My Frugal Life: Saving Money When Shopping

I recently heard a report about money and finance that was surprising to me. Lay away isn't a good idea. Not that I do it, but I was surprised it wasn't saving you any money. The fact is you save money by not paying the fees and risking losing the items you have paid on by being late. The sales are always closer to the holiday. It's better to save that money yourself, by either getting interest or waiting for a sale. You also save on gas and time, on top of always paying more pre-sale.

I started thinking of the other things I do. Grocery items are always on sale the night before the big restock of the week. This can be one, two or even three times a week. Usually it's once a week when anything left is marked way down. Just ask the manager when this is. Here is is Monday night. The new sales start on Wednesday so Tuesday the shelves are bare. What is left is on sale, but it's very picked over from the weekend. The week before sale, shelves are being stocked with the new merchandise. The exception would be if a holiday falls right before that day. Of course, after the holiday things are marked down if items are for that particular day.

Same thing goes to all of the thrift stores. My favorite one stocks new items on Monday and marks down tags that haven't sold the week before. I just asked her one week. Everyone usually is so nice and helpful telling you when the best days are and which days certain things are marked down. The last weekend, they try to get things in order for a new month. I love the racks where everything is 99 cents, no matter what it cost the day before, on that last weekend it is marked down. They have constant turnover and always want to keep things moving.

Recently at our church thrift store, I asked about belts. They were marked 30% off. She told me to come back on Friday. They had a bunch in the back and hadn't restocked the rack. They wanted to sell what they could to make more room.

If you pay attention at some thrift stores, you'll see where on week if it doesn't sell at 25% off, the second week it's 50%, and so on. You can save and even ask when they restock furniture, children's clothes, adult's, etc. They all have a system. Each store may have a different day. Most need to close the books at end of the month. You can save so much money by asking what day they restock, mark down, or even clear the racks (what hasn't sold they donate somewhere else).

Consignment stores are just that. They only have certain amount of time to sale any item. Ask what that period is and if something you love is over the amount you can spend, maybe it will be marked down the next day.

So many people resale things online. They know everywhere, times of mark down, restocks, or deliveries. Some are waiting at the door to pick over everything before most of us get there. If you ask most of the stores will tell you.

Grocery is the same. They donate bread, meat, even canned items to the food bank once a week. Right before that, everything is marked down. It still is good quality food or they couldn't sell it to you.

Even if you do shop at malls, Target, or wherever, they all have that time frame where it is the better times to save money. Our malls, between now and Christmas, will have a couple midnight sales; believe me it will be crowed.

Hopefully, you will be given all the information I was to help save you money! Remember all of our store markdown cards are still good when marked as far down as they will before donating it. All of the coupons and special mark down days are still in effect, so you really can save so much more by being flexible on the days, times, and by just asking when is the best time possible to save.

Source: I saw the money report on The View. I have been doing the other since my son worked at Vons (grocery store). The thrift stores are so kind, I just asked.

By Luana M. from San Diego, CA

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