I love a good deal, and finding it isn’t always easy. Of course there are the stores for which one would expect to find a bargain, like all the different dollar stores out there. But there are many other places to go, you just have to know the right the time to go. I have it almost down to a science in my area!
I absolutely love Big Lots! It has everything from food to furniture, and usually the prices to go with it. I especially love to get holiday decorations here. I got three mini Christmas trees there last year for ten dollars! It’s also a great place to get cheap cooking ware, towels and rugs. My favorite things, that I always buy there, are cleaning products, socks and cashews. A little weird combo, but the socks are $3.00 for a six-pack and the cashews cost $2.50 for a can that would cost $5.00 anywhere else.
For clothing, my newest obsession is Steve and Barry’s. Nothing in the store is more than $20.00. I went there after the holidays and everything in the store was $8.98 or less. I bought two pairs of sneakers, four pairs of jeans, two thermals, a t-shirt, two pairs of workout pants, a bra, and sunglasses for about $100.00.
I love Gordman’s for their bedding and bath department, and they have great prices on jewelery and handbags. T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s are also great, but can sometimes get really picked over.
If you have children, and like to buy clothes in advance Kohl’s is the place to go. Kohl’s does dramatic markdowns on their end of season apparel, often times up to 70% off. I got my son his whole next years back to school wardrobe for less than $100.00, including shoes and pajamas.
Target also has great markdowns, but sometimes you have to walk around the entire store looking at all the end-caps to find the clearance stuff. I buy a lot of Christmas/birthday presents for the year to come from these end caps!
For groceries, we are a Wal-Mart family. The great thing about Wal-Mart is they honor all others ads and specials and they never ask for proof. Just tell what the item cost somewhere else, and they punch it in. I also find, that at Wal-Mart some of the items I wanted to price match end up being cheaper there anyway. The downfall to most Wal-Marts is the stress it causes most people to shop there. The only time I have ever been to Wal-Mart when it wasn’t busy was that one year they were open on Thanksgiving. Other than that, it is like being stuck in rush hour traffic except you have no blinkers or horns on the cart. Not to mention the lines are ridiculously long. To me it is usually worth it in the end.
These are just some of my hot spots to search for bargains, but you should always keep your eyes open. There is always something the store over ordered, or that didn’t sell well. If you are really serious about finding bargains then you have to look around. Sometimes they will fall upon you, and sometimes its a little harder. It took me months to find a bargain King size comforter set that went with my decor, but I finally found it.
It’s important that you don’t go crazy, and buy things just because they are cheap. I have a list of things I want and need for each room in my house, and if I see something for a deal I grab it up. For groceries, I buy as much as I can to stock up when it is on sale.
To some my pleasure in a bargain is weird, but to me it is satisfaction! It allows me to save money, and use it for other things, like taking the kiddies on outings. There is nothing wrong with being frugal every once in awhile!