Summer goods already on deep discount

Summer officially started June 21, but the deals on seasonal goods at retail are already in effect. The stores have begun focusing on fall; retail always works one season ahead.

So here we are in the height of summer and we already have great markdowns on summer clothing, beach gear and more. People simply are not buying. But now may be the time to pry your wallet open just a little bit.

Clark recently got new golf shirts for $7 each because they were post-season goods!

The consumer champ also has a special strategy for back-to-school shoppers. Don’t buy clothes until after school is already in session where you live. Kids’ clothes go on deep discount the very moment the school year begins.

And it’s not just clothes that get marked down. I was in a discount store last year right after school began. He found packages of 12 ballpoint pens for a dime per box, so he bought 10 boxes.

Thank goodness he only paid a fraction of a penny per pen; they turned out to be horrible quality!

From Ken: This is the chance you take with deep bargains. But like I said about the wine, if you paid next to nothing and they aren’t what you hoped for throw them out.

Ken

Garage sales, rummage sales, white elephant sales. The wife and I  have been going to garage sales for years. I tis always interesting to see what people are looking to get rid of. The relly interesting stuff gets bought up at 6am when people are first setting up. It’s amazing to see the people who are out at the crack of dawn looking for very specific. At our last neiborhood garage sale one guy was looking for gold eq. the other was looking for antique radios. We don’t normally find anything but I have on occasion found some pretty amazing things. I bought an aloe plant 10 years ago for a dollar and got a spider plant for free. I still have both plants.

I recently bought parts to make a toy for our parrot a few dog approperiate toy that used to be baby toys and an older electric ice cream maker all for $4.00 at a school community garage sale.

You can find things at garage sales, but if your looking for things like furniture, jewelry and the like estate sales are they place to look. Now keep in mind estate sales are usually run by professional companies. So you will pay a fair price for things not garage sale prices.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SmartSpending/FindDealsOnline/becoming-a-savvy-shopper.aspx

If there are any frugal subjects you think I should cover here please let me know so we can share them with others.

But how do you go to a fine dining restaurant and still be frugal? Well, this takes a little more work. The first thing you need to do is eat a little something before you go so you won’t over order. Once you get to the restaurant just order water. Alcohol can be very expensive at fine dining restaurants; even soda and tea can be expensive. I have had bills in the past where two teas cost $8.50. Try your best to avoid appetizers they have gotten a lot more expensive as well. Though they have gotten big enough that two appetizers could make a meal. It does for us many times.

More then once we have eaten at the California Grill at Disney for under $40 with tip. We have eaten at The Plaza in Magic Kingdom for just over $30 with tip. Now how, you may ask, can we get meals so inexpensively? Do we work there part-time? Have we enslaved a cast member for his or her discount? Well, we are friends with several cast members but we can’t drag one of them along every time we want to eat on property. No, we have “Tables in Wonderland” this is a discount program for Fla. residents and Disney Passholders. You can read details at the link above.

I guess what I am saying is, you can still go out and have a nice meal and not break the bank if you do a little homework and order smart.

How many times have you gone to the store to get a few things. The Plan: buy 6 things. The Result: you leave with 13 things. Not stuff you forgot you needed but just stuff you thought you’d pick up while you were there.

When I was a kid my mom went to the store once a week, with a list. A list is the best way to keep to your frugal ways.  A modern way to make that list through the week is a white board on your fridge. there is also a memo/notes utility in most cell phones so youdon’t need to find a pen around the house to take your list to the store.

Now if you find a really good deal on something you use all the time by all means get it. Just be very sure you don’t already have six at home. If your not sure pass on the deal. But try to stick to the list.

Here are the three big don’ts. Don’t shop from the middle aisles if you can help it. Don’t buy from the end caps. End caps may seem like a deal but be sure to check in the aisle if it’s something that is on your list. And finally don’t go to the store when your hungry, this will lead to impulse buying.

Is cheap wine all bad tasting swill? Well, I am here to tell you the answer is no. Now are there cheap wines that are swill? Oh yes. So how do you tell? Well, you take the chance and try them. I’m talking about wine under $10.00 a bottle. In some cases under $5.00 a bottle. Heck if it’s that bad you can always make Sangria out of it.

I have found several good brands of wine and they are all $3.00 per bottle.

Wal-Mart has their Oak Leaf brand wine. We have tried their Cabernet Sauvignon, their White Zinfandel and their Shiraz. And all of them are good. Are they as good as say a $40.00 bottle of Napa Valley wine? I have no idea, if you like $40.00 bottles of wine try one of these wines and let me know what you think.

Aldi has their Winking Owl brand. I like their Shiraz better then the Oak Leaf at Wal-Mart. I like the spicier finish of Aldi’s Shiraz; my wife likes Wal-Mart’s because it’s more balanced. Aldi’s Cabernet is widely praised.

Then there is the king of cheap vino. Trader Joe’s $2 Buck Chuck. I got this off the trader Joe’s website which will tell you more about two Buck Chuck better then I could. If there’s been one constant in our wine selection lately, it’s got to be Charles Shaw. Lovingly nicknamed “Two Buck Chuck” by a member of the wine press, these California wines have become something of a phenomenon in the wine world, and in our stores. Contrary to many an urban legend, these super-value wines began as the result of an oversupply of wine and a great relationship with a valued supplier. They’ve become the nation’s best-selling wines, not surprising when you consider the combination of low price ($1.99 – $3.49 per bottle, depending on the region) and great taste Charles Shaw wines offer. The difference in price around the country has to do with how states tax wine.

Ok, now you have three recommendations for good inexpensive wines. Go forth and try them, try others. If you find another one you really like please leave a comment for me and the other readers. I love comments. And please if you like what you have been reading please tell your friends!

There are people every year that mix fireworks and alchohol in the heat with tragic results. I would like to think that my readers are smarter then that. Jut as you shouldn’t drink and drive or drink and boat or for that matter drink and do most anything. Please don’t drink and start shooting off fireworks! I have seen the results and it’s tragic.

We have in past years splurged and spend about four hundred on fireworks. Here in Fla. it’s legal to buy the big consumer stuff, but it’s not legal to set them off. So many people do it leading up to the July fourth that it’s not really enforced. though this year in keeping with the frugalism lifestyle we may go to the local tea party protest. Partially because we agree with them but also because for we can go to the protest, see a baseball game and fireworks all for $5 each.

I would like to thank Evo Terra and Tee Morris for help making this blog better. Thanks guys!

But to keep this a frugal post remember those 50-90% off sales tommorow on anything patriotic. Be careful of any discounted fireworks because 1) You have to be careful how you store them and 2) are you really going to wait till the next 4th to set them off. For me it would be to big a temptation.

The short version of what I am trying to say is next time you consider grabbing something “convenient” consider what the ingredients would cost if you made it yourself and how long it would REALLY take to make it yourself. I’m guilty of this especially when it comes to pizza but I’m trying to be better. I plan to make pizza dough and freeze it so I can have pizza made in 5 minutes rather then 30 minutes.

Seeing as this is a holiday weekend. If you want to keep living a frugal life. Look for the deals as always but don’t get sucked in just because it’s a deal. Sure a deal on 5- 12 packs that will save you $13 on soda seems like a good deal. But who need that much soda?

The best strategy is to only buy around the outside edge of the store. Don’t go into the middle aisles. If you have to shop the middle aisles remember to look for the deals. The buy one get one free the two for the price of one. But always compare the generic alternative.

The day after a holiday is a great time to find deals, this does require planning ahead since you might not use what you bought till next year. The same sort of deals can be found on end of season. Every woman reading this is going well of course the best deals are found end of season. Well, that applies everywhere not just clothing stores. So go forth my Frugalists and find the deals!