Wilson - Do more, spend less: the new secrets of living the good life for less

CONTENTS

Cover image: Toss Up @ Alashi/iStockphoto

Cover design: C. Wallace

Copyright 2013 by Brad Wilson. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wilson, Brad, 1980

Do more, spend less : the new secrets of living the good life for less / Brad Wilson.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-118-51855-7 (paper); ISBN 978-1-118-52156-4 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-52154-0 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-52157-1 (ebk)

1. Consumer education. 2. Shopping. 3. Finance, Personal. I. Title.

TX335.W47 2013

640.73dc23

2012038777

To Ohio, you have given me so much

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am doubly blessed with the presence of two decent, strong, funny women: my wife, Jennifer, and my daughter, Evelyn. They brighten, lighten, love, and inspire me.

I am enormously grateful to our incredible team at Brads Deals. I rely on and am inspired by them daily. This book is a reflection of our efforts. Warmest thanks to Jessica Adams, Scott Aucoin, Vanessa Bahena, Lauren Brajczewski, Brittni Brown, Gary Burtka, Katie Conway, Anna Deffenbaugh, Kathryn Denton, Ryan Farley, Caitlin Fox, Lindsay Fredricks, Jennifer Goodwin, Stephen Hage, Dawn Hammon, Jen Jones, Jason Kalish, Sarah King, Greg Lakomy, Marisa Lang, Julia Leggett, Rebecca Lehmann, Laarni Livings, JJ Liwanag, Heather Lovett, Huoun Luu, Adam Mankoff, Rachel McDonnell, Tessa McLean, Meredith Mientus, Mariea Murlowski, Jim Murphy, Tim Oommen, Chris Rucks, Casey Runyan, Krystal Saulsberry, Payel Sengupta, Courtney Sims, Jason Sisley, Allison Stecko, Laura Velousis, Jeremy Wagner, Ken Walters, Karen Warner, and Ryan Yogan.

Matt Batt deserves special credit here. His energy, advice, vision, and hustle drove this project forward at every point.

A special thanks to David Meerman Scott, whose early faith and encouragement was vital in Do More, Spend Less becoming reality.

To my team at John Wiley & Sons, for taking a chance on and having patience with this first-time author long on ideas and short on time. Thanks to Shannon Vargo, Matt Holt, Elana Schulman, Lauren Freestone, and Peter Knox.

Thanks to my parents for exposing me to big ideas, allowing me to question everything, and for their unconditional love; and to my siblings for their brilliance, warmth, and camaraderie.

And to all of the difficult moments, past and future, bless them for all they bring.

INTRODUCTION

There I was, just a month past 30not a millionaire, not a celebrity, not a big-shot corporate executive on an expense accountsitting at 39,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, sipping French champagne, enjoying a meal of crab and tenderloin, and pretending I liked caviar.

My wonderful wife and I were on our way to Paris to stay at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendme, one of the most luxurious hotels in Europe, where we were going to stay for 16 nights in a suite that cost well over $1,000 per night.

I watched Jeff Bridges croon in Crazy Heart on my personal movie screen, enjoyed a glass of $300-a-bottle Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch, went to the oversized lavatory to change into their pajamas and slippers, about to get a good nights rest in my own little cocoon of a lie-flat first-class seat.

Staring out the window, I paused to appreciate the moment. We were flying in international first class to a five-star hotel, enjoying a no-expense-spared two-and-a-half week European vacation with the finest services and amenities. The trip, had we paid cash, would have cost more than $50,000. Our cost? Zero.

What a life!

I just knew I had to tell everyone else how they could live this way.

Do More, Spend Less is about how everything you know about being a consumer is wrong. Youanyonecan turn the tables, win at the consumer game, and fill your life with rich experiences beyond what your wallet could afford.

We live in a new age of empowerment. The entire basis for thinking about how best to shop, spend, travel, bankreally any action in your life as a consumerhas fundamentally changed.

The power, transparency, and collective knowledge of the Internet and the commoditization of many services and businesses create a way for us as consumers to finally turn the tables and win in the great game for our hard-earned cash that has long been played by retailers, airlines, grocery stores, credit card companies, and others.

Im not talking about the basics such as comparing prices online, using Travelocity or Orbitz to check fares, or getting a little cash back from the credit cards you carry. Those arent helping you win! At best, theyre helping you lose by a little less.

Most people arent yet aware that they can function at this advanced level, but it is accessible to anyone and easier than you think. Yes, you can bake this knowledge into your own life and buy the trips, products, and cars you want for much less than all the other people on the planet. Many times, what you get will be free, or nearly free. And, unlike traditional methods such as clipping $0.50 grocery coupons, you wont question whether the value of your time outweighs the value you receive.

Ill show you how I spent two weeks in a $1,100 five-star hotel room and owed only $20 for room service dessert at checkout. Ill show you how I spend 30 percent less money and use 50 percent less time shopping for groceries. Ill show you how I have 5 million frequent flier miles and why Ill get upgraded into first class on most flights for the rest of my life. Ill show you how to borrow money at an interest rate of 0 percent. Ill show you how 90 seconds will save you 20 to 40 percent on all of your retail shopping. Ill show you how to spend thousands less buying the house or car of your dreams.