The Deal Seeking Thread

[fidgiegirl]

I have a new idea for an ongoing or new monthly thread and hopefully I can describe it well enough.

If I run across a good deal online or out shopping, frequently I'm not in the market for the deal myself, but find myself wishing I knew who to share the deal with. For example, last winter we were at the shoe outlet in Red Wing, MN, and winter boots were a PHENOMENAL 75% off or something deep like that. For really nice boots. And I had no one to tell.

On the other side, when hunting for a special deal, I wish I had an army of people out watching for that deal. :) Like, I would like new hiking boots, but haven't run across a bargain yet.

I wonder if we could try a thread where people either share deals they've spotted, or alert board members to be on the look out. For some things it might work better than others, but there are enough people all over the country and combing the interwebs that it might be worth a shot - they could be "live" deals or online.

I know people kind of do this informally on the frugals thread already, so maybe it's overkill.

So I'll start with those ladies hiking boots, size 9 . . . :)
Also, a good price during back-to-school on one of those teeny weeny flash drives.

What kinds of deals are you watching for lately? Maybe we can all help each other out.

[bae]

I am looking for old chisels, hammer heads, punches, knife blades, axe heads and things of that nature, to reforge into new useful tools. Also old hand-cranked forge blowers, leg vices, and things along that line.

Garage sale pickings around my neck of the woods are very unproductive at the moment :-(

[redfox]

I am looking for old chisels, hammer heads, punches, knife blades, axe heads and things of that nature, to reforge into new useful tools. Also old hand-cranked forge blowers, leg vices, and things along that line.

Garage sale pickings around my neck of the woods are very unproductive at the moment :-(

I'll keep my eye at at the GW. I see such things frequently... And will likely be in the islands some time soon. BTW, you come into the city ever? I'd love to take you to coffee!

[fidgiegirl]

Yeah, our first connection! Excellent!

[Aqua Blue]

Ok, this might not be what you had in mind but here goes.... I am planning a trip to Denver in Sept. Does anyone have a low budget but decent hotel recommendation? Also we want to go to the zoo, the butterfly garden and the aquarium(do you see a theme? LOL) Does anyone know about getting tickets to them for less (like an activity book?) And one last thing, someone told me about a restraunt that is like a little city(Italian, I was thinking) That has lots of other things going on, like juggling as I recall-it was a long time ago. Do you know where that might be?

[Rosemary]

I always ordered my hiking boots from Sierra Trading Post when they had a special coupon deal. You can get on their email list for special discounts. I particularly like Vasque boots and I have wide feet -- so I usually ordered a small size in men's boots... but they have plenty of women's boots as well, and many brands.

[sweetana3]

Dont know if they have any Microtels there in Denver but we just stayed in one of their cheap and very small rooms but for less than $70 it was a huge bargain and it was just as good as a Comfort Inn for 50% or 100% more. You do need to ask for one of the small rooms.

[puglogic]

Ok, this might not be what you had in mind but here goes.... I am planning a trip to Denver in Sept. Does anyone have a low budget but decent hotel recommendation? Also we want to go to the zoo, the butterfly garden and the aquarium(do you see a theme? LOL) Does anyone know about getting tickets to them for less (like an activity book?) And one last thing, someone told me about a restraunt that is like a little city(Italian, I was thinking) That has lots of other things going on, like juggling as I recall-it was a long time ago. Do you know where that might be?

Hi Aqua Blue,
For a low-priced hotel in Denver, I would stay away from anything on or near Colfax Avenue unless it's out in the suburbs. Hotwire.com can give you an idea of prices - they will go down in Sept. so you could get lucky! I often find good rates on Hotwire THEN go to sites like TripAdvisor.com to doublecheck their reputation. Tickets to the zoo, butterfly pavilion and aquarium can often be gotten at discounted prices by going to the King Soopers grocery chain here - they sell them for several dollars off at the service desk. Plus, check the venues' web sites, or google "discounted tickets butterfly pavilion" or something similar, to find special times/days when it's cheaper. For example the butterfly pavilion is currently super-cheap if you go after 3:00pm on a weekday.....things like that. And for the restaurant, is this what you were thinking of? http://www.casabonitadenver.com/

[puglogic]

I am looking for old chisels, hammer heads, punches, knife blades, axe heads and things of that nature, to reforge into new useful tools. Also old hand-cranked forge blowers, leg vices, and things along that line.

Garage sale pickings around my neck of the woods are very unproductive at the moment :-(

Bae, is there any particular material you were hoping for?

[fidgiegirl]

Thanks, Rosemary. I've looked on Sierra Trading Post in the past, and certainly gotten good deals there, but had no luck so far with the boots. Perhaps it's time to take another gander.

[bae]

Bae, is there any particular material you were hoping for?

Any high-carbon-ish steel that can be hardened to make usable tools. That is, if it already in tool form of some sort, it is likely the right stuff,or can be coaxed into being the right stuff. Old plow blades, even broken bits off them, or worn out older saw blades are really useful items too.

People tend to throw this stuff out in small quantities, but it is so very handy for the craftsman.

[bae]

I'll keep my eye at at the GW. I see such things frequently... And will likely be in the islands some time soon. BTW, you come into the city ever? I'd love to take you to coffee!

Thanks RF! I get down to the city proper a couple of times a year. More frequently I pop down to Boeing Field and go almost next door to the Seattle Police training facility for classes, when I can bum a ride down in someone else's plane (which is the best sort of private aircraft :-) )

[mara61]

Ok, this might not be what you had in mind but here goes.... I am planning a trip to Denver in Sept. Does anyone have a low budget but decent hotel recommendation? Also we want to go to the zoo, the butterfly garden and the aquarium(do you see a theme? LOL) Does anyone know about getting tickets to them for less (like an activity book?) And one last thing, someone told me about a restraunt that is like a little city(Italian, I was thinking) That has lots of other things going on, like juggling as I recall-it was a long time ago. Do you know where that might be?

Do you perhaps have a zoo membership where you live? Perhaps the Denver zoo is a recip., along with the aquarium. I ask because this what I do, get a yearly membership to a local zoo and then get either free or half off admission.

[Maxamillion]

This is a great idea for a thread. I've found deals on craigslist and have sold a few things on there. Freecycle is also good, though I haven't seen anything on it yet that I needed. I collect vintage My Little Ponies and sometimes the newer ones if it's a design I like. The local thrift stores occasionally get them in, but most of what they have is clothes and overpriced used books.

For those that have a Hobby Lobby nearby, their website has a weekly coupon that you can either print out or (if your cell phone has internet access) show them the coupon on your phone. This is a great deal when they have the 40% off coupons and you're looking for something a bit more expensive. JoAnn craft stores send out a flyer a couple of times a month that have coupons in them, and some of those are 40-50% off. It's saved me a good bit of money on buying machine embroidery thread. Also, both JoAnne and Hancock Fabrics will occasionally have McCall's, Butterick, and Simplicity patterns for 99 cents or $1.99.

[fidgiegirl]

Do you perhaps have a zoo membership where you live? Perhaps the Denver zoo is a recip., along with the aquarium. I ask because this what I do, get a yearly membership to a local zoo and then get either free or half off admission.

I think there is a whole network of museums that have a similar deal, where if you are a member of your local museum, you can go to all these other museums for free or reduced. Stella mentioned it when her family went on the epic road trip last winter. Stella? More 411?

[SteveinMN]

Kelli, I haven't seen any super-screaming deals on flash drives in the last few weeks. There may be some deals coming up in back-to-school sales, but my experience is that places like Tarzhay or StapleMax Office don't typically have great prices on flash drives. OTOH, Sandisk has been offering some really good prices on their tiny tiny drives and flash cards (CF, SD, etc.); like half the cost of Lexar or the other names (I'm not a fan of anyone else's flash drives). And one place that has consistently good prices on flash drives, surprisingly, is Adorama, a very large camera/electronics store in NYC (and through the obvious URL). I've bought a fair amount of stuff from them for my photography business and I trust them.

[fidgiegirl]

Thanks, Steve! I will check it out!

[frugal-one]

Check www.fatwallet.com ....

[Amaranth]

For Denver, see if they have any Extended Stay hotels or similar type with another brand and if they are in safe areas. The kitchen makes it easy to cook in for breakfast and dinner and just eat lunch out.

Check with the library to see if you can be a temporary member and if they have any passes you can check out. The library may be able to steer you to frugal activities. Check any tourist websites to see if there are any free or frugal activities during the time you are there.

Sometimes museums will have a free day on a typically slow weekday such as Tuesday.

See if there is an issue of the paper that has coupons for the week. Ask your hotel to save a copy for you.

Some restaurants have a reduced price meal if you get there before 6 pm certain days. Some cities have 2 for 1 restaurant books.

[Tussiemussies]

You can also check the visitor's bureau to see if there are any free walking tours or other free low-cost.activities.:)

[ToomuchStuff]

Check www.fatwallet.com (http://www.fatwallet.com) ....

Dealnews.com, slickdeals.net, woot.com, dailysteals, etc. etc. etc.

This stuff, can easily get in the way of frugality. I setup a email for all those deal emails that companies want you to look at, and only go look at it, when I am hunting for something. I also have used sites like salescircular.com, to check out the weekly ads for items like the USB sticks. However, some deals have been just by walking into, or looking at the stores online (Radio Shack, was that way recently, for me, as I picked up a 16gb USB 2.0 key (so many deals on 2.0 keys now), for $10.

[Merski]

Triple A has fabulous discounts if you are a member. We buy at the Rockport outlet and get great deals. I know there are also discounts at tourist destinations, motels and car rentals.

[Aqua Blue]

Thanks for the idea, but no, I live in a very rural area.

[decemberlov]

So I'll start with those ladies hiking boots, size 9 . . . :)
Also, a good price during back-to-school on one of those teeny weeny flash drives.



Kelli, what kind of flash drive are you looking for? I have one I wouldn't mind mailing to you...I doubt it would cost much, they're super tiny and light. I work for a printing company and they get left behind a lot...mostly by walk in customers that I never really see again...I'll hold on to them for a yr or so but after that I don't know what to do with them...currently I have 3 that have been unclaimed for over 2 years :~)

[decemberlov]

Is there a thread on here where people might post things they are looking to get rid of and possibly trade them with other people looking to get rid of items they may need?

[fidgiegirl]

Kelli, what kind of flash drive are you looking for? I have one I wouldn't mind mailing to you...I doubt it would cost much, they're super tiny and light. I work for a printing company and they get left behind a lot...mostly by walk in customers that I never really see again...I'll hold on to them for a yr or so but after that I don't know what to do with them...currently I have 3 that have been unclaimed for over 2 years :~)

decemberlov, one of the things I need is one of the ones that is super tiny (http://www.adorama.com/VDLAMKUF8G.html) to fit in a digital photo frame. We could also do one a storage card but I think the flash drive is cheaper. But frankly, I also use them for work and am probably like the people who leave them behind! Luckily I learned long ago never to actually STORE things on the flash drives I use, only to use them to transport files from one spot to another. I'd love to get your used ones. I'd happily send you $$ for the postage. Let's PM. Thanks!!

[decemberlov]

ShopSavvy app for anyone that had a smart phone is amazing!!
You can scan the barcodes of items and it will find you the cheapest price available.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.biggu.shopsavvy&hl=en

[Amaranth]

If anyone comes across a really good sale on vegetable and herb seeds, I'd love to hear about it.

[fidgiegirl]

Oh yeah, and decemberlov - there used to be a thread for buy/sell/barter, but I don't see it now. As I recall, it wasn't heavily used. Perhaps it went by the wayside.

[Lainey]

I just picked up this High Sierra business backpack at Costco for $29.99:
http://www.frugalhotspot.com/2012/07/costco-sale-high-sierra-elite-business-pack-29-99/

[redfox]

Thanks RF! I get down to the city proper a couple of times a year. More frequently I pop down to Boeing Field and go almost next door to the Seattle Police training facility for classes, when I can bum a ride down in someone else's plane (which is the best sort of private aircraft :-) )

I live 1.5 miles due east of the north end of Boeing Field! I know some pretty fab watering holes in Georgetown... Seriously, PM me next time you'll be down & let's grab a pint. Spouses welcome, of course!

[fidgiegirl]

I bought hiking boots today online at REI outlet on their additional 20% off sale. Unlikely that they'll fit, but if they do, great! And if they don't, I won't be out anything for shipping, will just return at the store.

[fidgiegirl]

I am hunting for a stability ball/exercise ball. Do people see these in thrift stores very often? I'm not squeamish about a used one, I'd just clean it well. Twin Citians, let me know if you see anything. I'm on the verge of buying new! Bah!

[decemberlov]

Kelli, I haven't forgotten about you! Will be sending this weekend ;)

[Stella]

Kelli, I have one you could have. I was just looking at it in my garage and thinking, "do I need this? I never use it." If you need one it would be better off with you.

[fidgiegirl]

Thanks decemberlov and Stella!

For the record everyone, I didn't mean for this to turn into a "give me your stuff for free!" thread. But it's nice that it's working out that way, especially if it can be a declutter for someone else! :) :) :)

Stella, we'll be in touch re: the stability ball. I am happy to pick up or however you want to do it.

[Azure]

My Target just marked down tons & tons of ladies summer clothing. Anywhere from 30-70%. Also summer outdoor items. So if you like Target for those items now would be a good time to check out the one near you.

[fidgiegirl]

Thanks for the FYI, Azure!

[fidgiegirl]

Hey all,

Twin Citians, I am going to have an ongoing need for economical cuts of meat for the doggies. Less than $3/lb. would be awesome. We're not doing pork, but can do poultry or beef, can do entrails, etc. I prefer ground . . . we can get meat with bones for a good price usually, but realistically, if we have to start deboning meat (something we both hate) twice a week, we ain't gonna do it. So! If you spot anything good, like Steve's recent "crap this is all gonna expire let's get it sold" score, let me know!

Also looking for cheap seeds. We are going to start our own this year, and I have spotted them for .10 in hardware stores in the fall in the past, but none yet this year.

Thanks guys!! Any other deals people are looking for right now? Can we help each other out in the hunt?

[SteveinMN]

Twin Citians, I am going to have an ongoing need for economical cuts of meat for the doggies. Less than $3/lb. would be awesome.
Best places I can think of, especially if you're OK with organ meats and such, is one of the big Asian grocery stores. Dragon Star (Minnehaha & Dale) has a good-sized meat department that offers that kind of meat, as does Double Dragon (Rice & Maryland). Shuang Hur (University & Dale) and Ha Tien (moviehouse-looking place a little east of Shuang Hur on University) (though the last two are more expensive than the "Dragons"). I can't say ATM how much of any of it has bones. But it might be worth a recon mission to see what they typically have. You could even ask them about special purchases if you know you'll need X pounds a month or something.

Another option might be posting on craigslist or even freecycle for meat people don't want -- someone was posting regularly several months ago seeking unwanted/freezer-burned/whatever meat for his dogs. I don't remember if he offered to pay or just take it off your hands, but it's an idea. <-- he wasn't feeding them spoiled meat, I'm sure, but there are items in many people's freezers I'm sure they would just like gone


Also looking for cheap seeds. We are going to start our own this year, and I have spotted them for .10 in hardware stores in the fall in the past, but none yet this year.
I saw a random assortment of seeds for a nickel at a couple of different Menards a couple of months ago, but I'm guessing what's left of them has been packed up with the rest of the summer stuff.


Any other deals people are looking for right now?
DW and I are looking for a nice inexpensive ping-pong table for DSD's house. I've seen some listed on craigslist, and have emailed a couple of posters, but no answers back yet. We'd like it to look nice; that's more important to us than a super low price for a table that's obviously had a hard life. Thanks!

[fidgiegirl]

Funny, Steve, we did go to Dragon Star and got an assortment of liver, heart, cheek and shoulder. Plus we are going to add beans to the dogs' food - will help not need sooooo much meat. Eek.

Eyes are open for the ping pong table! Will let you know!

[maryellen]

Ok, this might not be what you had in mind but here goes.... I am planning a trip to Denver in Sept. Does anyone have a low budget but decent hotel recommendation? Also we want to go to the zoo, the butterfly garden and the aquarium(do you see a theme? LOL) Does anyone know about getting tickets to them for less (like an activity book?) And one last thing, someone told me about a restraunt that is like a little city(Italian, I was thinking) That has lots of other things going on, like juggling as I recall-it was a long time ago. Do you know where that might be?

I have been pleased with a hotel called Burnsley http://www.burnsley.com in downtown Denver. Good location - access to public transit, etc. & also in a good neighborhood near the Capitol.

[decemberlov]

Thought I'd post here for anyone interested. Macy's is having a 15% off sale with the promo: TURKEY. Ends tonight. I was looking for a new winter jacket for my little one. Found one on sale for $51.00 (was $85.00) used the promo code for an extra 15% off brought it down to $43.35 - $20.00 for a Macy's gift card I won at work!!! Total is $23.35!!!! Yay!!

Looks like they have lots on sale!!

[Gardenarian]

I'm looking for a down sleeping bag rated for zero degrees. It has to be the kind that you can backpack with - not synthetic. I don't know what is a good brand. I've been looking at Sierra Trading Post and they are still pretty pricey - I just signed up for their "email offers" hoping I'll get a good coupon. Any other ideas?

Also - any horse lovers out there? My daughter needs a new pair of riding boots. I don't know anything about this - what's a good brand? Do you think use (Ebay) is okay? Places to look?

For seeds, you might try Heirloom Seed Swap (http://www.heirloomseedswap.com/list/11). I know some people have had good luck with it - there are offers for free, if you don't have any to swap. I have some leftover seeds that I'm going to try and swap there, as well as some seeds I've gathered.

[Gardenarian]

BTW, Thank you for starting this Fidgie!! Great idea!

[decemberlov]

I'm looking for a down sleeping bag rated for zero degrees. It has to be the kind that you can backpack with - not synthetic. I don't know what is a good brand. I've been looking at Sierra Trading Post and they are still pretty pricey - I just signed up for their "email offers" hoping I'll get a good coupon. Any other ideas?
.

Here's one from Cabela's they seem to always have pretty good prices (and free shipping):
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Kelty-Cosmic-Down-Sleeping-Bag/1170845.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3D searchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProduc ts%26Ntt%3Dkelty%2Bcosmic%2Bdown%2Bsleeping%2Bbag% 26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=kelty+cosmic+down+sleeping+bag&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

It gives you something to compare to when looking :)

[Tussiemussies]

Garderian, pony mom is a horse lover and experienced with horses. You may want to PM her... Christine

[fidgiegirl]

REI is a great place to look for a sleeping bag. You can expect to pay quite a bit new. eBay or CL might be resources for a used one. I have an REI brand down bag bag and it cost me over $100. Other good brands would be Marmot, Mountain Hardware, North Face, Patagonia, Kelty but you are lookin' at BUCK to get one of those. I just looked at eBay and there are several used.

REI does have a periodic 20% off coupon, as well as their outlet site.

Campmor is another site to check out.

Another idea - our REI has equipment rental. Also the University of Minnesota has equipment rental through the student Center for Outdoor Adventure. Maybe something similar in your area is a possibility.

Thanks for the tips on the seeds!

[shadowmoss]

REI's winter sale is going on right now...