Monday, January 2, 2012

Discount Stores - Cheap Junk Or Treasure Hunt For Bargains?

!±8± Discount Stores - Cheap Junk Or Treasure Hunt For Bargains?

It appears as though dollar stores as well as other discount stores are becoming popular retailers in many cities. Will these low cost retailers actually provide you with a bargain or will they simply sell poor quality products? Many people feel, there are plenty of bargains found in these stores when you search for the right products.

I give a lot of greeting cards to friends and family, however they will cost .00 or more each at nearly all retailers. I can find many nice cards at discount stores for around 50 cents each. They're still humorous, charming or sentimental and I don't feel like I needed to settle for less than what I wanted to say.

Disposable products for parties can be a great deal at discount stores. The cost of napkins, paper plates, glasses, silverware, invitations, and so on, could really add up quickly. Wrapping paper and gift bags can be another area of party items that can be purchased for a great price at these discount stores.

I wouldn't advise going into discount shops and purchasing presents for your family or friends, however there really are some excellent items out there. Many people take advantage of buying picture frames from discount retailers because they appear just as good. However, I would feel kind of funny getting picture frames from these shops as presents. For instance I bought a great set of frames from a discount warehouse recently. They could be mistaken for glass and make for a good-looking display on my dresser. But if you pick them up you can quickly observe they are manufactured from thin plastic material.

Nearly all discount stores have lots of toys for kids, but don't forget - kids can be very hard on toys. They will be really disappointed if the head pops off your doll or the wheels fall off of their car or truck. I wouldn't advise purchasing these toys from a discount shop because the quality just isn't there.

But there are plenty of entertaining children's toys and games you can get from a discount store such as marbles, sidewalk chalk, as well as coloring books. These all make terrific goodies for stocking stuffers and even traveling to make the trip go by quicker. I love to find soap bubbles for when we stop at a rest area just as a bonus for them to treat one another with care while we will be on an extended trip. Very simple, but it works beautifully every time!

In addition, there are plenty of products at discount stores you could use to spruce up your home. I can't pay .00 to buy a shower curtain! It simply isn't going to happen. I always buy them at a dollar store for only 1 or 2 dollars. They last a long time and they have worked out just fine. I have no problem whatsoever when the time comes to replace it. Also, I've found great soap dishes as well as wall hangings for my bathroom at discount stores.

Office supplies are something many of us use on a regular basis. You can purchase them for an excellent price at discount retailers. Notebooks, paper, pens, glue, rulers, scissors, calculators, along with envelopes will all be found for a great price. I've never had any problems with the quality of these products. They're quite comparable to those I purchase at different retail stores for much more money.

I believe when it comes to locating bargains at discount stores there are many to be discovered. It is important you don't have too high of expectations when it comes to the quality of the products. But in almost all of the cases as to the different products I have described, the quality doesn't need to be outstanding. They will work just fine without costing you a lot. This makes party planning quite enjoyable if you know you've got the budget to cover everything. If you never browse through discount stores you're really missing out on some terrific bargains!


Discount Stores - Cheap Junk Or Treasure Hunt For Bargains?

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Friday, December 9, 2011

Less Bang For Your Buck - Newspapers, Toilet Paper Rolls Have Suddenly and Quietly Shrunk in Width

!±8± Less Bang For Your Buck - Newspapers, Toilet Paper Rolls Have Suddenly and Quietly Shrunk in Width

Have you noticed how consumer goods are shrinking without you knowing it? Just the other day, my wife pointed out to me how much narrower a roll of toilet paper is these days. I almost didn't catch it. But suddenly, I noticed how much more room is left on the roller after you put on a new roll. I am certain the roller mechanism did not elongate on its own. No, we are getting less toilet paper for our money.

It doesn't stop there. Our newspaper is suddenly an inch or so narrower, too. The print is smaller and I now refer to it as "The Daily Pamphlet." Less bang for our subscription buck.

This isn't the end of it. Many of the things we've been buying are shrinking in size, weight and quality, only it takes a while for the American consumer to figure it out. Maybe that's why so many food packages boast "10% More Free!" Yeah, 10 percent more of the 20 percent you've downsized your products. No can of coffee is ever a pound anymore. It's 12 ounces. And, many are 11.5 ounces. What a deal.

It's all about getting less for more. Gasoline comes to mind. Heating fuel, too. Utilities by and large raise their rates whenever they feel like it. If we conserve too much, like many of us have to in these chaotic economic times, the corporate world has to make up for it somehow. So, they give you less for more while making you think you're getting a steal. I'm no dummy. But, it doesn't matter, because what can I do about it? The same as you: nothing.

Many stores are playing the price-cutting game. They have hundreds of "lower prices." Are they really lower? Or, are they just more reasonable like they used to be? Wal Mart plays that game better than anyone by undercutting just about everybody. But, as you probably well know, they do it at the expense of running roughshod on the entire economy from shuttering small businesses to doing most of their business with China resulting in catastrophic American job losses. I won't get into the gigantic trade deficit they've created along the way, or the untested safety of their Chinese products.

Price trickery has been around as long as there have been goods to sell and customers to buy them. But, it's getting out of hand. Club cards here, discount warehouses there, rebates, sales, shrinking product sizes, misleading content labeling, and on and on.

The good news is, this whole circus of product deceit has led me to become a much more discerning consumer. So, when I buy something in a smaller package touting "25% More Free!" despite being wise to the con, thus getting less for more, at least I know I'm being duped. A small victory to be sure, but I'll take 'em whenever I can get 'em.


Less Bang For Your Buck - Newspapers, Toilet Paper Rolls Have Suddenly and Quietly Shrunk in Width

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