I love when things work!
One strategy to save money is to call companies that you use their services for to see if they can give you a better deal.
A while ago (year or more, but relevant to this post) my tea kettle broke that was 3 years old. Not a big deal but didn't seem like the whistle pour cover should have cracked. Emailed the company and they sent me a new teapot! Working item #1
I called our Internet provider recently to complain about dropped service we had been experiencing. I wasn't exactly wanting to drop the company but did want some compensation / better deal. Twelve dollars per month off was their offer which works for me. Working item #2.
While making a quiche my pastry blender had one of the 'blades' snap off and out of the handle. Another not that old product led me to the manufacture website where they had a form to fill out and (not so great, I have to mail in the product, good thing this wasn't the teapot) get a replacement. Postage to ship it was $1.90.