This frugal tip is all about the stuff we never read.  The fine print.  Often within fine print are rules one needs to follow in order to grab a deal or steal.  It can be in a retail store about a warranty or return policy.  It can be a coupon policy or rebate offer.  It is the most important information that can make or break a good deal, yet companies manage to hide it.  How else would they sell you?

A good example of this is what happened to me most recently. I am trying to further lower our monthly bills by tackling our cell phone bill.  I don’t feel right paying the price they want when I have a perfectly better option.  I’m wanting to switch from a national provider to a prepaid cell phone.  My bill will plummet from $240/month to $80/month. Pretty cool huh!

The girl in me got really excited and wanted to do it last weekend, but the mama in me halted and adjusted my glasses.  The offer I saw was if you switch to the prepaid service they were offering a phone for free.  Amazing part was is that it was the phone I wanted anyway.  This was a major score and would have saved me $89.  I have no contract with my current provider so switching will be easy.  In reading this super fine print on the very bottom of the webpage so small I had to zoom my screen, I read that there were restrictions according on providers you could switch from.  My provider was listed so needless to say thank goodness I didn’t jump in head first.  Had I turned in my phone to my provider because I have a lease on it and switched, I would have had an $89 unexpected charge.  While this most likely won’t prevent the change, at least I know what to expect and budget for over jumping in blindly and potentially making a poor decision.

Always read the fine print!  There is always a catch.