Where to get the best prices!
Pots, pans, utensils and even small appliances can be found at an affordable price.
You would be surprised at what you can find in your own neighborhood.
Restaurant Supply Stores
If you are near a restaurant supply store, you would be amazed at what you can get there at a discount. These items are built to last. Things like knives, cutting boards, utensils, containers and even pots and pans can be found there. Whatever you need, it’s there and built to last. Surprisingly most items are around the same price as your local Walmart. The difference is that these are not crap that is mass produced but high-quality goods.
The Local Thrift Store
One of the best places to find small kitchen appliances is your local thrift or consignment store. Just some of the things I have found are a Bread Machine, and old school pasta maker and a meat slicer. And if it’s a bit dingy with age, nothing a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser won’t take care of. That little sponge can make any kitchen appliance look brand new, like you just took it out of the box. I have more about it at my ‘Tips’ page.
Of course, there is the thrift store paradox. You see 4-5 of the same item for months, then when yours breaks down, there isn't one to be found anywhere.
Local Ethnic Market
You wouldn’t think it, but your local ethnic market is one of the best places to shop. They will have all the spices and ingredients you need to make that delightful dish. The Hispanic store will have that tortilla press or the mortar and pestle you want. The Chinese market will have that wok or nice chopsticks you want. And always at an affordable price.
The Dollar Store
Your local dollar store (or should I say $1.25 store these days) is a great place to buy the little things. They generally have a good selection of spices and other things to keep a well supplied kitchen. Sometimes they even have hard to find items, but that is hit or miss and generally only a one-time deal. Meaning do not depend on it being there once the stock is gone, so if you use it, stock up. But always look at the sturdiness of things like utensils, most are flimsy junk from China, so unless you need it in an emergency don’t depend on them for things like an ice cream scoop.
Save money at Amazon
Saving money on Amazon is easier than you think
First, I would like to point out the little-known Amazon Prime discount. If you are on a fixed budget all you have to do is scan or take a picture of your EBT/SNAP card and send it to them. Then you get Prime for $6.99 instead of $14.99 a month. This is a great deal! Not only do you get the free two day shipping but Amazon Video, Kindle Prime and Amazon Games (4-5 free computer games a month) Click Here.
You can save tons of money buying online. Everyday Amazon has sales, sometimes you can save as much as 90%. The problem is finding the sale. Well, here is the answer to that, people make daily lists of what is being sold at a discount on Amazon. One of the best is Yofreesamples.com . Besides having a nice selection of freebies listed daily they also have the Amazon sale list. They have over 15,000 sale items listed every day, but you have to be fast because some times the sale end when a certain amount of the item is sold.
Besides daily sales, there is the subscription service. A subscription service is simple, you order a set number of items of something then you choose how often you want that many to be delivered to your house (every month to every three months). Example: Your kids like mug cakes, you buy 4 boxes every month. Go to Amazon and subscribe to it and four boxes show up at your doors every month, one less thing you have to shop for.
So, here is the tip: On your first order, they generally give you 50-70% off the price of the item. Sign up for the service, order as many as you can afford, then once the order goes through cancel the subscription.
Buying in bulk
Turn the supermarket into a club store
I’m not talking about going to the club store, take advantage of Super Sales at the local store. On occasion a store will put something on sale for a price that is way below cost.
A great example is laundry detergent. Every 2-3 months a store will have a sale at 3 for $5. Generally, there will be a limit, but that limit tends to be 4 offers. So, an educated shopper gets twelve jugs of detergent for $20. It’s $20 out of your pocket now, but next month you aren’t paying $8.99 for the same item when you need it.
Also this is another reason to look at the weekly sales circular from your local store. See what's on sale and try to find a coupon for that item. The you turn that $5 into $4. As a final point, once you buy the limit you rarely have to buy that many again. Another sale pops up before long before you run out. Unless you have 8 kids living in your house anyway.
Yard Sales
I never pass a yard sale without stopping, you never know what can be found. Often someone either gets a new item or received something as a gift and never used it. 90% of the time if is price very reasonably and if you are good at the art of haggling you can walk away with a great buy. One example: I got a restaurant sized bamboo streamer for $2 (Around $30 at the Chinese market). The person bought it and then never used it.
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