submitted by Joy Michalicek
Need to order flowers? Here's my tip for how to save money!
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When ordering flowers for a special occasion or funeral, call or visit the floral shop directly. This can save quite a bit of money. Fees for floral delivery companies such as FTD, etc. can be double or more the price of the arrangement. By calling the floral shop directly, you will cut out the middle man. Also the local florist may be running a special on certain flowers or plants. (Note, the flowers and plants through the delivery companies actually come from the local florist.)
You can obtain the name of a local florist by doing an internet search or for funerals check with the funeral home or church that the funeral is in. When you call the local florist, tell her what the flowers are for and ask her if they are running any specials or have any suggestions. Many times they will ask you for a budget amount and make recommendations based on your budget.
When my grandmother died last year, my aunt and I went online to research flower prices. I had my heart set on a peace lily; my aunt wanted a rubber plant. The online price was $70 each through the floral delivery company. We decided to go to the florist directly to see what she had available.
When we arrived at the florist we were able to choose our own plants, ribbons and baskets. These plants were identical to the plants we had chosen online. The price shocked us: $20 each including tax and delivery. (She actually waived the delivery fee because we were immediate family for the funeral.)
The florist then told us her little secret. The plants we had just purchased were the same plants we would have paid $70 each for online through the floral delivery company. This local floral shop was the store the floral delivery company contracted with. We each saved $50 by purchasing directly through the local floral shop.
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