Shopping on the cheap......
Apr. 27th, 2005 05:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poltr1One thing this stretch of unemployment has underscored is that I don't have to have the latest and greatest. For electronics, I'd be perfectly happy with last year's model, or a factory-refurbished unit. And I've come to enjoy shopping at these places.
Here's where you're likely to find me.
Big Lots. Years ago, this was a sad little store, with lots of dust and merchandise that didn't move. Now, thanks to some much-needed renovations (including a national rebranding), and relationships with several well-known manufacturers, it's become a nice place to shop for closeout and discontinued electronics, household items, and toys. As the slogan says, "Brand names. Closeout prices. Happy people." My love affair with Big Lots started several years ago when I bought a factory-refurb'ed Sony Discman for $50, when new units were still going for well above that.
Tuesday Morning. Okay, it's a little more upscale than Big Lots, but they feature the stuff that didn't move in the upper-tier department stores and boutiques. While I don't buy a lot here, this is a good place to go for home furnishings.
Mazel's (also called Odd Job Stores) (now closed). This was a direct competitor to Big Lots, specializing in closeout, discontinued, and liquidation merchandise. They came into town about 4-5 years ago, opening where a Gold Circle used to be. Sad to say, they recently closed their local store.
Mendelson's. "The first place to look for every last thing." This liquidator originally got their start with government surplus equipment in 1960s. They've since expanded to electronics, computers, auto parts, retail fixtures, clothing. You name it, they probably have it. Hamvention is coming up next month, and I'm sure many of its attendees are going to stop in to get some hard-to-find or discontinued parts.
I also occasionally visit the local dollar stores on occasion, like Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and Famiy Dollar. But I notice that most of the goods sold there are cheap and appear to have come from China.
Food: One place I occasionally go to is Aldi. Theirs is a no-frills supermarket, selling canned goods under their own brand names. Some stores will even have fresh produce and dairy. The bagging is spartan too -- shopping bags (paper or plastic) are a nickel apiece, so if you have bads to re-use, bring them. And bring a quarter to "rent" the use of a shopping cart.
Clothing: While I still like to get my clothing new, there are plenty of thrift stores around where I can get clothes to wear for around-the-house or on weekends. This beats hand-me-downs that are either made of undesirable fabrics or don't quite fit.
Books: I think I mentioned my favorite used/overstock/remainder bookstores in an earlier post.
Those are my favorite places to shop on the cheap. What are yours?
Here's where you're likely to find me.
Big Lots. Years ago, this was a sad little store, with lots of dust and merchandise that didn't move. Now, thanks to some much-needed renovations (including a national rebranding), and relationships with several well-known manufacturers, it's become a nice place to shop for closeout and discontinued electronics, household items, and toys. As the slogan says, "Brand names. Closeout prices. Happy people." My love affair with Big Lots started several years ago when I bought a factory-refurb'ed Sony Discman for $50, when new units were still going for well above that.
Tuesday Morning. Okay, it's a little more upscale than Big Lots, but they feature the stuff that didn't move in the upper-tier department stores and boutiques. While I don't buy a lot here, this is a good place to go for home furnishings.
Mazel's (also called Odd Job Stores) (now closed). This was a direct competitor to Big Lots, specializing in closeout, discontinued, and liquidation merchandise. They came into town about 4-5 years ago, opening where a Gold Circle used to be. Sad to say, they recently closed their local store.
Mendelson's. "The first place to look for every last thing." This liquidator originally got their start with government surplus equipment in 1960s. They've since expanded to electronics, computers, auto parts, retail fixtures, clothing. You name it, they probably have it. Hamvention is coming up next month, and I'm sure many of its attendees are going to stop in to get some hard-to-find or discontinued parts.
I also occasionally visit the local dollar stores on occasion, like Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and Famiy Dollar. But I notice that most of the goods sold there are cheap and appear to have come from China.
Food: One place I occasionally go to is Aldi. Theirs is a no-frills supermarket, selling canned goods under their own brand names. Some stores will even have fresh produce and dairy. The bagging is spartan too -- shopping bags (paper or plastic) are a nickel apiece, so if you have bads to re-use, bring them. And bring a quarter to "rent" the use of a shopping cart.
Clothing: While I still like to get my clothing new, there are plenty of thrift stores around where I can get clothes to wear for around-the-house or on weekends. This beats hand-me-downs that are either made of undesirable fabrics or don't quite fit.
Books: I think I mentioned my favorite used/overstock/remainder bookstores in an earlier post.
Those are my favorite places to shop on the cheap. What are yours?
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no subject
Date: 2005-04-28 04:00 am (UTC)Our Mazel's closed here as well. Too bad, some good deals. Ask
I like thrift stores, though rarely for clothing. I'm usually looking for games, furniture, misc stuff (found a still in the box professional drafting machine for $50 once - got it for a friend)
And, they may be a big evil corporation, but our grocery bill there is about 20% less than anywhere else: Wal Mart Supercenter
no subject
Date: 2005-04-28 04:25 am (UTC)Read more about it at walmartwatch.com.
And yes, sometimes I feel guilty when I shop at Sam's Club. But the nearest Costco is in Sharonville.