Places and Ways to Save $$$
For those that are always trying to get something for less, I decided to post a short listing of places that I utilize to save money. Some of these places are specific to Southern California, but some are not. Please feel free to post your own and we can help each other save $$$.
99 Cents Only Stores/Dollar Tree (Almost everywhere) --- The trick is to go to the ones in the nicer areas. To me, it seems as though they have a better selection. If you purchase food from this store, make sure you look at the expiration date as I've mistakenly brought home expired food on a few different occasions.
Community Thrift (located in Glendora off of Arrow Highway in California) - This is a huge thrift store. Go early on Saturdays or during the week so you can to avoid the crowds. Also, every day there is a different color tag on sale---usually it's the color that's hard to find (which is a catch) . A little more pricier than other thrift stores, but on several occasions, I've purchased items still bearing the price tag. A good place to get dishes as well.
Community Outlet Store (on the corner of Barranca Avenue and Arrow Highway in Glendora, California) - This place is about 2 minutes from the thrift store above and sits on the same street. Before hitting the thrift store, go here. Over the weekend, I made a $100 purchase and received 20% off just because they give a 10% discount for every $50 you spend. And, if you're a guy, and you just need some jeans, don't expect to pay more than $10 for them here. My boyfriend is a 42/32 (larger size) and we found him 4 pairs of name brand pants that each cost less than $11 bucks. Also, Kenneth Cole, Geoffrey Beene and Ralph Lauren shirts. IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO DIG, DON'T GO HERE. Everything is arranged by item (jeans, short sleeved shirts, dresses, etc.), NOT size, so you'll have to go item by item to find your size. You HAVE to dig in this place, but anytime you spend $80 bucks and walk about with 10 items, well....
Factory 2 U (several SoCal locations...not sure if they're elsewhere) - Okay, this is a place that I probably would not have stepped foot in had my mother not told me about it. This is another place you'll have to dig. Good place for back to school shopping or just for casual items to wear to work. Prices for clothing range from $5.99 to $11.99.
Winco Grocery Store - (several SoCal locations...not sure if out of state) - This store features a bulk section where you can buy everything from oatmeal to soy flour to flax seeds to dog/cat food. You can also buy bulk honey (you dispense) and other goodies. It also features a good selection of bulk coffee beans. The prices are very reasonable too. Most stores are open 24 hours.
AT&T Naked DSL (everywhere) - I may be preaching to the choir on this one, but there's always someone who may not know, so I'll just go ahead and tell you. You don't need a phoneline to have AT&T DSL Service. I'm not sure if AT&T will tell you this, but it's referred to as Naked DSL, which means that as long as your neighborhood is wired for it, you can ditch your landline, enjoy the cost savings and still get DSL through them.
Thinkbright Business VOIP - For $49.99 per month, you can cancel your business landline for this VOIP service. I used them when I had an office with 2 employees and I had 4 lines for $79 bucks per month. The service is as clear as regular phone service and whenever I called tech support, the same guy would answer the phone, which I liked.
Vitamin City (San Dimas, California) - This place is less expensive than Whole Foods, Sprouts or Henry's Market, and you'll get a better deal here than shopping at other vitamin stores.
Various Farmer's Markets (Everywhere) - Be sure to check the prices at Farmer's Markets against those that you would find in the supermarkets to make sure you're getting the best deal. Over the weekend, I visited Claremont Farmer's Market and found a vendor who was selling Yukon Gold potatos for $1.50/per pound and when I went to grocery store, they were $.79/lb. I like buying from local farmers and I usually make sure that they actually have a farm before purchasing as some vendors get their produce from larger supply wholesalers, instead of growing it themselves. These are the same large companies that the grocery stores get their produce from.
Ethnic Markets (Korean, Phillipino, Vietnamese, Halal, Indian, Chinese, etc....located everywhere) - Don't pass up these markets. I usually find better deals on produce at these markets. I'm a pescatarian (fish only, no meat), but everyone that I know that has tasted Halal chicken swears by it. Halal only means that the animal was slaughtered in a certain way, and I believe that Halal and Kosher mean the same thing. I love young coconuts (the kind that come to a point at the top). My local grocery store sells them for almost $3 a piece, when the Vietnamese market in Pomona, California sells 12 of them in a box for $10 bucks.
Dental / Massage Therapy / Beauty Schools - (Everywhere) - Well, maybe not everywhere, but if you live in or near a major city, most likely you will find one of these schools. Some people are uncomfortable with a student working on them and that is understandable. However, if you ask beforehand, and know that their work is supervised by a Dentist, Masseuse or other Professional, then I would say, go for it. Most of the time, these schools offer deeply discounted rates (sometimes cheaper than insurance). My dentist is located at a dental school and because the students are learning, they are much more thorough with my checkups.
Chain Restaurants - (Everywhere) - Mimi's Cafe, Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes, and other chain restaurants will give you a discount just by joining their e-club or e-mail list. Go to hotmail, gmail or any other free e-mail service so that your main inbox won't be crowded with a barrage of e-mail from these companies. Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes will send you a Buy one Get One Free coupon at least once a month (meaning you an someone else can eat for about $13 bucks total incl. drinks).
Packaged Goods/Retail Items - If you ever buy anything from deodorant to Cheetos, and are not satisified with it, ALWAYS call the 800 number listed on the package and complain. These companies want to make sure that you are happy and also like getting feedback on their products. They will almost always offer you a replacement coupon (good for the amount of the item) and mail it to you. I once purchased some Lavender flavored water from Target, only to find out that it had expired months before, called their Guest Relations department and a few days later, was sent a $3 coupon in the mail. They also told me to return the item to the store, which I did.
Ink and Toner Outlet (Upland, California) - If you're stuck with a ink hungry printer, like I am, the Ink and Toner Outlet in Upland sells ink for about 50% off what I normall pay. They are a small store. So, before you go running to Office Depot, Staples or Walgreens, check out local Ink and Toner supply companies in your area for discounts.
Eye Exam (Costco) - If you don't have eye insurance, and know someone with a Costco card, they offer eye exams (contact lens and glasses) for about $100. Usually, with no insurance, it's $100 for a contact lens exam and $100 for an eyeglass exam, but Costco offers $100 for both.
Contact Lens King (online) - So far, this place has been the least expensive for our contacts. You get your contacts in about a week, after they have verified your prescription.
Coupon Searching (online) - You should always search for coupons online before going to the grocery store. The Sunday papers don't do it for me anymore. I'm a health food junkie and try to avoid prepackaged meals and such. However, my boyfriend loves Coffemate Creamer, and there's almost always a generous coupon for that on their website. Also, Zoi Greek Yogurt, SkinnyCow Ice Cream and other coupons for speciality items can oftentimes be found on their websites, so take advantage!
99 Cents Only Stores/Dollar Tree (Almost everywhere) --- The trick is to go to the ones in the nicer areas. To me, it seems as though they have a better selection. If you purchase food from this store, make sure you look at the expiration date as I've mistakenly brought home expired food on a few different occasions.
Community Thrift (located in Glendora off of Arrow Highway in California) - This is a huge thrift store. Go early on Saturdays or during the week so you can to avoid the crowds. Also, every day there is a different color tag on sale---usually it's the color that's hard to find (which is a catch) . A little more pricier than other thrift stores, but on several occasions, I've purchased items still bearing the price tag. A good place to get dishes as well.
Community Outlet Store (on the corner of Barranca Avenue and Arrow Highway in Glendora, California) - This place is about 2 minutes from the thrift store above and sits on the same street. Before hitting the thrift store, go here. Over the weekend, I made a $100 purchase and received 20% off just because they give a 10% discount for every $50 you spend. And, if you're a guy, and you just need some jeans, don't expect to pay more than $10 for them here. My boyfriend is a 42/32 (larger size) and we found him 4 pairs of name brand pants that each cost less than $11 bucks. Also, Kenneth Cole, Geoffrey Beene and Ralph Lauren shirts. IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO DIG, DON'T GO HERE. Everything is arranged by item (jeans, short sleeved shirts, dresses, etc.), NOT size, so you'll have to go item by item to find your size. You HAVE to dig in this place, but anytime you spend $80 bucks and walk about with 10 items, well....
Factory 2 U (several SoCal locations...not sure if they're elsewhere) - Okay, this is a place that I probably would not have stepped foot in had my mother not told me about it. This is another place you'll have to dig. Good place for back to school shopping or just for casual items to wear to work. Prices for clothing range from $5.99 to $11.99.
Winco Grocery Store - (several SoCal locations...not sure if out of state) - This store features a bulk section where you can buy everything from oatmeal to soy flour to flax seeds to dog/cat food. You can also buy bulk honey (you dispense) and other goodies. It also features a good selection of bulk coffee beans. The prices are very reasonable too. Most stores are open 24 hours.
AT&T Naked DSL (everywhere) - I may be preaching to the choir on this one, but there's always someone who may not know, so I'll just go ahead and tell you. You don't need a phoneline to have AT&T DSL Service. I'm not sure if AT&T will tell you this, but it's referred to as Naked DSL, which means that as long as your neighborhood is wired for it, you can ditch your landline, enjoy the cost savings and still get DSL through them.
Thinkbright Business VOIP - For $49.99 per month, you can cancel your business landline for this VOIP service. I used them when I had an office with 2 employees and I had 4 lines for $79 bucks per month. The service is as clear as regular phone service and whenever I called tech support, the same guy would answer the phone, which I liked.
Vitamin City (San Dimas, California) - This place is less expensive than Whole Foods, Sprouts or Henry's Market, and you'll get a better deal here than shopping at other vitamin stores.
Various Farmer's Markets (Everywhere) - Be sure to check the prices at Farmer's Markets against those that you would find in the supermarkets to make sure you're getting the best deal. Over the weekend, I visited Claremont Farmer's Market and found a vendor who was selling Yukon Gold potatos for $1.50/per pound and when I went to grocery store, they were $.79/lb. I like buying from local farmers and I usually make sure that they actually have a farm before purchasing as some vendors get their produce from larger supply wholesalers, instead of growing it themselves. These are the same large companies that the grocery stores get their produce from.
Ethnic Markets (Korean, Phillipino, Vietnamese, Halal, Indian, Chinese, etc....located everywhere) - Don't pass up these markets. I usually find better deals on produce at these markets. I'm a pescatarian (fish only, no meat), but everyone that I know that has tasted Halal chicken swears by it. Halal only means that the animal was slaughtered in a certain way, and I believe that Halal and Kosher mean the same thing. I love young coconuts (the kind that come to a point at the top). My local grocery store sells them for almost $3 a piece, when the Vietnamese market in Pomona, California sells 12 of them in a box for $10 bucks.
Dental / Massage Therapy / Beauty Schools - (Everywhere) - Well, maybe not everywhere, but if you live in or near a major city, most likely you will find one of these schools. Some people are uncomfortable with a student working on them and that is understandable. However, if you ask beforehand, and know that their work is supervised by a Dentist, Masseuse or other Professional, then I would say, go for it. Most of the time, these schools offer deeply discounted rates (sometimes cheaper than insurance). My dentist is located at a dental school and because the students are learning, they are much more thorough with my checkups.
Chain Restaurants - (Everywhere) - Mimi's Cafe, Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes, and other chain restaurants will give you a discount just by joining their e-club or e-mail list. Go to hotmail, gmail or any other free e-mail service so that your main inbox won't be crowded with a barrage of e-mail from these companies. Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes will send you a Buy one Get One Free coupon at least once a month (meaning you an someone else can eat for about $13 bucks total incl. drinks).
Packaged Goods/Retail Items - If you ever buy anything from deodorant to Cheetos, and are not satisified with it, ALWAYS call the 800 number listed on the package and complain. These companies want to make sure that you are happy and also like getting feedback on their products. They will almost always offer you a replacement coupon (good for the amount of the item) and mail it to you. I once purchased some Lavender flavored water from Target, only to find out that it had expired months before, called their Guest Relations department and a few days later, was sent a $3 coupon in the mail. They also told me to return the item to the store, which I did.
Ink and Toner Outlet (Upland, California) - If you're stuck with a ink hungry printer, like I am, the Ink and Toner Outlet in Upland sells ink for about 50% off what I normall pay. They are a small store. So, before you go running to Office Depot, Staples or Walgreens, check out local Ink and Toner supply companies in your area for discounts.
Eye Exam (Costco) - If you don't have eye insurance, and know someone with a Costco card, they offer eye exams (contact lens and glasses) for about $100. Usually, with no insurance, it's $100 for a contact lens exam and $100 for an eyeglass exam, but Costco offers $100 for both.
Contact Lens King (online) - So far, this place has been the least expensive for our contacts. You get your contacts in about a week, after they have verified your prescription.
Coupon Searching (online) - You should always search for coupons online before going to the grocery store. The Sunday papers don't do it for me anymore. I'm a health food junkie and try to avoid prepackaged meals and such. However, my boyfriend loves Coffemate Creamer, and there's almost always a generous coupon for that on their website. Also, Zoi Greek Yogurt, SkinnyCow Ice Cream and other coupons for speciality items can oftentimes be found on their websites, so take advantage!
Comment