Does Bargain Hunting Pay Off For You?

[sste]

I was thinking about this in light of all the cool threads on frugality this week. Our situation is too full-time woh parents living in an urban area. I have come to the conclusion that bargain hunting does NOT pay off for me after I account for the gas, stress, and the value of my time.

I order practically everything online. I will hunt online for a bargain, but I won't EVER drive from store to store or go through thrift/consignment stores (nice ones aren't particularly plentiful here). I do think these things are great money-saving ideas but for me it is just not worth the time away from DS or the money I could make doing private consulting work.

I am for frugality but I guess I wanted to pose the question, especially to woh, moms of larger families, or otherwise overscheduled moms: are we undervaluing our time when we bargain hunt?

[Globetrotter]

To a great degree, it does pay off for me to be patient and wait to find my deals, and I tend to just find them as I look (vs. intentionally seeking them) and collect stuff, which is another story and something that drives dh batty at times. However, if I'm going all over town to find the best price on X, then it's probably not worth it unless it's a HUGE savings.

It is NOT worthwhile to buy stuff on clearance and later figure out it won't work, so I am very picky nowadays.

[mommylamb]

I'm there with you... sometimes I feel guilty that I'm not doing a better job bargain hunting, but time is more important to me than anything else because I have so little of it it seems.

I keep meaning to try to buy clothing for myself at TJ Maxx or Marshalls, but it seems like every time I go to one of those stores I'm overwhelmed with how much there is that I think is terrible. It's so much easier to shop at Ann Taylors or Nordstroms on line.

[sste]

Yes, I know just what you mean. I went to TJ Maxx last weekend for the first time in three years . . . and I almost had a panic attack at how long it would take me to sort through the clothes to find something decent, then find something that would fit, then figure out if its dryclean only . . .

I have been buying the washable stretch crepe line from Eileen Fisher for work and while the initial cost of each item of clothing is insane, I can order it online, delivered to my door, and I save a fortune in money and a ton of time because it really is machine washable professional wear.

[maylips]

It was much easier to look for bargains before I had kids and could browse all day at shops.

I find I actually spend more money now than I did before because I don't have time to hunt for that random shirt, put it together with the pants to make an outfit, etc, with two kids who may/may not implode at any moment.

Thank God for the internet and all the shopping I can do online. I do take time to hunt for coupons/go through ebates/etc online but if I'm in a bricks and mortar store, no way. Not anymore.

[JBaxter]

I bargain hunt online and sale flyers esp big purchases. I know when my kid stores do the big mark downs and do pre season buying then. I have a group of great friends who post me awesome deals too. So yes it pays off for me. I NEVER buy any thing not on sale ( excluding foods and Im in a bulk organic co op for most of that)

[Melaine]

It does pay off for me, but if I WOH I would certainly adjust my habits accordingly. My girls are good shoppers and it is something I enjoy. If the girls and I didn't have fun shopping bargains we would do it to a lesser extent.
Then again, I am unwilling to buy certain items for full price, no matter what my situation.

[HIU8]

I also bargain hunt online. I do 2 consignment shows a year and I know when my local stores are doing big sales. I don't really go out of my way to bargain hunt. I feel like I can get good deals right around me. I also buy things like winter coats at least a size to big to get 2 years out of them. The only thing I do not go out of my way to get on sale are shoes (although DS and DD get one pair a season). DD has a very wide foot and if I don't go early, she has zero choice. For DS not a big deal other than he is not rough on his shoes and usually fits them for 9-12 months at a time so I feel like we get our money's worth there.

[AnnieW625]

I was thinking about this in light of all the cool threads on frugality this week. Our situation is too full-time woh parents living in an urban area. I have come to the conclusion that bargain hunting does NOT pay off for me after I account for the gas, stress, and the value of my time.

I order practically everything online. I will hunt online for a bargain, but I won't EVER drive from store to store or go through thrift/consignment stores (nice ones aren't particularly plentiful here). I do think these things are great money-saving ideas but for me it is just not worth the time away from DS or the money I could make doing private consulting work.

I am for frugality but I guess I wanted to pose the question, especially to woh, moms of larger families, or otherwise overscheduled moms: are we undervaluing our time when we bargain hunt?

:yeahthat:
This is me too, and even with gas I am starting to realize that driving around looking for the best price isn't always the most productive. I still avoid certain stations/areas at all cost or worst case scenario if I have to fill up only put in half a tank.

Online yes I will research sites to no end looking for the best price, esp. if it's a big ticket item. I bought my car through the online department of our Honda dealer. Best deal I ever made and I saved $7000 off MSRP on a Honda, which everyone likes to say never goes on sale. I will always buy cars from dealers this way.

I am not enthuased by thrift shops, garage sales, or rummage sales, but I'll donate to them with no problem. I rarely find anything at any of them. I'd much rather scour Ebay for things like DD's Hanna Andersson clothes. I have found a few great sellers that I tend to go back to when she needs stuff.

[jent]

Yes, I had this same realization a while ago. Basically, I'm a very frugal person, and I hardly ever buy something unless it's on sale. For myself, I'm pretty good at telling myself I don't need it or wait for it to go on sale. Enter DD-- who outgrows her clothes every season, not to mention comes home with a request for daycare "please send in..." and it's something specific that we don't have and I don't have time to shop around for. I feel guilty for not checking out Marshall's/consignment/goodwill stores more, but the truth is that these places are not that close to me (and not to each other), take a while to look through their stuff, and are so hit or miss that I might waste my entire afternoon shopping and come home emptyhanded. Plus I've come to learn the value of a good return policy, since there is definitely no way I will be able to get DD to try on in the store, and often I am buying slightly ahead.

[brittone2]

Yes, it saves me money. Random internet "deals" on things for the gift closet...well, I've learned those often do not save me money in the long haul.

I have two great thrift stores that are 5-10 mins from me. It is easy to pop in there on the way to another errand. In fact, the only other real shopping I have without driving 20 mins is Walmart which I generally avoid, so it is actually more convenient for me to thrift. One of the local thrift stores has great books...pretty consistently. So I can always take the kids in there to pick out a book each and walk out no more than $1-2 lighter than I started. We homeschool and can consistently find great books like the DK Eyewitness series in there, etc. and it saves us a ton over buying new. A few months back we got a like new Melissa and Doug wooden castle (retail of $89-99) for 2.79. If my kids were not with me at the time, that soooo would have been a gift for them.

We have some large mom to mom consignment sales in the area, with rack after rack after rack of clothing sorted by size. It can be a bit hectic, but we usually volunteer one shift and get to shop early as a result. It is easy to stock up for an entire season for each kid there (harder for my 5.5 year old DS now vs when he was younger, but then again, many more choices than when thrifting since it is all in one place). I can find nice name brand coats for $5 for winter. Last year I bought ahead because I found an adorable holiday dress for DD (exactly what I would have picked out new for her) for $3. There are tables and tables of toys, and they are sorted by type/brand (a whole table of Lego, a whole table of Playmobil). Many are in the original boxes. For things like PM, we usually assemble and set up for Christmas, so they have no idea if it is new or not...and I totally have no guilt gifting it to them. I have a $100+ dollhouse put away this year for DD's bday scored for $20, including a bunch of accessories I would have had to buy otherwise. So for us, it definitely saves money. I don't have to drive all over the place to find my bargains. The big consignment sales can be crazy but there is so much selection in one place...it helps make it more convenient, and unlike my local goodwill store, it is mostly already sorted by size.

[C99]

That is a good question. It's less work-life balance and more time-money balance. I'm used to having more time than money so I haven't yet made the shift away from my frugal SAHM ways. I am like Globetrotter and am less likely to shop for a specific item (outside of groceries) than keep my eyes peeled for an item as I go through my regular rotation and buy it if I like/want/need it or it's a great price.

[kijip]

Getting a good price on something I have decided to buy? Saves me money. Getting all excited because something I don't really need is 85% off MSRP? Does not save me money.

Making a sweep through the couple of close used stores, putting consignment sales on my calendar and holding off on getting stuff until after I check there first, doing a search on Craigslist before buying new is all very easy for me. As easy as just going to a store and buying it all new.

But I do not drive all over town to use a 25 cent coupon on yogurt. I def. consider the opportunity cost of looking for something and know when it is time to just order it on Amazon or go to the local store.

[Moneypenny]

I'm a WOHM who bargain shops, but mostly online. When I see a deal for something in a B&M store, I call first to make sure they have it in stock at the price I expect, and I have them hold it for me to pick up in the next day or two.

Thrift stores in my area are really overpriced on most things (i.e. charging $5 for a used Target Circo brand t-shirt), so I don't bother with them.

[brittone2]

I've also learned clothing-wise to inventory what I have *first* before shopping at a big consignment sale (my kids don't need 3 winter jackets or 4 bathing suits, kwim?). I also look for gaps that need filling in (do we have a lot of shirts but not enough pants? Need leggings in a certain color to go under a dress?) and jot those items in a notebook. It helps keep me focused on what we really need vs. just buying what is cute (which can be all too easy at some of the big big consignment sales).

[Sillygirl]

For me, I figure out what my hourly wage is. If I can't save at least that much in spending an hour bargain-hunting, I'm not doing it.

I never understood the huge lines at the local Ben and Jerry's on Free Cone Day. A small cone costs about $1.50. If you wait in line for a hour for that cone, you're saying your time is worth $1.50/hr. I wouldn't do a job for that wage, so why would I wait in that line and think I was getting a bargain?

[arivecchi]

I bargain hunt online, but that is it. DH and I work long hours and would rather spend our free time doing something else.

[citymama]

I rarely shop in-store, just online. I certainly look for free shipping, discount codes etc before placing an order, and if it's something sold by multiple stores (eg kid's shoes) I will look for the best deal before I order. I also choose to make a purchase when I know company X is having a big sale (eg Hanna Andersson) rather than during full retail, which I almost never pay. But for small daily items like toiletries and cleaning supplies, almost never. One trip to Target or our local co-op and we're done. I really hate to shop in store.

[niccig]

But I do not drive all over town to use a 25 cent coupon on yogurt. I def. consider the opportunity cost of looking for something and know when it is time to just order it on Amazon or go to the local store.


This is me too. I have the stores I go to, and I know the regular price for things, so I know when it's a good deal. I do look at the grocery flyers to see what is one sale, so I can stock up on things that we use. A friend does the shopping game or something like that and she told me I should do the same. I looked at what she was getting and I don't normally buy any of that stuff, so it wasn't worth it to me. I actually think meal planning and checking fridge/pantry before grocery shopping is a better way to save on food, as you only buy what you need.

I have a running list of things I'm on the look at for, like clothes or shoes, so if I see it, I can get it. I don't shop for clothes at TJ Max or Marshalls - too much to look through and I don't have the body type that looks good in everything. I will do shoes at these place - both stores are near other stores I frequent, so I can pop in and look while getting more dog food at Petco.

Big purchases we research a lot, so we get a deal on those. And I always try to use a coupon for online shopping.

I also think buying quality is a way to save. DH buys some expensive shirts, BUT he's had them for YEARS and they still look good.

I do agree with looking at how much time it takes you to do something. We do this with house maintenance. Some things we can do ourselves, and I'm doing a lot with DS at school. But other things are not worth DH's time, and we don't have the necessary skill set, so those we hire out for.

[saschalicks]

I am a WOH mom too and I bargain shop mainly on-line. For me there are so many reasons 1 of which being time. However, the other being the limited time I do have w/my children. Is it fair to them to drag them to various stores just to find the best price?

The truth is there is a great deal of great deals on-line. I never ever buy at the first place I see that's for sure. I also buy used items on line. I belong to various parenting boards where we sell our used items and we do that too. When we bought the new house I found many great deals on Craigslist.

In addition to all of that the closest TJ Maxx/Marshalls etc aren't all that close to my house, so I have to factor in travel time on top of it all. I did a lot more in store before I had kids thats for sure. The only in store I do regularly is Target. Believe it or not the kids actually like that store.

[bigpassport]

For me it depends on how much I am saving vs. the time I am putting into it. For example, surfing CL for a stroller only took me a couple minutes a day and I got a BOB Revolution (that looks practically new) for $175. So that bargain hunt was definitely worth it. I also surf Ebay while I am watching tv or feeding DS, so its unproductive time I'm sacrificing. However, sometimes its worth it for me to pay full price if I know the savings will be small compared to the effort.

[Momof3Labs]

Driving all over to hunt thrift stores? Not worth my time. Hitting the two local semi-annual consignment sales one Saturday morning? Worth my time.

We don't drive all over hunting for the best prices. Most hunting like that would be done online, then one trip to purchase. Groceries: I know where the best prices are locally, and that's where I get 90-95% of our stuff. I will occasionally hit one other grocery store during the week if there is an item that is worth the savings.

[kransden]

I think you are not looking at it the right way. To me bargains are about timing. I rarely pay full price for anything. Here are my examples. I like Jockey underwear. Every May (Mother's Day) it goes on sale. So I buy it then and also look at the clearance items. The fall underwear will be 75% off it they have it. If they don't, I'll take the 25% and be happy. I stock up on canned vegetables in the fall because that's when they go on sale (harvest time). DD used to wear a lot of gymbo. I would go in the first day of the sale to get the best stuff. Sure now I go to thrift stores because I am basically a SAHM now and have the time, but before I didn't. Still no matter what, you have to grocery shop, buy underwear and get kids clothes. If you plan ahead, you'll get more bang for your buck. If you can't do those things right now because of your current life stage - stressful job, small children etc., don't beat yourself up about it, that is what money is for - to make our lives better.

[WatchingThemGrow]

: are we undervaluing our time when we bargain hunt?

DH says that yes, I am undervaluing my time when I bargain hunt. I do agree, but paying full price for the things we need isn't an option either.

I do a lot of what PPers mention - consignment sales for efficiency, keeping a list of what we need on my iPod, using downtime nursing or pumping to read CL, stacking coupons for socks and basics for DC.

Part of me thinks that I need to just call it a day and start buying things new, on sale, in colors/patterns that we like, esp. for DS1. Then we'll have better hmdowns for DS2, not just whatever was left at ON 4 years before.

I think the things that we use over and over are the few things that we've purchased new and really like. Going to thrift shops and little stops here and there ARE a waste of my time right now justify taking three small children around to do those things. The cost of medical treatments for my aching back and therapy for my psyche will outweigh any savings I might accrue. When we're at my mom's house, though, and we've had enough of their all-day-tv fest, I'll gladly take off and hit the thrift stores for winter wear (they live in FL, so it is practically new stuff).

[KrisM]

I am a SAHM and bargain hunting is part of my job. I keep our grocery budget under $250 or so a month because I do shop at 2 stores a week most week. Both stores are about 5 minutes, so it's not bad. I use coupons and stock up when things are really cheap.

Around me there are a lot of mom2mom sales. I go to a few each season and buy all the kids clothes there. I can usually outfit a kid for around $50 for the entire season, so that is worth my time.

If I were a WAHM or WOHM, I don't think I could do the coupons as efficiently. And, I'd be less tempted to give up a few Saturday mornings to shop the mom2mom sales.

[egoldber]

I think we do undervalue our time. But I think it's easier to save money by just not spending it and trying to make do with less. How many outfits do kids really need? My kids have way more than I do. The biggest thing I have done to be frugal was just to buy less stuff. We still have way too much crap, but it helps a ton.

I did not drive way out of my way to bargain hunt even as a SAHM. Once I realized that it took me half a tank of gas to save $10 on a pair of SR shoes at the outlet. That was not money or time well spent and I never did it again.

I've also NEVER had good luck at consignment sales. Everything I have seen is overpriced and worn, especially in larger sizes. But I don't volunteer to work so I get whatever is let I guess. But again, not worth my time. We get such limited family time with work and DH's travel that I am not willing to spend my weekends that way.

[ThreeofUs]

I think you're right. I am a SAHM who is feeling super-pressed for time, given all the different plates I have juggled into the air.

I have decided that I am going to shop to get the very best price online for most things - to about 85%. I'm not going to look for that last penny; I just *can't* spend that amount of time.

I also can't go to thrift stores any more. Heck, even just a quick sweep of TJMaxx baby clearance takes too much time for me to consider any more. I even feel like I'm taking time away from important things if I look at the end caps in Target. :shake:

But I'm doing the best I can, and in fact I've stopped buying most things except basic necessities for lack of time and brain power.

I do really love a good bargain on something we need, though!

[MoJo]

I'm in the minority, but my DH loves to shop, especially at thrift stores, and DD likes it too at this age, so we spend a lot of our family time doing this together.

We have more than a dozen Goodwill/Volunteers of America/St. Francis stores within an hour of here. The clothes are generally sorted by type, size and color; some are new with tags! The thrift shopping here is WAY better than it was in the last place we lived. I used to dislike it because I never found anything. (There are also Salvation Army stores, but they always seem to have junk, so I stopped going there.)

I used to live off the clearance racks; now, I have a hard time paying even clearance prices because the quality, selection, and price is so much better at the thrift store!

I find I can get most of our clothes at very low prices: $2 for DD, $3.79 a piece for DH or me, including work clothes for both of us. I got the exersaucer for $5. (Just one or two items, and I've easily saved my hourly wage compared to full retail.) I find books etc. I save a ton of money and we have fun together. DD gets compliments on her great clothes even from my "won't touch a used item" mother because I can buy her really nice clothes that some other child only wore once or twice for less than she could buy play clothes at Walmart or even Family Dollar. I only pay retail for her pajamas, which I rarely find in good condition. (I won't buy it if I don't love it and it's not in almost-new condition.) And our Goodwills will let you take the clothes home, wash them, THEN try them on, and return them in 7 days to any store if you're not happy with them. Who else does that? (I hate ironing, so I've been disappointed with some new clothes that didn't come out of the dryer looking nice.) So I can return items to the store that's 10 minutes away and very near all the other shopping in town even if I bought it an hour away.

And sometimes, we find items we can resell on ebay and make a profit. It only takes one of those to pay for the gas.

Yard sales are cheaper, but I can waste a lot more time and usually find nothing.

For things like the car seat and crib mattress, I wanted to be sure to get new, so I comparison shopped online for the seat and in person for the mattress.

So yes, we shop, and we save, and it's worth it to me.

[Melaine]

And our Goodwills will let you take the clothes home, wash them, THEN try them on, and return them in 7 days to any store if you're not happy with them. Who else does that? (I hate ironing, so I've been disappointed with some new clothes that didn't come out of the dryer looking nice.) So I can return items to the store that's 10 minutes away and very near all the other shopping in town even if I bought it an hour away.


:thumbsup:

Unreal! That is amazing!

[maestramommy]

We will definitely bargain hunt online, but necessarily IRL, because of the issues you mentioned (time, gas). One example of an IRL extreme we (actually Dh) went to was buying insulation for an attic blanket. He bought 40 rolls of insulation at $19 each. This he thought was a deal at the HD because the local hardware store was selling them for $30/roll. 1 month later he walked into the HD and say they were selling them for $11/roll! He talked to the CS people, then booked home and found the receipt for the purchase to get the price match. If they had refused to do that, he was going to truck back every single roll, return and rebuy.

He has never done anything like this, but it WAS a huge savings in the end.

Actually we do like some pps and just get by with less. I don't really shop consignment unless I know they are carrying something I really want/need. THAT isn't something I want to spend a lot of time on. I do get a lot of stuff secondhand already, and like Beth said, how many clothes do my kids need? They had a bunch of cute Tshirts I got for them this summer, and they would only wear 2-3 of them.

[catsnkid]

As far as groceries, I used to do more flyer perusing, but have found it easier to buy them in bulk at Bjs or staples at the local superwalmart.
I've always been a big clearance shopper. My mom took me to thrift stores all the time, and I have to say I enjoy it. I bought much of DS's wardrobe at Goodwill, much of it was new Target stuff or brand name. I also pick up clothing in bigger sizes all the time. For big tickets stuff I always comparison shop online.
I also love coupons and share them with my neighbor. She has no need for diaper coupons, so I get hers, we fight over the cat food ones though. :wink2:

[wellyes]

Bargain hunting = shopping. The less I shop, the less I spend.

[MamaKath]

I have missed some of the bargain hunting threads on here recently I think (not around much these days). Can someone link?

There are some things I will bargain hunt on, especially big purchases (car, appliances, etc). Some things I will choose to wait to see if I can get a lower price (especially on clothing). Some things I buy in bulk to get the discount (food, paper goods, etc) and have gotten a freezer to manage those items. Some things I just bite the bullet and buy (it is sometimes cheaper to buy an item, than to go back multiple times trying to get a better deal and most likely leaving with lots of other stuff). Lastly I will purchase online (or even just window shop, lol, the most money saving of all ;)) to save time/money as long as the shipping charges don't kill the benefit of a deal.

[MamaKath]

I have missed some of the bargain hunting threads on here recently I think (not around much these days). Can someone link?

There are some things I will bargain hunt on, especially big purchases (car, appliances, etc). Some things I will choose to wait to see if I can get a lower price (especially on clothing). Some things I buy in bulk to get the discount (food, paper goods, etc) and have gotten a freezer to manage those items. Some things I just bite the bullet and buy (it is sometimes cheaper to buy an item, than to go back multiple times trying to get a better deal and most likely leaving with lots of other stuff). Lastly I will purchase online (or even just window shop, lol, the most money saving of all ;)) to save time/money as long as the shipping charges don't kill the benefit of a deal.
Forgot the most money saving one of all...

Lots of these things lately I just don't buy at all! That is the best deal. ;) Often it is a want (mine, the kids, hubby's) and not a need so I am tryign to learn to just save the $. Dave Ramsey has made a big impact on me actually!!!

[kijip]

Bargain hunting = shopping. The less I shop, the less I spend.

:yeahthat: