Topic: How To Invest

What is Pat’s commentary for the week of August 13, 2019

Article Excerpt

Soon after buying a home, many people begin a string of visits to home shows, antique markets, flea markets and so on. They see these all-in-one-place supplier gatherings as a great time-saver. They expect to learn a lot by inspecting purchases close up, comparing prices, and talking to a lot of providers. Some hope to profit from so-called “show specials,” when vendors supposedly offer huge discounts off of “regular” prices, but only if you sign the contract before the show closes. For my wife and I, these events were a good place to start looking for home goods and services we might one day buy. We did learn a lot, but we didn’t see any great price advantage, compared to retail stores. We were offered a number of “show specials,” but none that tempted us to buy. My wife and I eventually found higher-quality goods and services for our home, and better deals, by seeking word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and neighbors. We…