Suzanne O’Connor’s Bargains LA

A Bargain Bust

Often while checking out outlets with steep discounts of 40%-90% off retail, I have to stop myself from shopping.

Generally, I yawn at 20% savings. I take note at 30%, I pay attention at 40% and am likely to look at 50% off original retail. Though I try to be careful, I will buy, regardless of need, at 80% off.

BargainsLA Anniversary Year

As the New Year unfolds, I am reminded that BargainsLA.com was started in 1999.
This is our 20th Anniversary of helping you save money. How cool is that!!!

The beginnings of BargainsLA were uneventful.

Friends Who Pay Full Retail

I am often perplexed by people who ONLY pay retail, ONLY buy at Boutiques and Department Stores.

Believe it or not, I have had several friends who only pay retail. They live in the best neighborhoods and eat at the trendiest restaurants. These guys only buy brand new, latest and trendiest at top dollar.

Rescued Kitten

A few weeks ago, late on a Saturday night, my daughter called me to help her rescue a little black & white kitten. This little girl darted right in front of her car on her way home. Just 7 weeks old, he was hiding off an alley next to a machine shop. Dirty, rather skinny, she badly needed rescuing.

The Problem with New Appliances

New is not usually better, in large appliances.

Back in 2009, after doing extensive research we purchase a refurbished 1980’s Maytag Washer and Dryer set. We purchased used do to the fact that old appliance models are more reliable and last longer.

Things That Irritate

Driving around LA has become quite the headache.

On any day of the week, you will encounter incredibly rude drivers, badly maintained streets that damage your car, heavy traffic at all times of day as well as difficult and expensive parking everywhere. It’s daily life here in L.A. and it will get worse, much worse with the social engineering the city is implementing.

A Needed Break

Everyone needs a break. We really needed one, more than usual and so we took a few days last week, drove up and hit the hiking trails in Yosemite.

Having been to Yosemite well over a dozen times, we thought we’d seen everything. But this year, because of the massive snowfall this last Winter, there were more waterfalls than I had ever seen. We didn’t know half their names and I stopped counting at 22.

Surprise, Surprise

When I book online reservations for a hotel through a travel booking website, I tend to expect….. nothing.

No top notch service, no follow ups. All I expected is a room at the place I booked, on the day I booked it, at the price I booked it at. That’s all.

The End to Winter Blues

This last Winter it seems it was our families turn to be unhealthy. Normally we are all pretty healthy with no complaints. But this Winter everyone one of us either had an affliction, an injury, medical emergency or some virus constantly visiting our home leaving us tired, immobile, coughing, achy and irritable. 

Getting Into Gear

After the Fall and Holiday shopping madness that normally descends on us here, I usually shut down for a week or two to try and recoup. Recouping and resting after Christmas has been firmly on my schedule for the last 10 years. But family was in town and things were scheduled and I didn’t rest