Frugal Fridays: Brick and Mortar Shopping

Welcome to Frugal Fridays where we share money saving tips, discuss living frugally and generally talk about personal finance issues.   In the past, I've talked a lot about internet shopping, which makes sense, since you are obviously internet savy people, or you wouldn't be reading this.  But what about the kind of shopping you do most of the time?  The kind where you walk into a store, pick something off a shelf and plunk down cold hard cash (or even harder plastic)?  This week I want to mention some of my favorite places to shop and since this is one of those weeks where I will have to post and run, I hope that you all can pick up where I leave off and offer your own suggestions for your favorite places to shop locally.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am a comparison shopper.  I am usually constitutionally incapable of walking into a store and buying something, no matter how small, without first checking at least a couple other places to make sure that I am getting a good price and good quality.  I'm not necessarily interested in the lowest price, because paying more for an item that will last can be more frugal in the long run, but I want to make sure that the price I'm paying will be reasonable.  

Besides price and quality, there are other considerations I try to take into account when I shop.  I try to patronize businesses that are good to their employees, the environment and to the local community.  However, there are no absolutes and I refuse to draw strict lines such as "no big box stores" or "no non-union suppliers".   Small locally owned businesses are not always better for the local community or for the employees than big corporations.  Union shops are not always better places to work than non-union shops.  Most importantly, in the end, I need to do what's best for me and my family and I can't sacrifice our well-being on the altar of political correctness.

Now all this comparison shopping takes time and energy, but over the years, I have found that there are some stores that I have grown to know and trust.  I know that if I walk in and see something new, something I have never compared at other retailers, I can feel pretty confident that the quality will be decent and the price fair and I don't need to check anywhere else before I buy.  Of course if we are talking about a big ticket item I will still check other places, but for everyday stuff, I can feel pretty confident shopping at the following places.

Costco
Costco is my hands down favorite place to shop.  Most people immediately think of their food selection whenever Costco is mentioned, but that's less than half of what they carry.  I don't buy much in their food section, since I don't need the quantities they package, but I do really like them for other stuff.  Their selection is limited, so they don't always carry what I want, but they are the first place I check when looking for anything from office supplies to live plants.  I feel perfectly confident about buying it there with no further comparison.   I have always been satisfied with the quality of their store brand, Kirkland, when buying anything from luggage to toilet paper.  

The other nice thing about Costco is that it is one big conglomerate that I can feel good about shopping in.  I know they treat their employees well, both in wages and benefits and I have seen them try to benefit the communities where they are located.

Ikea
A lot of people complain that Ikea furniture is low quality, but that's not completely true.  They do carry some very low end stuff, but they have a good selection of mid-range pieces as well, furniture that is made from solid wood, not veneer over pressboard.  You are not going to find heirloom quality pieces here, things that you could hand down for generations, but you will find decent quality at really good prices.  Let's face it, your kids are probably not going to want your furniture anyhow and you may not even want it 20 years from now.  

As for their upholstered furniture (couches, chairs, etc.) I don't have personal experience with those items myself, but one thing I do really like is that it was designed to fit into European apartments which have much smaller rooms than modern American homes. As one who lives in an older house with smaller rooms, I find most American furniture is just too big for the space I have.  

Ikea also carries a wide variety of textiles, kitchen ware, and other home items.  Again the quality ranges from low to mid-range, and is priced accordingly, but for the most part I've been really pleased with their quality and find even the low end stuff acceptable in many cases.  I just want to add that their storage solutions are really innovative as well and I love wandering around getting new ideas.

Trader Joe's
This grocery chain started in California, but it is spreading across the country.  Again, their selection is somewhat limited; you are not going to find all the items you would in a supermarket, but their emphasis is on organic, healthy and natural items.  Their prices are a bit higher than a standard supermarket, but the quality is significantly better and I have no qualms about trying something new from them if i see something that catches my eye.

They tend to have a very good selection of wine and beer.  Their own wine label, Charles Shaw, sells for $2 a bottle in California. (I think it is $3 a bottle in some other states).  It's not a bad wine to start with, if you are not a big wine connoisseur.  It's so popular out here it's known by its nickname "two buck Chuck".

Lowe's and Home Depot
I'm lumping these together, because they are quite similar.  I have a preference for Lowe's. I think their customer service and corporate culture is a bit better, but if I didn't have a Lowe's nearby, I would feel confident shopping at Home Depot.  When buying anything expensive, such as an appliance or power tools, I would still comparison shop, but for general home improvement items, I'm happy with their prices and quality.

Wal-Mart Pharmacy  
Let me start by saying I hate Wal-Mart!  I think they treat their customers badly, their employees badly and their suppliers badly.  I have sworn to never shop there, and for now, I still don't.  But the fact is that my principles have a price and if you try hard enough, I can be bought.  I was talking last night to someone who used to pay over $60 a month for a regular prescription and now she pays $4 at Wal-Mart.  That's about a 95% discount.  Fortunately, I'm not in her situation where I need to take regular medication, but if I were, you can be certain I would be standing in line behind her at Wal-Mart, after I checked the pricing at Costco.

Frugal Tip of the Week:  If you have a gift card for Sharper Image, you had best go redeem it right away, before it becomes useless.   It seems that the company is undergoing reorganization under bankruptcy and earlier this month suspended acceptance of gift cards entirely.  They are currently accepted in the stores or by phone order, but not on-line.  This company may recover, but it could also be circling the drain, and you don't want them to take your cash with you if they dissolve.   If you have any old gift cards lying around, for this store or any other, you may want to make a point to redeem them soon, because this could happen again to other retailers.