Your Fave Frugal Finds! - Page 2

[Satori]

Originally Posted by mum4boys

I was just going to post this plus Hanes has coupons for $2.00 a pack and Target puts them on sale for $5 and sometimes they have a free pair in the package. Honestly, I think they are a lot better quality then Victoria Secret. I got a gift card for there recently and I could not believe how cheaply made their items were.

I agree, a lot of there stuff while pretty is cheaply made. I bought my bra's there prekids and they never lasted more then a couple months. Now I buy my bras at cheap places like Kmart and they last at least a year if not 2 and that's with constant use.

[Think of Winter]

I never buy cosmetics at a dept store or hair products at a salon. Total waste of money. I love CosmeticsCop.com for debunking myths about quality ingredients, "natural" products, and whether a product can really do what it claims. I use store brand Cetaphil for washing my face. It's about $5 for a big bottle. I mix it with baking soda for the occasional exfoliation. I use Oil of Olay Complete moisturizer and sunscreen. I use White Rain or Suave shampoo. It's about $0.88 on sale for a big bottle.

My stove top, stainless steel espresso maker. It makes the best espresso, w/ grocery aisle coffee.

I never buy paper for our printer, or white paper for anything. Dh brings home stacks from his recycling box at work.

We gave up microwave popcorn when we got an air popper from a freecycler. The popcorn is a lot better, and a lot cheaper.

Now someone tell me about a good, cheap red wine!

ETA: I forgot to mention, Milk of Magnesia makes an awesome, super cheap mask.

[PajamaMama]

organic vanilla beans, cheap, fresh, pliable, really good every time:

http://www.organic-vanilla.com/servlet/StoreFront

[Dar]

Originally Posted by Think of Winter

Now someone tell me about a good, cheap red wine!

Two buck chuck! I especially like the Shiraz, or at least I did the last time I drank it...

Dar

[busylizzybee]

Ditto on the air popped popcorn! I found our airpopper for a dollar at a thrift store and I buy kernels in bulk.
Also- our local fabric store frequently has their remnants for half off- which are already half off the regular yard price- I always stock up to make quick gift bags, little craft projects, or stuff we need around the house.

[Think of Winter]

Originally Posted by Dar

Two buck chuck! I especially like the Shiraz, or at least I did the last time I drank it...

Dar

I live in NJ, where we can't get liquor in TJs.

[Doula Dani]

I wonder if you can order the wine from online? The shipping might outweigh the savings though

I buy suave shampoo about 75% of the time. My hair starts to get pissy if I use it too much and so I'll just mix it up with something else once or twice a week. (I imagine that'd be the same for me with any shampoo, I think I just need to swap them out occasionally). I think they have a clarifying shampoo...maybe I should try that.

[InchByInch]

Originally Posted by PajamaMama

organic vanilla beans, cheap, fresh, pliable, really good every time:

http://www.organic-vanilla.com/servlet/StoreFront

Thank you for this! :

[~Megan~]

Speaking of underwear: twice a year, in June and January, Lane Bryant has their semi annual sale on their intimates. I love their underwear and its 5 pair for $15. Its more comfortable than Hanes and lasts longer for me.

And also at Lane Bryanbt get on their mail list. They will occasionally send out coupons for $25 off a $75 or more purchase. I got one right after Christmas when I had gift money. This coupon does not exclude clearance or items already on sale. For $51 I got 5 pairs of underwear (it was not the 5 for 15 but rather 5 for 25 but I desperately needed them), a pair of cordoroy pants, and 3 nice shirts. In Lane Bryant that's a lot of clothes for $50! And since I used to work there I know how different kinds of clothes hold up and was able to pick the best items. Look for those coupons and read the exclusions!

I love the Joanns 40% coupons. I use them at Michael's and Joann's whenever I need something. Makes knitting more affordable now that they carry 100% wool.

For food, I love getting the big Bits and Pieces bacon. The price per pound is so much better and I get a good mix of meaty and fatty so I can use them for different purposes. We love bacon.

[Ruthiegirl]

Originally Posted by Dar

Two buck chuck! I especially like the Shiraz, or at least I did the last time I drank it...

Dar

We have been enjoying The Black Box wines. Their cab is really good and priced decently -- 17.95 for a 4 bottle box. And it lasts forever since the wine is vacuumed packed in a bag.

And I must honest that I cringed while writing the above -- I used to be a terrible wine snob -- but these days, frugality and crazy parenthood win out and cheap box of wine is my new norm.

[mags]

This is a great thread!

I think one of my best finds was bananas for 5 cents each. The grocery store accidentally got a shipment of individual bananas (instead of bunches), meant for a school or cafeteria and needed to sell them off quickly. It was our turn to do preschool snack, and for that price, it cost me a little bit over a buck for a healthy snack.

I also like going to Big Lots (Odd Lots) to check out if they have any organics. They usually have organic cereal for about 1/2 price. Exp date might be coming up sooner, but overall, I always seem to find some organics there for a great price. Also got a bunch of canned tomato products for cheap there before as well, and Yogi organic tea for only $2/box there too.

[aeramom]

Originally Posted by Ruthiegirl

We have been enjoying The Black Box wines. Their cab is really good and priced decently -- 17.95 for a 4 bottle box. And it lasts forever since the wine is vacuumed packed in a bag.

And I must honest that I cringed while writing the above -- I used to be a terrible wine snob -- but these days, frugality and crazy parenthood win out and cheap box of wine is my new norm.

I second the recommendation for the Black Box cabernet!

[AnalogWife]

I too enjoy Black Box, but what I like even better is Golden Gate, they come in regular bottles and never more than $3.50/bottle and are often 20 percent off at my local grocery store...and it's GOOD!

[Pumpkin_Pie]

What a great thread! My only thing to add is the bulk jumbo bottle of organic no-salt seasoning from Costco. It is only about $10 for the bottle and it is HUGE. I add it to absolutely everything. It is jam packed with a ton of yummy organic spices and dried veggies. It smells delicious and makes soups and casseroles tasty, and super easy. I just shake a bunch in.

[samstress]

Originally Posted by HipGal

Library book sales! Children's books are often 25 cents to 50 cents.

:

if i'm patient, i'm eventually able to find most of the novels i want to read for about 25 cents.

[maryeliz]

I buy bricks of Cafe Buselo coffee, $2.50 for 10oz. If you like dark roasted coffee it's a good, cheap option. I think it is much better than any other supermarket coffee.

[EviesMom]

I think people have said most of mine--

Buy clearance and save for next season.

Buy durable shoes and clothes for adults so you can wear them for years.

Ask for shoes and clothes as gifts. People like to buy them for you if you give them sizes and brands; it's fun to see what styles people think I'll like (most of the time anyway).

Ask for memberships to museums and zoos as gifts. Again, they're more "fun" for people to give as gifts than giftcards are, and with a membership, it's easier to motivate myself to get the kids out of the house.

Along those lines---public playgrounds.

Trader Joes cookies, wine, and nuts.

[mnnice]

The 2 lbs package of Red Star yeast. It's about $4 and it's the equivalent of more than hundred of those little strips with three packets and about the same price as the 4 oz jar.

[Norasmomma]

It's funny I cannot have people buy me clothes-my mom thinks I am like 2 sizes bigger than I am and buys things that are in turn huge.

On the wine front-Bota Box Shiraz is really good and cheap-I think that the wine is Delicato, the boxes usually say Bota Box or Delicato. That's my fave cheap wine.

I buy olive oil at Costco-for 2- 2 liters it is like 24.00, super good deal and it is yummy olive oil.

A great cheap facial mask-aspirin mashed up with lemon juice, my skin has been really weird after DD and I need exfoliation and healing, aspirin does the trick.

Also I started using Garnier Fructis spray gel and cream gel for my hair because it turned curly when I was pg, and it still is. For me it's kinda funny because I am a hairstylist and always touted how good salon products are, but gosh that actually works and I can get it free many times at Rite Aid.

I LOVE the ELF cosmetics shimmering facial whip, I have them in all the colors and they cost a buck, WOW, I use it for my eye shadow and blush they give a beautiful glow, I cannot say how much I love this stuff.

I also love Neutrogena Healthy Defense tinted moisturizer, I usually get it from Amazon, and use a coupon I can get a 2 pack for super cheap, around $20. It's SPF 30 and has tint , so I use it like make-up. I get 2 of these a year.

[kathirynne]

Originally Posted by ~Megan~

...I love the Joanns 40% coupons. I use them at Michael's and Joann's whenever I need something. Makes knitting more affordable now that they carry 100% wool....

You can use Joann's coupons at Michael's???