Air New Zealand was huffing and puffing -- he confessed to being intentionally late for every international flight, because then they rush you on the plane and into any available seat. Of course, the downside is you'll be turned away if the flight is already full.

One big  upgrade advantage is flying solo. Airlines try to put families together, and they may need your coach seat to do that. Chances are there's only one empty seat in first or business class.

Finally, before you book the flight, you may want to consider trading in your frequent-flier miles for an upgrade, though the numbers may be steep: On Delta, it takes 10,000 miles for an upgrade on domestic round-trip tickets and 30,000 miles for flights from the U.S. to Europe -- but that's not applicable on certain discount fares. That said, there are more opportunities now than ever to earn frequent-flier miles, not only by traveling but also through credit cards, hotel stays, car rentals, and online shopping sites.

"When you consider that one can earn three points per $1 spent on a credit card, 10,000 miles seems less daunting," Widzer points out.

A friend of mine ended up getting upgraded to a suite at a hotel in Vegas. She's not a high roller, so how did she land that freebie?

Just as with airlines, brand loyalty really helps. If you're visiting a chain hotel, sign up for its frequent-traveler program.

Also, according to Widzer, you're more likely to get upgraded if you book directly with the property, on the hotel's website or by phone, rather than with a third party, such as hotels.com. "Booking direct is by far the biggest thing you can do to get an upgrade," Widzer advises. If you see a lower price online, call the hotel and ask them to match it.

Unlike with the airlines, however, you are most likely to get a hotel upgrade if you travel during a low-occupancy time, such as weekends at business-oriented hotels. When vacant suites are available, the hotel may bump you up, hoping to impress you and gain future business. You also may have better luck at a new property that's angling to create good word of mouth.

The time of day matters, too. It helps to check in later, once the hotel has a better handle on its occupancy for the night. If you arrive at 8 p.m. and their suites still aren't full, they may upgrade you for free or for very little, since few new guests are likely to come and pay for them.

Another strategy DiScala says has worked for him: Befriend the bellman. "I visited Vegas at a not-busy time once and tipped the bellman well," he says, "so he gave me a free upgrade." The same tactic may work with the concierge.

What about rental cars? Is it true you're most likely to get upgraded if you book the cheapest car at first?

Yes, and here's why: The cheapest rental cars tend to sell out first, leaving the company no choice but to upgrade you. That said, the check-in clerk may try to sell you an upgrade for a discounted fee. Say no. If they don't have the car you reserved, they usually give you a better model at no extra charge. Arrive early in the day, before most people return their cars, for the best shot.

Loyalty also counts. Join a car-rental company's membership program, and you may get special offers for upgrades. You should also search online for coupons. The site carrentalupgrade.com is worth bookmarking, in particular. Some car-rental firms also run their own promotions for upgrades through organizations such as AARP and AAA. And always remember to ask: Politely requesting an upgrade is often the best, easiest bet.

Readers' best upgrade strategies

What's it take to get out of the cheap seats? We asked BT readers to share their favorite upgrade strategies.

Volunteer to get bumped: My flight from JFK to Amsterdam was over-booked and someone was in my seat. He was adamant: He wouldn't move. I was so embarrassed by his behavior that I told the flight attendant if I could catch my plane from Amsterdam to Glasgow I'd be OK getting bumped. After 15 minutes she said "follow me" and turned up a flight of stairs. I had never even seen first class before!

— Cyndi Armstrong, South St. Paul, Minn. 

Speak in Romance language: My hubby and I got upgraded to business class to Ireland for our honeymoon. We just mentioned the purpose of the trip during check-in and the flight attendant did it, no questions asked. Another time, we got upgraded to a suite at a Crowne Plaza because we mentioned we were there for Valentine's Day. It was a nice surprise, since we'd scored the hotel on Priceline for a song.

— Caroline Dover Wilson, Greer, S.C.

How to (Legally) Stay in Europe for More Than 90 Days

By Nomadic Matt | Published May 8th, 2012

As I’ve been planning my move to Sweden, I’ve been trying to figure out how to get past the 90-day limit placed on tourist visas. This is a problem encountered by travelers every year and a question that regularly pops up in my inbox.

“How can I stay in Europe for more than 90 days?” I am asked.

It’s a great question with a very complicated answer. I’ve always known it to be difficult but until I started researching on how to stay there, I never knew how difficult. But in the process of this research I’ve come to learn there are a few ways to stay in Europe longer than 90 days, they just aren’t well known.

First, it’s important to note that Europe isn’t a monolithic area – there are a number of visa rules happening throughout the continent – but when people talk about the “90 day limit”, they are talking about restrictions on the Schengen Visa, which is the visa rule that governs 26 countries in Europe. It includes all the European Union except Ireland and the United Kingdom as well as a few non-EU countries.

What is the Schengen Visa?

The Schengen visa is a 90-day tourist visa for Schengen zone countries that include:

Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia
Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary
Iceland	Italy	Latvia	Lithuania	Liechtenstein
Luxembourg	Malta	Netherlands	Norway	Poland
Portugal	Slovakia	Slovenia	Spain	Sweden
Switzerland

Romania and Bulgaria are set to join later this year.

These countries have a border-free visa agreement that lets residents move throughout the zone without needing a passport. Essentially, it’s as if they are one country and you can move as freely as you would like. Residents of the UK and Ireland, while not Schengen, are still allowed limitless entry. For non-Schengen citizens, you are allowed entry into the zone for 90 days within any 180 day period. These days don’t need to be consecutive – the total is cumulative. Once day 181 hits, the count resets itself.

Citizens of most countries are allowed to enter the Schengen area without having to get a visa beforehand. Your passport simply gets stamped upon your arrival and departure from Europe. You are allowed to enter and leave from any country you want – they do not have to be the same. I fly in and out of different countries all the time. Once you are in, your 90 day counter starts.

However, not all countries are allowed such freedom. Citizens from many countries of the world need to apply for a Schengen visa ahead of time. You will be required to fill out paperwork beforehand and will have to fly and in out of the country for which your visa is issued. (Even then, as this post shows, you still might not be granted a visa.)

You can find the specific rules regarding your country at the European Commission website. (Spoiler alert: Citizens from African and Asian countries get screwed.)

Staying in Europe – The Easy Way

With so many visa rules, it’s so easy stay in Europe beyond 90 days as a tourist – you just need to mix up the countries you stay in. The United Kingdom has their own rules that allow you to stay 180 days. Most non-Schengen countries such as Ukraine, Moldova, Croatia, and other Balkan countries allow you to stay for up to 60 or 90 days. So all you need to do is spend 90 days in the Schengen zone, visit the UK, go to the Balkans, hang out in Ukraine, or drink wine in Moldova. If you align your schedule right, you can easily be out of the zone for 90 days but still in Europe.

That’s the easy way to stay for more than 90 days. Just vary your location. I spent 3 months in Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and England as I waited for my clock to reset then headed back into Germany for Oktoberfest.

Can You Stay in Schengen More Than 90 days?

When most people ask me about staying in Europe, they mean staying longer in the Schengen zone. After all, it covers 26 countries and visiting so many destinations in 90 days can be a little rushed (it is an average of 3.4 days per country).

If you want longer time in the zone to travel, live, learn a language, or fall in love, then the “move around” option isn’t going to work for you. You need something else. Luckily, there are a few ways to do this – and I can’t stress the importance of the word “few.” Staying more than 90 days in the Schengen zone is not easy.

The Schengen law states that you can’t stay in the area more than 90 days. If you do, you are subject to a fine and deportation. How that rule is enforced, though, varies greatly between one country and another.  If you overstay by a few days or even a week, you’ll probably be OK. If you overstay longer, you might have problems.

For example, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, and Scandinavian countries are all very strict about entry and exit. If you overstay your visit by longer than a week, there is a good chance they will pull you aside.  Two Australians I know were detained leaving Switzerland due to overstaying their visa by two weeks. They were allowed to go with just a warning but they had to book new flights.

I know of someone who overstayed by 6 months and now has an “illegal immigrant” stamp on her passport. In order to enter Europe again, she must apply for a visa at an embassy from now on and be pre-approved.

Yet if you leave from Greece, France, Italy, Spain – the southern European countries – you won’t have any problems provided you a) haven’t stayed over too long and b) didn’t catch the immigration officer on a bad day. When I left Greece, no one even looked at my passport. One of my friends met a boy in France, fell in love, and decided to not leave. A year later, when she finally did, the French officials didn’t even look twice. Another friend flew into France and didn’t get an entry stamp. Spain is notorious for not caring and Americans who decide to overstay for months mention that as the easiest country to exit from.

That being said, I do not think it is wise to overstay. No matter where you are, you can get away with a few days.  Maybe a week, especially if you are heading home. But a few weeks? A few months? Don’t risk it.

Can you just extend your Schengen visa/stamp?

The Lonely Planet thorn tree forums, while a mess of random posts, are good for one thing: stuff like this. I came across one great quote: “This topic has been discussed ad nauseum here on the boards for years. If someone found a way to extend a Schengen, we would have heard of it by now.”

He’s right. Simply put, you can not extend your visa or entry stamp. There is a 90 day limit and that is that.

So then what’s a tourist to do?

Three Visa Loopholes Anyone Can Use

Unfortunately, the majority of the countries do not allow long-term stay visas for visitors. In my pursuit of a long-term visa for Sweden, I found that there is no universal long-term tourist visa for the Schengen zone. Schengen allows for a D or C class visa (letter varies on the country), which is a semi-permanent residence visa for up to one year.  But the specific visa and requirements vary from country to country. Some countries are harder, some are easier, and others are near impossible despite being in the same visa treaty zone. (I don’t understand the variance either. Same zone, different rules – it makes no sense. You would think if they were to all have the same rules they would abide by the same visa.)

But there are a few countries that do offer long-term visas and these countries are the way into Europe:

France

France offers a long-term visitor visa for a period of up to one year.  The application process takes up to one month. According to the French Embassy, “The ‘visitor’ visa (or visa “D”) allows you to enter France and stay for more than three months.  Long stay visa holders will be allowed to reside in France for up to 12 months according to the validity of their visa and purpose of stay.”

To get this visa, you must set up an appointment at the French consulate near you. You can’t walk in – you must make an appointment.

At this appointment, bring the following documents:

• One application form filled out completely and signed.
• One ID picture glued onto the application form.
• Your original passport, which must have been issued less than 10 years ago, be valid for three months after your return and have at least 2 blank pages left.
• A letter promising not to engage in work certified by a notary public.
• A letter of employment stating current occupation and earnings.
• Proof of income (you’ll need bank statements or copies of your investment portfolio).
• Proof of medical insurance that includes evacuation insurance.
• Proof of accommodation in France. (The French consulate never returned my e-mails so I was unsure how you could have this before you even get to France.  One could use a friend’s address or, lacking that, “rent” a place (one where you can get a refund) for the purposes of the interview. It’s a little fuzzy.)

Note: you can’t apply for this visa more 3 months before your arrival date.

You can visit the French Embassy for links to local embassies and consulates for more information.

Sweden

Sweden also offers a long-term stay tourist visa for a maximum period of 1 year.  The process is easy but long – taking up to 8 months! It’s not something to do at the last minute.  You will need 2 copies of the following documents when applying for the visa:

• Residence permit for visitor’s application form.
• Notarized copies of the pages of your passport that show your identity and the validity of your passport as well as copies of all the other visas/stamps you have.
• A Bank statement showing the means to support yourself for the duration of your stay.
• a return airplane ticket.
• A letter from your insurance company stating you are covered overseas.

Applications can be delivered in person during visiting hours (no appointment needed) or mailed to a Swedish consulate.

After your documents are received, you will be required to have an interview with one of the immigration officers. Most people who apply for this visa tend to have family in Sweden. If you don’t, you will need to have clear reasons as to why you need to stay longer and show ample proof that you can support yourself.

You can find a list of Swedish embassies here.

Italy

Like the other countries, Italy will let you in if you can afford it and promise not to work.  You’ll need the following documents to apply:

• A long-term visa application filled in and signed at the consulate. The applicant must appear in person.
• One passport-style photo.
• Your passport, which has to be valid three months over the planned stay in Italy. The passport will be kept during the application process.
• Documented and detailed guarantee of steady income. Proof of financial means, such as letters from the bank indicating the status of your account, including amount of money in the account.
• Proof of lodging in Italy.
• A letter from where you specify the reason for your stay in Italy, length of stay, and where you plan to reside.
• A notarized background check.

This visa is issued solely to those who are planning to move to Italy and not work.

For more information, visit the Italian Embassy website.

P.S. – Spain and Portugal offer long term stay visas but they are geared to people who are retired and have lots of assets. They aren’t meant for people passing through but you can always apply and try.

Additional Notes:

• Citizens of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are eligible for one to two year working holiday visas, which allow them to stay and work within the Schengen zone. Applicants must apply for this visa from a specific country and be younger than 30. I would apply for this visa even if I didn’t plan on working simply to get the extended time in Europe.
• Rules are not universal. In some cases (depending on your country of citizenship), additional documents my be required.  You’ll want to check with your local embassy for specifics but you aren’t restricted from applying for this visa from your home country.
• All of these visas will require you to show proof that you either have income, have a high savings, or both. They are adamant about not letting theses visas be someone’s back-door way of getting into the E.U. and finding a job. While most didn’t give an exact number, I would say that if you don’t have at least $30,000 USD in your bank account when you apply, you shouldn’t apply. It is hard to say for sure how much you really need as the embassy websites aren’t specific. It is most likely at the discretion of the immigration officer but the more money you can show, the better. This is about proving you don’t need to work. For citizens coming from developing countries, this number might be even higher and you may even need someone to vouch for you.

Because of Europe’s open border policies, you simply need to enter and exit from the country that issued you the visa but you can be anywhere in Europe during the length of your visa.  Once a country has issued you one of these short-term stay residence visas, you are a “resident”, allowing you access to anywhere in Europe.  Since the Swedish visa takes so long, I am applying for a French one but after I get to Paris, I am simply going to fly to Stockholm.

Other Ways to Legally Stay in Europe

Study – All Schengen zone countries offer student visas that are not hard to obtain so long as you are enrolled in a recognized university program.  This would require you to pay for the course but it will virtually guarantee you a visa.

Marry – Fall in love with a European (or at least a friend) and apply for a marriage visa!

Be Self Employed – Germany offers a “self-employment” visa. If you are a freelancer and have some form of income, this is the visa to get. It’s perfect and will give you one to two years in the EU. This isn’t a business visa where you move your company to Germany but a visa for contract workers, artists, web folks, and other freelance type jobs. You need to apply for this visa when in Germany.

You can apply for this visa while you are in Germany and the process usually takes about a week. You simply need the following documents to your visa appointment:

• A completed application form.
• 2 passport photos.
• Bank statements – Like the other visas, they want to know you have money just in case you don’t find work. As before, the more money the better.
• A copy of your resume.
• Proof of residency – You’ll either need to be on a rental contract or be on someone’s rental agreement. You need to bring an official copy of the rental agreement to the immigration office. Adam of Travels of Adam, says “All i’ve ever had are short sublets. You still have to register at a local city office but all I’ve done is show up with a printed-out lease from the Internet, and submitted that. Once you do that, you get the official form from the local office and that’s all the visa people wants to see.”
• Health insurance – You need to have German insurance that is valid for at least 1 year. It’s easy to get once you are in Germany and you don’t need to be a citizen of Germany to get it.

Bring a German speaker with you just in case there is a need for translation.The process is pretty straightforward. You might get lucky and get the visa that day. Or they might review it over the course of a couple of weeks. But if they do that and your 90 day Schengen visa is close to expiring, they will give you a temporary 3 month visa extension while they process your request. In theory, one could apply for the visa knowing they won’t meet all the requirements simply to get the 3 month temporary visa.

It’s very rare someone is denied for this visa if they can show they have a job and proof of income. You can find out more information here.

The Greatest Visa Trick Known to Man?

Don’t want to study? Don’t want to wait for a visa? Don’t have a freelance job?  Luckily, you have one fabulous loophole to keep you in the Schengen zone past 90 days. It is by far the best loophole/hack out there.

All you need to do is enter France (Schengen zone) via the Chunnel (train service) from England. England doesn’t issue exit stamps (so there’s no outbound immigration) and France does not have entry stamps in the Chunnel. So technically there is never any proof of when you entered the Schengen zone.  All you have is the entry stamp you got when you flew into England. (When you enter England, you’ll need to show proof you are leaving – I would simply buy a cheap flight exiting the country.) Since England gives allows you to stay for 180 days and Schengen gives you 90 days, in theory you could stay in the Schengen zone for 270 days, telling the immigration officer you left England on the 180^th day (180 + 90 = 270). There’s no proof you didn’t do that. And by coming through the Chunnel, it is impossible for you to even have an entry stamp into France. (The reverse does not work. When you leave France, you will get an exit stamp and receive an entry stamp from England.) This method gets you into the Schengen zone without a dated entry stamp.

Immigration officials can’t prove you were in the Schengen zone for more than 90 days, but they can’t disprove it either. It’s a great loophole. It’s also very high risk. They might not buy your argument and require additional proof to prove you aren’t lying. We are always at the mercy of immigration officials and, while the loophole is on your side, they might not appreciate you using it. If I were to use this loophole, I would fly out of Europe from one of the southern countries that is less likely to care about my entry and exit dates. I would also consider buying a train ticket leaving England on day 180. That way you can have at least “some proof” you “took” the train. (After all, who saves train ticket stubs? It’s more likely you would have a receipt than a ticket stub. )

Disclaimer: Use at your own risk. When dealing with immigration officers, nothing is ever 100%.

Addendum: Two people have noted that they indeed received an stamp by French officials when they entered the country. Then a handful of other people noted that they did not (including my friend who is currently in Europe). There is also this recent article about a loophole that lets you back into the UK without a stamp. You are technically supposed to get a stamp when entering France but as so often happens (especially with French officials), the application of this rule is unevenly applied.

The best, easiest, and most effective way to stay in Europe long term is to vary the amount of countries you visit so that you are in the Schengen area for only 90 days. As I said, there are a lot of countries not in the zone so this is easy to do.

If do want to stay in the Schengen area beyond the 90 day limit, you need to apply for one of the visas listed above. When you go to the interview, make it crystal clear that you have enough money to support yourself, you are not looking for a job, and give good reasons why you need to stay longer. I doubt “I want to spend more time drinking in Greece” will get you anywhere.

If you are like me, and want to stay longer than 90 days, be prepared to work the system. I decided not to apply for my Swedish visa because of the wait time and go for the French one instead. If I am denied that visa, I will enter on a normal, 90 day tourist visa and head to Berlin for the independent work visa. But that’s because I can show proof of income. If that’s not you, be like my friend Mike, who is currently bouncing around Europe after entering using the Chunnel trick.

In the end, it is not impossible to stay longer in the Schengen zone. By working the system a bit and using the few loopholes that do exist, one can legally stay past 90 days and enjoy all Europe has to offer without worrying about being barred for life.

HAT TIP: nomadicmatt.com

How to visit Forums without registering or logging in!!

Many times while browsing something, we reach on some forums on which we can get useful stuff related to the topic on which we were searching.. But when we open the topic's page it block us by saying 'Register to view this page' or 'Only registered users can view this page'... 

These forums restrict the unregistered users and only allow the registered users to view content of forum. But 'Google bot' can  visit these forums anytime without registration.

So in this trick we will make ours browser's agent into google bot agent, and can access all forums without registration :)

Now the question arises 'How to switch our browser's user agent into google bot agent?'

For answer follow the steps :

1. First of all download and install Firefox addon 'User Agent Switcher'.

2. Now restart your browser.

3. Now go to Tools > Default User agent > User agent switcher > Options....... as shown in screenshot.

4. Now in 'User agent switcher option' window...click on 'new'> 'new user agent' to add google bot's agent. 

5. Now add the following lines as shown in diagram and click on 'OK'

• crawl-66-249-66-1.googlebot.com
• Googlebot/2.1 (+http://www.googlebot.com/bot.html)

6. Now again go to Tools > Default User agent > and select crawl-66-249-66-1.googlebot.com.

7. Now you can browse any forum without registering there :) 

HAT TIP: mycodelogic.blogspot.co.uk

Replace Your Lost Cellphone Charger for Free

Ever forget your cellphone charger at a hotel? Turns out that's an extremely common mistake—one you can use to your advantage to replace your lost charger, whether you lost it there or not.

Over at community news site Reddit, a user points out his clever trick:

Next time you lose your phone charger, don't buy another one. Go to a hotel and say you think you lost it there. It's the #1 most left behind item at hotels, so most places have a big bin filled with every phone charger imaginable.

It may seem a little underhanded, but one Gizmodo reader explains just how abundant these chargers are at hotels:

I work for the second largest conference hotel in my city. You have no idea the size box we have of chargers left behind. 90 percent are idiot blackberry chargers. This works 100% of the time, we never verify that anyone stays here we just let them go shopping for [their] charger. Hell we even will give people a charger if they call down to the front desk and say they forgot theirs!

Update: Reader Eric writes in with his own similar suggestion:

I lose my charger all the time; another trick is doing the same thing at the car rental counter. Just say you left your charger in the car the last time you were there and they will pull out a box full of chargers to pick from. Works every time.

So there you have it: Whether you forgot your charger at home or lost it altogether, check with a hotel; you may find a quick and easy replacement. If not—well, it was worth a try, right? Know some other clever tricks of the trade? Let's hear it in the comments:

Hat Tip: Life Hacker

Sneaky Email Trick You're Going To LOVE - Advertising On Internet

More Facebook Sneaky Tricks

Ok, so here is the latest switch that FB has implemented… Everyone has been secretly switched to an @facebook e mail account. Not to worry; follow the steps below to switch it back.

• Click “About” on your profile and scroll down to your email address. Click “Edit” to change them.
• Click on the circle next to your Facebook email address and change its setting to “Hidden From Timeline”.
• Click on the circle next to your other email addresses and change their settings to “Shown On Timeline”.
• Click the Save button at the bottom of the Edit pop-up

Hat Tip: bestofkisco.com

A sneaky Little Trick to save money on Adwords

A sneaky Little Trick to save money on Adwords by jwsuccesscoach

Seller's Loophole Found to Evade Negative Feedback

The following is my very recent Buyer experience with a (in my opinion) "Sneaky Seller" who has found a loophole in eBay's automatic computer system to evade eBay Policies for good, eBay member behavior.

This report is for educational purposes on the discovered method that one "Sneaky Seller" has found to utilize, to his advantage, a computer-auto-generated loophole in eBay's Policy, managed by it's auto-computer system, to artificially keep the "Sneaky Seller's" Feedback at 100% by removing any Negative Feedback that a Buyer might leave.

THIS REPORT IN NO WAY IS SUGGESTING THAT ANY SELLER/S USE THIS METHOD TO ESCAPE THEIR JUST DUE CAUSED BY NOT BEING A GOOD AND PROFESSIONAL SELLER AND MEMBER OF THE EBAY COMMUNITY.

My hope is that this guide will assist other Buyers to be notified that such a loophole exists and also to help to alert eBay's legal and web-technical teams to close this unethical loophole by allowing the Buyer a different link in which to respond to an unfairly issued Unpaid Item Report. I welcome comments from other frustrated Buyers who have experienced this same flaw in the automatically-generated, "Take Action" Policy System.

BACKGROUND OF CASE

• Seller is in States.
• Buyer is in Canada.
• Item (kitchenware cookware set) was marked to ship "Worldwide".
• Buyer had bought several other items, of same make, from several other USA Sellers and was very familiar with usual shipping costs & shipping method (UPS Ground).
• Seller's note said he was using UPS Ground to ship.
• Seller did not include eBay calculator to assist International Buyers.
• Seller also did not post the actual weight of the cookware set.

SELLER TRIES TO CHARGE EXCESSIVE SHIPPING COSTS, BUT BUYER BECOMES WISE TO DECEPTION
• After auction, & Buyer's 3 requests for shipping weight, Seller sends Buyer Invoice with different, more expensive shipping method (USPS International Priority rather than UPS International Ground).
• The shipping price invoiced was FAR higher than what it normally should have been (US$165.00 to ship the item... it should have been about US$104.00).
• This overcharging would constitute what eBay Policy calls "Excessive Shipping Fees".

CANNOT CONTACT SELLER, NO RESPONSE TO PHONE CALLS

• Buyer begins to think that it may be best to use UPS directly & have them pick up pots from Seller's shop... so tried to contact Seller 3 times by telephone, but Seller would not answer phone nor return calls.
• Seller would not respond to email requesting discussion about shipping.

UNPAID ITEM REPORT FILED BY SELLER

• Without trying to discuss the matter of shipping costs, Seller files Unpaid Item Report against Buyer on day 4.
• Unknown to Buyer, Seller also blocks Buyer from further Contact about the Item.*
*This is the "Sneaky Key" to Negative Feedback Removal automated by eBay computer.

EBAY COMPUTER AUTO-ISSUES UNPAID ITEM REPORT TO BUYER

• Buyer received Unpaid Item Report from eBay with Instructions to Try to Resolve the Issue.
• Buyer clicks on link to respond through "Take Action" link, thereby fullfilling eBay Policy of responding to Unpaid Item Report.
• Buyer is given 2 choices...
•• Choice #1: Pay for Item (with Excessive Shipping Charge)
•• Choice #2: Contact Seller
• Buyer clicks on Contact Seller Link.
• Buyer is taken to Purchased Item's page.
• Buyer Clicks on shipping link.

SELLER BLOCKS BUYER FROM CONTACT

• Buyer receives new page that states, "Unfortunately, this seller is not able to respond to your question."

• VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Blocking the Buyer from Contacting the Seller makes it APPEAR to the eBay Policy computer that the Buyer is NOT RESPONDING to the Unpaid Item Report!

BUYER LEAVES POLICY-CORRECT NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FOR SELLER, BUT TO NO AVAIL

• Seller already knows to expect Buyer to leave Negative Feedback, however, since the Buyer CANNOT RESPOND to the Unpaid Item Report, Seller knows this will cause a glitch in the eBay Policy System so that he can later AUTO-REMOVE the Negative Feedback.

HERE IS THE PARTICULAR POLICY WITH REGARD TO HOW A SELLER CAN REMOVE A NEGATIVE FEEDBACK POSTED BY A BUYER:

"eBay may remove or adjust Feedback ratings or comments if:
• A buyer fails to respond to a reminder about an unpaid item and the unpaid item is recorded on their account."

So! The Buyer *appears* to have failed "to respond" to the eBay/Seller reminder about the unpaid item ...because the Seller has BLOCKED the Buyer from responding.

Voila! There you have it. How to remove Negative Feedback from a Buyer... even if the Buyer was right. ;\

TWO IMPORTANT RULES TO *ALWAYS* REMEMBER WHILE BUYING THROUGH EBAY

1. Caveat Emptor... Let the Buyer Beware.
2. You can't judge a book by its cover... Not ALL Sellers with "100% Feedback" Profiles are Guaranteed to be truly "100% Good Feedback Sellers"!

Q: How many of you, as a Buyer, have run up against this loophole?

Comments & thoughts are welcome.

Thank you.

Open A Locked Suitcase With A Pen

Your Birthday is Key

There's an easy way to always remember your lock combos: Add your birthdate (mm/dd/yy) to each number for your combination lock and write it on the lock. For example, let's assume your birthdate is 5/5/80 and your lock combo is 6-10-23. You can write 11-15-103 on the back of the lock and then if you forget the combo, simply subtract your birthday from the numbers written on the back and pop the lock!

Lots Of Flash for a Little Cash!

You've heard about renting a tuxedo, but how about renting a handbag or jewelry? The website Bagborroworsteal.com does just that for brand names such as David Yurman, Tiffany, Chanel and Gucci. It's like the Netflix of accessories, in that you shop for your items online, receive them and return them in the mail. You can pay by the week, the month or if you can't part with it, you can buy it and keep it forever.

Secret Priceline Trick

Priceline is great when you bid right the first time, but how often does that happen? If you are willing to bid a bit more and you want to avoid the 24hr wait, here is the solution. Add a region where you know what you want doesn't exist. For example, if your $75 bid doesn't get you a 4- or 5-star hotel in San Francisco, add Marin County or Oakland into the mix and up your bid. Neither Marin nor Oakland have 4- or 5-star hotels so priceline essentially runs the same search at your higher bid. Sleep tight!

Sneaky Backlink Indexing Trick

Looking to create backlinks to improve your sites rank? 

Backlinks will improve your website ranking. You need backlinks on high Page Rank sites to help boost your own site’s rank. This is easy to do. For example, you can simply post comments on other people’s blogs. 

Here is a trick you can try to hide your backlink within a smiley. 

Create a backlink that is hidden through the use of a Smiley……..

If you click the smiley above – it will go to a website.

If you are looking to create a backlink on a blog you can usually post this in the comment section etc, or use it on a forum post. Usually the backlink will go undetected. It will simply look like a normal smiley.

This is a great trick – and I don’t encourage using it if it is against the sites Terms of Service. But – up to you. Use it as you see fit.

For Newbies – Here is the code;

For Forums;

[ U R L = " h t t p : / / w w w . g o o g l e . c o m " ] : ) [/url]

For WordPress Blogs;

<a href=”http://google.com”>:)</a>

This is a good way to hide your backlinks. Whether this is Blackhat or Whitehat – I don’t know. But – either way – check out the site’s Terms of Service unless you want to be banned. 

Remember – creating backlinks is going to help your site significantly, so spend the time doing it. 

Thanks for visiting this blog. Don’t leave without posting a comment – we want to hear from you!

Please leave a comment and a link back to your site.

Hat Tip: gerrywalter.com