Shopping

How much should your project cost? Whether it's five dollars or forty, careful shopping will save money

There is a big difference between buying and shopping. Buying A is easy; you just put your money on the counter. Shopping requires more effort. You must carefully consider each purchase before you make it. But shopping for an item is usually less expensive than buying it!

Your science fair project will be built from many different types of materials. It is a rare science fairer who can do all of his shopping in a single store. On the other hand, many of the expensive items that make up the heart of your project may come from a single source; an electronics or biological supply house, for example. Your budget will stretch like a rubber dollar bill if you shop carefully for these major items.

The first step is to make a detailed shopping list. This serves two purposes. First, it tells you exactly what you need to build your project. Second, it helps you resist the urge to buy on impulse.

You drew up a rough shopping list when you planned your project. Getting it into final form is easy. List all the materials you need to begin work, and estimate at what stage of your project the other supplies will be required. Note any items that will have to be specially ordered, or that might be difficult to obtain.

Firms such as Edmund Scientific, specializing in optical goods, stock items that are difficult to obtain elsewhere. See the list of suppliers in back of book.

If you have budget troubles, pick out the vital materials and equipment. Put these at the top of your list. Everything not classed as vital can be considered optional. Perhaps you can do without these items, make them, borrow them, or purchase them after the heart of your project is paid for. Don't be downhearted if you seem to lack any funds for a project. At local fairs that were surveyed recently, the average cost per project was found to be between jour and six dollars. Needless to say, some projects (not necessarily the better ones) were more expensive. If your project must, by its nature, be in this second category, careful shopping and ingenious substitution are doubly important.

Before doing any shopping, see if you can save money, on paper at least, by carefully scrutinizing your list. Grab your red pencil and go through your list item by item. Be ruthless! Chances are that "excellent quality" can be changed to "good," "precision" can be replaced by "standard," and "perfect" can be downgraded to "fair."

Tax your ingenuity to the limit. Try to replace purchased components with homebrew parts. Improvising will often improve your project while saving you money!
 
Conduct a treasure hunt through your attic, basement, or other storage area. Perhaps your high school has material on hand that you can use. You will never know unless you ask. Another possibility is "Operation Grab Bag," the name of a program recently organized by a large electronics firm to offer used and obsolete parts and equipment to science-minded students. Similar donations have been made by other firms in many parts of the country. In any case, it certainly pays to check with local companies doing business in your area of interest. Chance are, if you explain the situation, they will be willing to help with reasonable requests whether or not they have a surplus disposal program.

Certain items may have to be ordered by mail. Large or heavy parts might have to be transported by means other than mail. Because of safety considerations, it may not be possible to buy chemicals by mail. Jot down a little reminder on your list to order these things well in advance.

At the end of this book is a long list of major scientific equipment suppliers. It is by no means complete. Only large national mail-order houses that stock wide varieties of items are included. Most firms listed will send you a free catalog upon request; a few require a nominal fee that is often refunded with your first purchase. When you write for catalogs, mention that you are a science fairer and give some indication of what items you are interested in. Many of the firms have several types of catalogs, some intended for industrial buyers and schools and others especially prepared for amateur scientists.

Where to get it? Typical of firms offering out-of-the-ordinary is Ward's Natural Science Establishment, Inc., serving geologists, botanists, other specialists. This is butterfly mounting set. Left: Borrow or arrange to use expensive equipment if you can. Here, student attempts to separate isotopes of chlorine gas through a photochemical reaction of Stuyvesant High School in N. Y. C.

Check your classified telephone directory to locate local suppliers. Although they usually do not publish catalogs, they may stock most of the items you need. You can save postage charges if local stores can fill your requirements at the right price.
Locate as many sources of supply as possible and compare prices. This is the basic technique of good shopping.

How to Save Money

The days of bargaining are gone, at least as far as scientific supplies are concerned. Catalogs are not very good listeners, and cannot be "talked down."

Local stores are often higher priced than mail-order houses. They usually quote "list prices" to small volume buyers such as science fairers.
 
The best way to save money on most items is to purchase in quantity. Nearly all supplier catalogs list quantity prices in addition to single unit prices. The difference can be considerable. "But," you say, "I don't need large quantities." The answer is to pool your requirements with other science fairers. Quantity buying is especially helpful in cutting the cost of the display and presentation materials and small hardware items that everybody usually needs.

If your list is completed early in the school year, you might be able to order with your school when the science departments purchase supplies. Or, your science teacher may be able to get you equipment at discount prices.

Compare the catalogs you have on hand. You might find that several slightly different, but basically similar, items will qualify for quantity prices if they are ordered together. Many of the large suppliers issue periodical bargain sheets that list on-sale items. Try to get on the mailing list. You might run across a special low price for an item you need. Don't forget to include any postage or handling charges. These may cancel the price difference between two suppliers.

Watch out for "ridiculous" bargains unless they are backed by the reputation of a large supply house. Most of the reputable mail-order firms have "satisfaction guaranteed, or your money refunded" guarantees.

Many science fairers try to play it safe by purchasing only name brand products. This habit can be expensive. Less known, low-cost substitutes, if bought at a reputable store, will usually function perfectly well.

A past science fairer might have leftover materials on hand that you can use. If you make your approach shrewdly and talk fast, you may be able to take them off his hands for a song.

Many entrants have been able to use surplus parts to good advantage. Some modification may be necessary, but it is worth the effort. Surplus components usually cost only a fraction of equivalent new items. Keep this in mind, especially if your project requires electronic parts.

Most surplus stores are located in or near large cities. If you can't find one locally, check through the popular technical magazines. Several different firms, each offering mail-order service, advertise in each issue.

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