Yesterday was my third visit to consignment shop, Plato’s Closest in nearby Orange. Though it is a store aimed at teenagers and 20-somethings, it was full of folks of all ages shopping and selling clothes and shoes. Continue reading “Winter Clearance Event at Plato’s Closet: Designer Clothing and Shoes-not just for your fashion-forward teenager, but for you, too!”
Though I look over Couponmom.com religiously, last spring I ended up getting what I call CVS ExtraBucks Fatigue. My mind was just not willing to do the mathematical gymnastics and equations required to shop at CVS. Continue reading “Overcoming CVS ExtraBucks Fatigue: When It Pays to Do the Mental Gymnastics for Coupons and EBs”
The Daily Tightwad Tutor–Lesson 4: Always Check Grocery Discount Bins
It’s typically hit or miss, but never pass by a discount bin in your grocery store–especially the health and beauty bin. You never know what you’ll find! Typically, it’ll be discontinued items. And, you can use coupons with the item. For example, just by chance last week I spotted three bottles of L’Oreal shampoo in a discount bin at ShopRite. They were going for $1.30 each (retail is about $3.99-$4.99 but varies with coupons). I happened to have .25 cent coupons, doubled to .50 cents. So, I got three bottles of L’Oreal shampoo for a total of $2.40 (my daughter loves this brand so it was worth it).
~Marilyn, TFF
It’s estimated that parents will spend $250 per child on back-to-school clothing this year, according to a new study released by The National Retail Foundation. So…if you have two kids, you’ll drop around $500 this summer for clothing and so on. It adds up. Unless you have another traditional source of clothing… hand-me-downs. Continue reading “Saving Hundreds of Dollars a Year on Back-To-School Clothes: The Joy of Receiving Hand-Me-Downs”
Today Aimee and I took our daughters to Goodwill in Westport to shop for clothing. My daughter really needed summer clothing — we are out of hand-me-downs, unfortunately. (Ah, those were the good years when I rarely had to pay for great clothing, but now, the hand-me-down stream has dried out.)
Here’s what my daughter found and everything looks fantastic on her. She found four items that were $3.99 each. So, for $16, she was able to get four items for the price she’d pay for one flimsy piece of clothing from a regular clothing store. The tops are in great shape, hardly worn, and the jeans (Old Navy–with adorable detailing) and shorts (Gap–also with cute detailing) look brand new and fit her perfectly. We left before Aimee checked out, but I think her family scored some great deals, too, since it was “1/2 off blue ticket” day.
I can’t wait to get a day to myself when I can scour the racks for some new items.
~Marilyn, TFF
Fairfielders are genuinely happy to see ShopRite open today in the former Shaw’s space. Though we have Trader Joe’s, Stop & Shop, and for those willing to pay the price—we have a new Whole Foods—in Fairfield, what a relief to have ShopRite (whose parent company also owns TFF favorite PriceRite in Bridgeport) in the neighborhood.
Yes, there was a minor crowd of 100 or so anxious shoppers and press at 9:00 a.m.to witness the ribbon cutting and speeches by town and store officials. Yes, there was minor trampling when the doors opened (shoppers rammed carts into my backside and stepped on my sandaled feet numerous times! Folks–it’s only a grocery store for heaven’s sake!). No, there were no giveaways or free coffee (much to my surprise) so you didn’t miss much if you weren’t there.
In a whirlwind walk-through, TFF managed to get some decent deals (grapes .99 cents a pound, frozen ravioli for $1.33 a bag), snagged a few coupons that were being handed out (though I asked for a dozen, the store associate gave me only three), surveyed some prices (some good, some not), and asked about coupon policies which stumped a couple of associates. All in all, it seems like a decent place, utilitarian, and clean (if you want atmosphere and chic design, head to Whole Foods).
The courtesy desk associate said that sometimes there will be triple coupon vouchers in the store flyers—nice perk, but let’s see how often they show up.
One word of warning – the price signage under products can be misleading (see above). The signage emphasizes what you save, not what the actual item costs, which can throw most shoppers for a loop especially when in a rush.
TFF will continue reporting on any good deals at the new ShopRite!
Two Frugal Fairfielders 