# Great moments in saving money **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 11, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238 "2011-01-11T17:47:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/41 "2011-01-13T21:30:26Z")
When trying to build our nursery a few months ago, I was constantly scanning Craigslist for items to put into the room. I found a Dutallier Glider for $50 (these normally retail around $400 and can easily resale around $250). A full pack n play system for $30. 1960s solid wood dresser for $30 (I stripped and refinished it for a total cost of around $100 for an awesome piece of furniture) My wife also found a Saarinen tulip table and four chairs (which can retail in some stores for anywhere between $1000 and $3000) at a garage sale for $225. She bargained them down to $175. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/42 "2011-01-14T14:06:05Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Another place to check on for reading glasses is your local thrift store. They usually put all the glasses people donate into a bin somewhere in back and when there are enough to display, put them out. I’ve watched readers get snatched up for $1, no matter what level they were. People who use readers always know people who need to use them. I had them in my hands 18 hours ago. Was in the Goodwill Store in southern Denver. At the cash register were several wicker baskets oveflowing with readers. Had I been able to find my current strength? I’da been all over them. 1.99 a pair. I paid 14.99 in BJ’s last June for a 3-pack. Love Goodwill stores. I’ve gotten almost all of my shirts, most of my pants and quite a few polartec fleece pull-overs. Average price of all? 4.99. Lots of shirts are 2.99, some pants are as high as $ 7.99. Yesterday I found two pair of dress pants and a great royal blue polartec fleece pull-over. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/43 "2011-02-08T03:51:28Z")
Just wanted to bump and say I got my Zennioptical glasses today and they’re great. I mean, they don’t look AWESOME but they look very good. And they fit and y’know, I can see out of them. And I don’t have a headache like I did with my old glasses. They came just as I got a (suspected, I’m seeing the doc tomorrow) corneal abrasion, so I have to wear 'em. Thanks to **Sattua** and everyone else for the recommendations! In spirit of the thread, today I got a Nike Dri-fit shirt for $16.50 new with tags on Ebay; it retails for $30 and Zappos had it for $25. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/44 "2011-02-08T06:52:57Z")
Just back from buying the week’s groceries. Some of the notable bargains, using coupons and store loyalty card savings: Eight boxes of GM cereals for a total of $6.70. 6-packs of 24-oz. Pepsi products: $1.90 each. (Normally, if purchased individually, these sodas would be about $1.50 per bottle, and hubby and I are practically addicted. I love my Diet Dr. Pepper, and he drinks a Diet Mt. Dew or two per night to stay awake on night shift.) Buy 2 frozen pizzas (not my first choice, but the kids love 'em,), receive free box of TGIFridays appetizer, New York garlic bread, AND Otis Spunkmeyer frozen cookie dough. With coupons, bought 4 pizzas, 2 appetizers, 2 boxes bread, and 2 boxes cookies for a total of $16.86. 5 quarts of organic reduced sodium chicken stock for $.68 each. Two packs disposable diapers for $3.99 each - the hypoallergenic cotton ones that don’t irritate baby’s skin, at that! ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/45 "2011-02-08T07:24:11Z")
CVS Pharmacy has a program similar to Rite-Aid’s. Just yesterday I picked up an rx that normally costs me $30 (until I just lost my health insurance). Due to the savings program, I got my refill for free. ---
**Author:** ![kjbrasda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/74df32/32.png) [@kjbrasda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kjbrasda)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/46 "2011-02-08T07:43:13Z")
I had been eyeing some [specialty fun fur fabric](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v717/kjbrasda/fabric09172010.jpg) at the fabric store for months, but it was $25 a yard. Went in for some fleece, and decided to wander through the store, and here the fun fur was in the clearance rack! yay! I checked the end of the bolt. O\_O $1.98 a yard! Yay! So I bought the rest of the bolt. Only amounted to about 2 yards, and I have no idea what I’m going to make, but it’s mine! ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/47 "2011-02-08T08:37:44Z")
Great moments in savings in the past week or so: 1. Bought two new iphones for $100, usual price = $100 each. 2. The basic service charge for one iphone = $100. 24% company discount + 75% family plan discount = $90/month for both phones, combined, or $45/month per phone, 55% discount. 3. Waited until bakery closed, got 12 doughnuts with 50% discount, bakery lady must have thought I was cute or something so she gave me an additional discount for 66% off. 4. 10 32oz Powerade at 10/$8, or 40 cents per 32 oz bottle. Regular 32oz bottle is $1.75, for 77% discount. 5. I caught a cold, so I was going to buy Sudafed at $8 per 12 doses, or 67 cents per dose. Bought 20 doses of generic instead for $9, or 45 cents per dose, 33% discount. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/48 "2011-02-08T09:30:23Z")
In stores that have them (Kroger does, for instance), I _love_ checking out the discount rack at the bakery! These are always fresh-baked-in-store products, at very deep discounts. At my local Kroger (well, it’s 25 miles away, but it’s as local as major grocery stores get around here. . .), everything on their discount bakery rack is 99C. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve found: a large box of M&M cookies, normally $4.89; a loaf of good Italian bread studded with big chunks of roasted garlic, normally $3.89, and a loaf of good French bread with Gruyere cheese baked in, normally $3.89. So, let’s see, all three things at normal price would have cost me over $12.00, and I paid a total of less than $3.00! Oh, and last time I was at Kroger, I was looking at fresh-cut flowers (love to keep 'em in the house!) and found roses on a ‘Manager’s Special’ (which means they were getting too old to charge full price for); a dozen roses, normally $12.99, $5.00! Score. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/49 "2011-02-08T11:57:56Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > In stores that have them (Kroger does, for instance), I _love_ checking out the discount rack at the bakery! These are always fresh-baked-in-store products, at very deep discounts. At my local Kroger (well, it’s 25 miles away, but it’s as local as major grocery stores get around here. . .), everything on their discount bakery rack is 99C. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve found: a large box of M&M cookies, normally $4.89; a loaf of good Italian bread studded with big chunks of roasted garlic, normally $3.89, and a loaf of good French bread with Gruyere cheese baked in, normally $3.89. So, let’s see, all three things at normal price would have cost me over $12.00, and I paid a total of less than $3.00! Oh, and last time I was at Kroger, I was looking at fresh-cut flowers (love to keep 'em in the house!) and found roses on a ‘Manager’s Special’ (which means they were getting too old to charge full price for); a dozen roses, normally $12.99, $5.00! Score. Our Kroger family store does this as well, the best deal is when it’s a bag of 12 assorted sandwich rolls for .99-1.49. They freeze great, you can use one at a time from the freezer which is fantastic for living alone or w/ a 2 person house. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/50 "2011-02-08T15:51:02Z")
I had tw coupons for 64 oz. bottles of juice for free and one for a free 32 oz. bottle of coffee creamer. When I got to the sotre, boxes of crispbread were $1.25 with your card, and they all had $1 off coupons on them I spent a whole buck for the lot. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/51 "2011-02-08T18:12:33Z")
Years ago I was the music director for a community theatre. The orchestra manager went to retrieve the instrument parts that the group owned and found all of the woodwind parts missing. I think that that was 7 parts. She estimated a full set of parts to be about $450 from the publisher, and under no circumstances would they sell just individual parts. Since we had almost no budget, we were in a real bind. The OM came up with a stroke of genius. She asked a neighboring theatre group if we could borrow their parts. Yes they would, but they didn’t call it borrowing, they called it renting. $300. For the entire set. Oh well, we had to do it, even if it meant that half of the cast would do without costumes. On a whim, I decided to call the publisher. We could buy the entire set for $150, or individual parts for $10 each. I decided to go with the individual parts. So I saved the group $230 and we got to keep the parts. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238/52 "2011-02-09T03:21:44Z")
kyla, she who dies with the most fabric wins! We have a couple of textile warehouses here that are open to the public. One of them is huge and a dangerous adventure because the fabric bolts are everywhere. But you can score big time. Through judicious sale and coupon shopping there, I made a Renaissance costume for about $6. I also managed to create curtains out of Oshkosh B’gosh bolt-end fabric from from another wholesale/remnant outlet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-moments-in-saving-money/567238.md?page=2)