I think Lorster had a good idea. And January is a good month to...
....scrounge the clearance racks for winter clothes, coats, etc. If you can store it until next year, buy it cheap now. Spring goods are arriving (I saw swimwear on the loading docks before Christmas) and retailers need the space. It will keep getting cheaper through Feb. (but picked over and shopworn), and be gone by March.
....pick up holiday items. CVS has Christmas stuff 90% off last week - I got tissue paper and chip/dip tray shaped like a Christmas tree for 29 cents....
I do alot of cook-ahead meals for the freezer. When a high-ticket item is on sale (frequently they have buy-one-get-one on roasts!) I'll stock up and make pot roast and beef stew, and then freeze it. Some gets frozen in family-size portions and some in individual portions. I freeze the extra broth for use later. I also get whole chickens when they're on sale. I roast them, pull the meat off the bones and make chicken soup (minus noodles), chicken fajita fixings and just plain old chicken meat. I freeze this as well. I also make spaghetti sauce when ground beef and/or turkey is on sale. I stock up on frozen vegetables and strawberries when they are on sale, as the frozen produce is picked and frozen at the peak of freshness and this locks in the nutrients. Fresh produce, especially in the off-season, has often been picked before its peak and placed in storage for a while and/or has been shipped thousands of miles - not to mention it costs more.Sounds like my house! I live on Pop-tarts and Diet Coke, but somehow I stay healthy LOL.
Hoard Pop-tarts when they go on sale, or stock up at Walmart, where they are cheaper and come in e-v-e-r-y flavor (so hard to decide...)
Coke or Pepsi is BOGO every week, buy whichever (check the price per oz., I buy cans most of the time, it's cheaper and I can take them with me instead of buying a drink when I'm out, less dishwashing 'cause I drink from the can at home, too, yep).
Coffee - giant Folger's from Costco, especially when they have a coupon.
Frozen pizza - also usually a BOGO on something, picky family be damned, you only want cheese anyway....
I use coupons and shop the sales fliers before I go to town. I make my list with things we're out of and then comparison shop the 2 chain stores in town. I don't pay the regular price for anything and if they don't have what I need on sale, then we can usually do without it.I don't care if Pepsi was free and Coke was a gallon... I'm buying the Coke. I'm telling my age, but really really deep down, my favorite is....Tab. Does it still have a Surgeon General's warning on it LOL????Jas, I'm with you on the Coke, but unfortunately my hubby is the shopper and he definitely goes with the sales. I have found that drinking Pepsi doesn't kill me, so it must be making me stronger.There were lots of penny pinching ideas in it about eating well and saving money as well as all other kinds of ways to live LIKE a cheapskate. One of the things I find gets more and more expensive is laundry detergent so I thought I'd try their recipe for homemade. I havent used it yet as I'm just finishing up the last of the box I had but it was sooo cheap and easy to make and you just use a tablespoon each wash. The amount I made for about 6 dollars should last for about 6 months. THe other thing that keeps going up (and they keep pushing is cleaners. Basically what they used as cleaners (for almost everything) was white vinegar and baking soda. For cleaning the bathroom they suggest an old pair of pantyhose scrunched up and the cheapest shampoo you can find. The shampoo evidently disolves the greasy soap ring and the pantyhose work like an abrasive scrubber.. Another one was to use cheap denture tablets (3-4) in the toilet as a cleaner, throw them in and leave for a couple of hours then scrub with a toilet brush) I also have gone back to buying my toilet rolls in bulk....48 x 400 sheet rolls for .
There are even recipes for spray and wipe cleaners, window cleaners, floor cleaners. I really enjoyed reading it and plan to use a lot of the ideas. I don't usually get out of the supermarket for less than 0 a week. The last couple of shops I've done I spent about 0 on the first one but it lasted almost 12 days instead of a week. Today I did the shopping and spent about 0. we'll see how long that lasts.
It's really just getting ridiculous. Anything that will help save some money is worth trying out.
When you go get take out fries or something, ask for extra portion control packets of ketchup and vinegar, but then put them in your purse instead of on the fries. That way, you don't have to buy ketchup and vinegar as often!I went to Dillards a few years back and saw a 12 days of christmas ornament set for sale. It was originally over 0 and i bought it for .
I like to go to avenue during after holiday to buy my sweatshirts and hold them till the next year, usually buy them about also.
I do like after holiay sales.
For those of us with young kids - I use a trick my friend taught me. She got one of those HUGE storage bins that snap shut they have in red or green at the store after Christmas. She calls it "The Store" and she puts in it any odds and ends she finds over the year on clearance for 'emergency presents'. Then, when the child has a birthday party - viola - something you found on clearance is pulled out. She warned me that as the child get's older you will get a LOT less notice. I was talking to her on the phone one night and her daughter came up and said they had to either go shopping or she needed something from 'The Store". LOL My friend said - Store! and we resumed out convo.
Yesterday I checked 'The Store' and figured out I didn't have anything for a party she's going to tomorrow. Lots of girl things I set aside for her B-Day party as game gifts and little gift bag fillers, but nothing for boys as I'd run out. So, after dinner yesterday we stopped at a Long's to see if there was anything worthwhile. They had some Hot Wheel's thingy that looked cool, but even with their 25% sale running I felt it was a too expensive. .25 WITH the discount. Today I ran over to Target, and the same toy was .99. Still, I thought I could do better. So, to Toys-R-Us I scampered. Bingo. After Christmas clearance. An even cooler Hot Wheel's toy (this one lit up and had sounds) for .50. I ended up buying 3 NICE Hot Wheels toys for .50. So, one for the party - and 2 for the Store! Hubby just saw it and said I had a 'comfirmed kill' LOL
I started doing this for my family as we breed like rabbits and there's way too many of us. I have clothes and cool stuff 'just in case'. I try to get as many of the B-Days and Christmas shopping done by February as possible. Rumor has it that Macy's may go into major clearance mode by next Sunday. Anyway, I circle there until I find what I want at a price we can afford. Last year I stalked this beautiful, elegant green velvet and chiffon dress. Sorry, we don't have 0 for a little girl's dress that she's going to forget she's wearing and crawl around on the floor in. Anyway, I think I ended up paying including tax.
I also have one bin for my daughter. Things I see that she'll like, or grow into later (fab velvet 'jamma's i just picked up for next winter for .50). There was velvet purple dress with beeding I got at Ross for .50. (Those with a Ross near them; their Xmas clothes clearance get's boxed up and sells next year for .50 somewhere between Halloween and Christmas). I got a fabulous red velvet and fur dress for .00 in early November. I throw in things I find for an Advent Calendar. Or as a 'job well done'. Either way, it's all so inexpensive I don't get upset if the clothes/toys get ruined quickly.
It's not the sale; it's the hunt!
Pip
P.S. Anything you forget to give away and the child outgrows can easily be donated to the Adopt a Family program next Holiday.
I do the exact same thing. I have two large bins in my closet full of gifts for next christmas. Old navy is having a huge 50% 75% off sale and an additional 50% off that price. I got 4 really nice scarves for some of my neices for 99cents, shirts i got for .50 and .50. I always buy boxers for my boys and hubby from there because they are so well made and have cool designs. Usually they are .99 each, but I paid .49 plus an additional 50% off. I will be going to toys R us to see what is on clearance there this afternoon...My bin bit me in the butt this year. Had FABULOUS things for the inlaws - a Crane stationery store went out of business, and had lots of our last initial monogrammed cards left; Vera Bradley had an outlet sale in our city, bought tons of great stuff for next to nothing. Most prepared with the nicest stuff I've ever had.
Then my BIL calls on like Dec. 15 and say no gifts for the adults, they want to give to charity this year. Dude, we've been giving to charity every year, what's your problem....
So I've got a lot of monogrammed stationery and Vera Bradley. Don't know what to expect next year, they are full of last minute surprises every year.
I usually give out computer upgrades (complete with installation/support from yours truly) for presents for family and friends, so I buy lots of stuff from newegg.com (online discount computer parts store). For last-minute birthday gifts, I've stopped trying to get a gift to match the birthday boy/girl. On the way to the party, we stop at Target and get a birthday card and a gift card. The Target in our town is very popular (we don't have very many other stores) and the kids love having "credit cards". The birthday boy/girl at a typical party will usually get about 0 in Target cards. It always fits, there are no worries about whether the kid already has that toy (or if they are allowed to play with a particular toy!), they can even get books/candy/batteries/whatever. I stock up on stuff at the grocery store when it's on sale, use coupons.... print them off the puter and clip from newspaper. I shop at the overstock place online. For linens and stuff I go to Tuesday Morning, can get some really great buys there... 800 thread count sheet set for a queen bed for 49.99!! I also go the Dollar Store, I bought lots of stuff there for my BF's niece and nephew for Xmas, good stuff through Disney. I believe if I left my debit card at home I would save a lot of money by not buying things on the spur of the moment. Well, I decided that I'm not going to buy anymore bread for a while. I'mSuzanne - they'll come around sometime. I have a sister that does that. So, I wait and later....LOL
Lorster - we're doing that...it's also so yummy and no preservatives!
OK - this is funny (except eventually we'll all need it). Never thought it came down to shopping tho!
http://www.latimes.com/business/investing/tips/la-fi-death28 oct28,1,2127417,full.story?coll=la-utilities-investor
Pip
P.S. Macy's went to Clearance today. Sale runs thru tomorrow. There's a big coupon for extra money off in Sunday's paper.Disney Store is blowing it out, too. Lots of cuties for 50% off, their clothes hold up great.
Sigh. I'm going backwards. Bolied some cheap chicken leg quarters off the bone. Picked up a piece and it plopped down, splashing greasy stock on my favorite jeans. Ain't coming out. Now I've got to replace those.
But the soup and chicken burritos I got out of the chicken - yummy yummy yummy!
Email me - I'll send you the info for Soilove. Did you dry the jeans since the splatter? If not, don't yet. If so, try Oxy and soak - it'll work.
'Confirmed Kill' at Macy's this weekend. 4 sets of winter 'jamma's for . Including cute terry sleep masks!
Also, not one, but 2 formal velvet Christmas Dresses for the baby for next year and the year after for each! Both are exquisite with one having embroidery on the net skirt and the other black seed beeding on the red skirt. Both are lined and have taffetta or some netty stuff between the lining and the dress. FABULOUS!
Must hunt!
Pip
Hunting good!
JCP went to 70%. Got a TON of Christmas and Birthday gifts for this year. Confirmed kills on T-shirts, Sweatshirts, men's fleece pullovers, and this velvet sparkly shirt thingy that my mom would adore!
Anybody know what Kohl's is doing? They usually have a ton of great merchandise this time of the year.
Pip
LOVE the church cookbooks. Tried and true recipes, and bonus typos that make them more fun!
Grease dilemma - I know all of your helpful hints, and botched them all. Did put Spray and Wash on immediately, because the Oxy was down to fumes (and I still kept it... Like a token stain fighter, guarding the laundry room...). Washed, but did not dry when it didn't come out. Knew about the fabulous grease-cutting power of Dawn, but realized I had used a coupon to buy a different brand. Surely, all dish deter cuts grease? Nope.
Well, these jeans were my favorites, Calvin Kleins, but of course purchased off the clearance rack, so I got my money's worth out of them and will still use them when splatters don't matter.
Grocery shopping today! Grapes - 99 cents a pound!!!!! Hubby said hot dogs were fine tonight (daughter's basketball practice, etc.) IF I bought a certain kind of chili. Freaking .49!!!!! I could make a POT of chili for that. He's clueless. I also bought a bag of 15 Bean Soup mix for 69 cents, to counter our expensive hot dog meal....We both love that, with cornbread.
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