http://www.bargainsla.com/blog Zannee's Blog en Suzanne O'Connor Copyright 2010 2010-09-01T00:11:13+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/cleaning_tips_on_the_go/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/cleaning_tips_on_the_go/#When:00:11:13Z With the recession lingering on many of us are cleaning our own homes to keep expenses down. I don’t have a housekeeper or maid. Never have. I have often thought of getting one cause I hate cleaning. The work, physical effort and time it takes to keep a home clean can be excessive, especially if you’re busy. But I haven’t, and over the years I have learned a few tricks to keeping a house orderly and clean on the run. Maybe these will work for you or you can add some. 1. Try to immediately put away an item after you used it. Clothes get hung up, books put away etc. 2. I always keep paper towels and Windex stored but accessible in the bathroom. 3. Wipe the sink out and wipe down the bathroom counters after I brush my teeth. 4. Have several hand brooms and dustpans stored around the house for quick sweep ups. 5. We take turns cleaning the kitchen before we go to bed at night including wiping up the floor. 6. Dust and wipe down surfaces, door jams, ceilings while watching TV or talking on the phone. 7. Never leave a room empty handed. Empty trash cans, return a cup to the kitchen etc. 8. Plan 1-2 hours every weekend for one serious cleaning job. IE; shower, bathrooms, closets. Can’t do everything every week. 9. Make “the kids” do their chores right and on schedule, so you don’t have to go back and redo them.(this one’s tough) 10. Don’t put off a chore that could take 2 minutes today, till tomorrow when it could take more time. 11. Make your bed immediately in the morning… before coffee! Ya I know. But it doesn’t take a brain to make a bed. Full, deep house cleaning days only happens once every 2-3 months. Who’s got the time? Since I am a new homeowner, I am still trying to figure out out to handle yard chores. And yes we have a gardener. Any tips on exterior cleaning, gardening, yard tool organization or composting? Zannee's Tips, Home & Garden, Do it Yourself 2010-09-01T00:11:13+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/ebay_ripoff/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/ebay_ripoff/#When:18:24:00Z I hate getting taken. Hate it even more when I fall for the “super low price” without questioning why it’s priced so low. There is always a reason for it. I know better and fell for it anyway. This last month we’ve been looking for a cat mansion/ cat tree/ scratching post for our new kitten. I really was stunned at the pricing. A three tired carpet cover one can run you upwards of $120-$180. Yikes. It is after all just a cat scratching post/ tree made of carpet, twine and wood.  So when I found one on Ebay for $44. I bought it. Yep, you guessed it, it’s absolute crap-olla!  I ended up with a three tiered furry fabric (not carpet) covered particle board/ cardboard cat tree. The cubby hole for cats to climb into is too small for my 6 month kitten, much less a full gown cat. It’s wobbly and badly made. The top tier wont even screw in to the bottom like it’s suppose to. It’s absolute junk! So I emailed my serious displeasure and they offered me a $20 credit. As if I would buy anything else from these sellers again. Guess I’ll have to leave negative feedback for the seller. Live and learn….again Bargain Buys, Zannee's Tips, Complaints & Ripoffs 2010-08-30T18:24:00+00:00 Kevin O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/how_to_upgrade_a_disneyland_pass_for_almost_nothing/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/how_to_upgrade_a_disneyland_pass_for_almost_nothing/#When:04:03:53Z Webdude is posting this one: This is a little secret that not many people know about. Not that it’s hidden away, but Disney just doesn’t promote it. I found it out thru online research about ways of saving money at Disneyland. Are you ready: You can use the your current pass (either single day or multi-day) and apply it’s full value towards an upgrade for an annual pass! If that doesn’t sound like all that much consider those 4 day passes I bought at Costco for $200. After the $50 gift card the pass actually had a value of $151. On the last day left on the ticket (in my case the 4th day) you can go and upgrade to an annual pass and Disney will apply the full value towards an annual pass. This link shows the various pricing on annual passes without special promos. Prices are Disney retail, but ask if promos are available. So based on this if I opted for the basic Disney annual pass, I would have to pay an additional……..drum roll…… $184-$151 =$33 bucks to extend my passes to one year!!!! We save if we go just once in the next year. Remember a one day pass is $97. Caveats apply. You must upgrade. You cannot go from a higher priced pass to a lower priced pass. It must be done on the day of expiration whether or not it’s a one day ticket or a 4 day. You can’t come back later and say “now I want an annual pass”. If an upgrade is made from a multi-day ticket, the annual pass will be backdated to begin on the first day that the multi day ticket was used, not when the annual pass was obtained. In our case we had a 4 day pass. We stayed 3 days starting August 01. In September we will use the last day and apply for annuals. That annual pass will be good starting August 01, not September. I hear you can do this at the ticket booths but on our last visit we noticed an “Annual Pass/ Disney Vacations” store next to the Carnation Restaurant at the end of Main Street. We asked about this and all was confirmed. We can now go whenever we want (blackout days apply) and not break the bank or feel rushed. Bargain Buys, Zannee's Tips, Local fun, Travel 2010-08-23T04:03:53+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/nbc_4s_back_to_school_segment_sources/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/nbc_4s_back_to_school_segment_sources/#When:01:53:22Z Yikes, it’s Back to School! Here they are…. the 3 sources for great buys on Back to School supplies and clothing for kids, teens and more shown on NBC’s Today in LA Weekend on 8/21. Back to School supplies: Back pack, paper, notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, scissors, composition book, folders, highlighters, Dictionary, Thesaurus etc Big Lots - all locations http://www.biglots.com/ Elementary age kids clothing deals: Lucky You Too! For Kids 12437 Magnolia Blvd. Valley Village, CA 91356 818-985-1115 Teen / College age clothing deals: The Warehouse Sale Pop Up Store The Block in Orange 20 City Blvd W Orange, CA 92868 http://www.thewarehousesale.com/ Extra 50% off if you buy 3 special starts 8/22 For more back to school ideas check out this article in New Bargain Finds http://www.bargainsla.com/bargain_finds/article/back_to_school/ Always tell ‘em BargainsLA sent ya! Bargain Buys, Zannee's Tips, Sales, TV Appearances 2010-08-21T01:53:22+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/the_changing_face_of_bargain_shopping/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/the_changing_face_of_bargain_shopping/#When:19:52:40Z The face of bargain shopping has changed a lot over the past 2 years. There have been soo many goods available at lower pricing that many of us are forgetting what quality goods really cost. The large volume of goods at bargain basement has made some of us giddy with our stellar prizes. We are now used to lower prices. But the volume of stellar deals is drying up some and costs are going up as well. Some manufacturers who haven’t gone out of business have slowed production and or lowered quality to stay profitable. And clothing manufacturers are cutting to order with few overruns and production overages. They have streamlined the manufacturing process to keep their costs at a minimum. In general terms, there will be less brand new product to hit the market. Less product will be available for discounters and liquidators to snatch up at bargain basement prices. Then there is the slow boat from China…. Shipping companies are slowing their ships to save on fuel. Thus some products are not showing up in time for “in-store “or “seasonal” promotions. Retailer will have to pay a lot more to get them here on time. Plus do to the global economy slowing there are now fewer ships and the competition for space on those ships is fierce. This increases the cost to retailers, which increases the cost to us…. The consumer. The deals will still out there, though fewer in numbers. Bargain Hunters will simply have to hunt more and search in different areas to find them. The hard part is not settling on a lower quality item because you had to work a little harder to find quality at a deal. Of course, I’ll keep doing my best to find the new outlets and secret bargain hunting venues for ya. Zannee's Tips, Inside Scoop, Consumer 2010-08-16T19:52:40+00:00 Kevin O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/tips_on_saving_at_disneyland/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/tips_on_saving_at_disneyland/#When:04:27:32Z Mr. Suzanne reporting here. We are back from our excursion and what a time was had by all. We have been Disneyland fans from infancy. Love the immersion and attention to detail that the Magic Kingdom offers and that no other park can pull off. We won’t go for years and then each time we go back, we say “these guys got it right”. Through all of those years (not telling you how many), we have never stayed more than one day….until now. Suzanne and I have never felt the need or the resources to do it. An adult ticket at Disneyland is now $97. Can you believe it? If you don’t have discounts a family of four is dropping almost $400 before they even eat a churro. I also felt I could never stay in Disneyland for 4 days without losing my mind. California Adventure and Downtown Disney take care of that. I must say that staying there for 4 days was great. We didn’t feel the need to get 20 rides in one day (though our daughter did, and did) because we had enough time. So we went through D-land at a fairly leisurely pace, which is something to be savored. I have always had two main problems with Disneyland: long lines and horrible food at exorbitant prices. These problems have now been broached by the Fast Pass and better food. I actually saw a cart with FRUIT on it!!!! Apples were $1.59. Pineapple spears were 2 bucks. It seems Disney has raised quality and reduced prices. I remember going 10 years ago and ordering french fries and cokes for 5 people. The bill was over $40!! Not now. So over the course of the next couple of weeks I am going to share some of the things we did to enjoy the Disney experience without mortgaging the house and/or losing our minds. Let’s start with the big ticket item: the pass. There are deals to be found allover including AAA and the internet but the easiest one I found was at Costco. This is not a year-round thing. It pops up every now and then, but has been around for at least 2 years. What you get is a 4 day park hopper pass, which is good for one year. You can go between both parks on the same day. You do not need to use the 4 days all in a row. You can go one day now and one day in two weeks. The year begins on the first day you use it, not when purchased (though there is a time limit on how long you have to activate it). Total cost 200 bucks….but wait that also includes a Disney gift card of $50. That brings cost of the pass down to $38/day…a significant drop from $97. You may ask: what can I do with a gift card, “I don’t want mouse ears”. That card is good for anything in Disneyland or California Adventure that has a cash register, i.e. souvenirs and food. I used the card to purchase bottled water in Frontierland and a Heineken in California Adventure (Yes, California Adventure serves alcohol). The card is not good at most restaurants in Downtown Disney as these are not affiliated with Disney, like Patina Group and Pucks. The food is pretty good and not outrageously over priced. Come dinner time we walked out of Disneyland and into California Adventure and I ordered braised short ribs on white beans with a sauce reduction from the Wine Country Trattoria. Dinner for 4 including 2 glasses of wine was $84 a far cry from “fries and some cokes” for $40. Of note: we always used to book reservations at the Blue Bayou Restaurant in New Orleans Square for dinner. This time we actually cancelled once we realized the service and quality in California Adventure and Downtown Disney. Some restaurants in Downtown Disney actually offer Happy Hours with cheaper appetizers and drinks. Look for specials. Cheers Next: how to upgrade the pass for little or no cost. Check out pictures at our flickr account Bargain Buys, Zannee's Tips, Local fun, Travel 2010-08-09T04:27:32+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/disneyland_here_we_come/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/disneyland_here_we_come/#When:04:16:18Z Okay so what do you do when your entire family seriously needs a getaway and you have limited time and funds… Go to Disneyland. Where else can you go to get some Fantasyland? We picked up some passes at Costco (4-day pass each at $200) That includes a $50 gift certificate good for food or stuff so 4 days at $38 a day. We invited a teenage friend along for “the Kid”, secured a room at the Ramada Inn (pool & spa,  breakfast included) directly across the street from the park and are now set to leave for 5 days of childish silliness and R & R next week. Okay, it isn’t Hawaii or a trip to Europe. But it’s local goof off time and a much needed break. We will be taking two computers with us. So if something fabulous should come across our desk, you’ll hear about it. Though “the Kid” somehow ends up going every year, we haven’t been to Disneyland as a family in 10 years. Looking forward to seeing California Adventure and some of the newer rides. Haven’t tried this “Fast Pass” thing yet either. We’re not headed out till 8/1. So if you have any advice for getting the most out of our visit to the park? Send it along…   Bargain Buys, Entertainment 2010-07-28T04:16:18+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/juniper_credit_cards_suck/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/juniper_credit_cards_suck/#When:19:46:56Z I really really hate Juniper/ Barclay credit card companies… Especially Juniper We used our credit cards when we moved to our new home this last winter racking up a few thousand dollars in a couple of months. One card company, Juniper raised my interest rate to 33% when I was late on a payment in March. That really ticked me off. So we made large payments and paid off the card this month…. Or so I thought. I just got hit with a $39 penalty for being late. What do they do? Hold on to your check so they can make an extra 40 bucks off of you when you’re paying off your account? Slim of the earth. Then they moan and complain when the Obama administration slams them with new rules and regulations. They could have avoided all of these new rules if they had just done business fairly instead of getting overly greedy. Hello!You open the door to government over regulation when your company behaves like an “a-hole”. I believe business should make a profit. Profit is a good thing. Greedy, slimy behavior is not. Oh, the Juniper credit card is torn up and when we make this last final $40 gift to them I will close the account. I am not worried about my credit rating falling a bit. I will never open a Juniper account or do any business with them again. They have proven to be absolute thieves. Zannee's Tips, Complaints & Ripoffs, Consumer 2010-07-22T19:46:56+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/fitness_and_bargain_shopping_tips/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/fitness_and_bargain_shopping_tips/#When:23:24:58Z Even though I have put on some weight over the last 5 years,  my mom in law commented on how I have stayed thin even though I don’t dance anymore. It’s really an attitude that works with a frugal mindset, that you can incorporate into your daily lives. Most of these tips are also good bargain tips and will save you money as well. 1. Don’t pay for parking unless forced to. Park on side streets and walk to your destination when ever possible. The savings here really add up. 2. Don’t take the elevator, always take the stairs. 3, Take public transport when ever possible. Bike and walk to your designation more often. 4. Wear walking shoes & comfortable clothing daily. Save the heels and tight fitting designer clothes for evenings out or events. You’ll move around more & burn more calories if you feel free to move. Plus you’ll spend less on clothing. 5. When you go out to eat, order from the appetizer menu or split an entree with a friend. Eat slowly, you don’t have to finish your meal.  Drink water at a restaurant and skip the soda. Water is still free. 6. Eat more vegetables than meat or processed foods. Vegetable centered meals usually cost less and have less calories in them. 7. Give up snacking in-between meals. Avoid Starbucks fancy calorie ridden coffee drinks, chocolate, chips, candy, energy bars and any fast/ processed foods. If you must snack, go with simpler foods like yogurt, fruit & vegetables, straight coffee or tea. 8. Eat in more often. Don’t taste or snack during food preparation. 9. Only shop at warehouses and outlets. You’ll save money, walk more and be on you feet longer…. burning more calories. 10. Take an after dinner walk.  My daughter and I have really gotten into it. It’s mentally relaxing, helps digestion and keeps our metabolism levels up longer. She could also be into it cause there’s a rather cute teenage boy living around the corner. It’s also easier to avoid a dessert, if you have something to do. Zannee's Tips, Health & Beauty 2010-07-20T23:24:58+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/red_barn_bargains/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/red_barn_bargains/#When:16:51:54Z After we got a new kitten, I did a lot or research on cat foods and found the protein content at an average of 8 % or lower. Most are supplemented with rice or some kind of grain. I don’t ever recall a cat eating a bowl of rice or a slice of bread, so why is so much of it in our processed cat food. Cats eat birds, rodents, bugs & fish naturally, not grain. The highest quality cat/ kitten food I could find was a line called Wellness with 11% protein at an average of $28 for 24, 3 oz cans… it’s pricey. But I fed it to our kitten to help him grow and thrive …and he has. But, I didn’t like spending that much and started looking around for other ways to save. I searched all over online, local sources and used coupons and still was only able to get the price down to $23 for 24, 3 oz can case. I then headed out to Red Barn in Tarzana to see if they had it. Yep they did and at $21.95 for $24 3oz cans it’s the best price around.  A good $6 savings. Seems like a small amount, but as this kitten grows I’ll be going through 4 cases a month. That’s $24 a month for another 6 months. I priced out some other goodies so you can see the savings: Dog Science Diet Puppy, adult or senior 40lb bag $29.95—$44 + at Petco Iams Chunk, Mini, L & R,  or Weight Control 46 lg bag $29.95—$33-$39 at Petco Natural Balance large Breed lamb 15lbs $17.95 or 2 for $30—$28.77 at Petco Natural Choice lamb & Rice 35 lbs $39.95 Cat: Fancy Feast 24, 3 oz cans $13.95—- $14.50 Petco Royal Canin kitten 24 3oz cans $29.95—-$34.69 Pet Food Direct.com AvoDerm 24 3 oz cans $23.95—-$29.69 Pet Food direct.com Red Barn Feed and Saddlery has three locations: 18601 Oxnard St., Tarzana, 818.345.2510* 8383 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills 818.887.7388 10142 Balboa Blvd in Granada Hills, 818.832.0110 A new location will be opening up in North Hollywood at Magnolia & Riverside very soon. There are no Red Barn locations yet in LA proper, the Inland empire or the OC. If you have any discount pet food source out there, add it to the comments to help everyone save money and keep their pets healthy! BTW. Red Barn has a $5 of a $40 purchase coupon http://www.redbarnfeed.net/coup.html *The Tarzana location is a real feed store with food for animals from chickens to horses. Bargain Buys, Coupons & discount codes 2010-07-16T16:51:54+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/sundays_shenanigans/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/sundays_shenanigans/#When:22:25:02Z This last weekend, we all headed to the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Unlike other visits, I wasn’t as thrilled with the vendors or prices this go round. Has the word “recession” not been passed around here? The best deals were actually in clothing dealers with several off price sellers of women’s better designer goods, tee shirt sellers and sock sellers leading the pack on bargain values. I am avid antiquer, always looking for a special timeless pieces at a great price. Though most of the dealers were nice and knowledgeable, several tried to oversell a pieces value. The phrase, “ It’s from France” or “It’s French” came up several times. I finally got so annoyed I said to someone I didn’t care where it came from.  Flea markets are supposed to be selling goods at below retail or market prices. I found most of the antique dealers here selling at near retail and not as willing to dicker. They did have a spectacular selection of Mid-Century dealers and Shabby Chic dealers in furnishings, décor and art. But I have seen better prices elsewhere, including Ebay and Craigs list. Lemonade was $5, entrance was $8 each @ $24 (we went after 11am). After dropping $40 on nothing, we walked out with some Derek Heart leggings at $5, 4 sock sets at $5, 3 graphic tees for $20 and 2 silver serving spoons for $4. It basically cost us $54 with everything included. I don’t think we came out ahead. We finished the day with some tasty sushi at Kabuki in Old Towne Pasadena. Now I know why we don’t go to the Rose Bowl Flea Market as often as we used to. It’s has become overpriced. Zannee's Tips, Shopping Adventures, Local fun, Complaints & Ripoffs 2010-07-12T22:25:02+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/our_mac_died/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/our_mac_died/#When:17:58:33Z Just as luck would have it, my Mac Mini died on July 4th. A quick trip to The Apple store (yep they were open the 4th) to have them take a look at it confirmed our predicament. After a day of fireworks and gorging ourselves on hot dogs and spareribs we set out on the 5th to replace the computer with another Mac Mini ($699) instead of fixing it (a $500 repair). We stuck with a Mac simply because of my extreme web surfing. I am all over the web. It’s much more difficult to pick up a virus using a Mac than a PC. I love the help at the Apple stores. Though it appeared to be swamped and extremely busy, we were helped very quickly. Every salesman here has an I Phone and CC scanner. So you just pay for your purchase from them. No waiting in line. We were in and out of the Apple store in under 15 minutes. Sweet! We thought it would take 1-2 days to get the new computer up and running.  What a happy surprise it took less than a few hours. Apples Time Machine automatically saved everything on my old Mac: all programs, documents, bookmarks, photos, desktop… everything and it quickly reloaded that info to my new computer. Badda bing! Apples Time Machine rocks! We brought the computer home at 1pm and had it up and running by 3pm… super fast, super easy. Very little down time. Bargain Buys, Zannee's Tips, Shopping Adventures, Electronics/Tech 2010-07-06T17:58:33+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/oc_hair_deal/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/oc_hair_deal/#When:20:17:38Z First I have to say that my hairstylist here in L.A. is terrific. I have always been happy with her. The entire family goes to get their hair cut with her. She’s $65-$75 a cut and does excellent work. But when she went on maternity leave, I had to look around quick for someone else. My long-haired, rocker L.A. girlfriend is originally an Orange County babe and recommended her guy Ed Denuccio at Denuccios sale in Fountain Valley. She drives 40 miles every 2 months for a cut. I couldn’t fathom driving 40 miles for a haircut. But when the kid needed her long locks trimmed immediately, hubby needed a cut and I needed to do some research in the OC, we all went down. Located in a strip mall, DeNuccio’s is less swanky than many upscale L.A. salons. It’s clean and set up nicely, but I go to hair salons for the talent, not the ambiance. Ed has been cutting hair for over 20 years. His clients range from 20’s hipsters to senior citizens and conservative moms to rock divas. Hubby wanted a new doo. Ed took an extra 5-10 minutes to discuss options and looks with him. The kid just wanted a trim with some light layering in front and back to add as some curls to her long blond locks. Ed listened, offering advice without being pushy and didn’t up-sell us on any additional services. As a matter a fact he told her she shouldn’t get any highlights put in her blond locks. She didn’t need them. Both got exactly what they asked for along with styling advice and extra conditioning thrown in for just $60…. That’s for 2 cuts.  Everyone was real happy with the results and we saved a good chunk of change. Here’s how the costs added up: $60- 2 hair cuts $12 tip $12 gas =$84   Not including the 2 hours of drive time I saved nearly $70 by going out of my way. The family is styling and I got a bunch of research done. We may not use Ed at Denuccios salon all the time. But when we can work it out, we’ll be heading south to save money on a great hair cut. Ed Denuccio @ Denuccio’s Salon 18055 Magnolia St. Fountain Valley, CA 714.962.0555 www.orangecountysalon.com/ Bargain Buys, Shopping Adventures, Health & Beauty 2010-06-28T20:17:38+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/adopt_a_pet/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/adopt_a_pet/#When:01:03:12Z Thinking of adopting a kitten? Now is the time. There are kittens everywhere. Our new kitten, Oliver has added a lot of fun in our household and been an exceptional addition to our family, giving us lots of entertainment fun, cuddles and laughs. This smart playful kitty has immense energy, knows his name, has good kitten manners, has learned “no”, what furniture is okay and not okay and thankfully got the concept of the litter box immediately. Unafraid of people, he has been the center of attention at several of our parties. In order to socialize him we have spent a lot of time with him with someone spending time with him every half hour the first couple of weeks. Now we‘re down to once an hour for a few minutes if we are here, working at home. As he becomes more independent we have, on weekends we have left him alone almost 4 hours each day. We found him at the Pasadena Humane Society Shelter from his picture posted. We went in to check him out in person spending a good 30 minutes with him learning a bit of his personality… which is hard to do when he is in a cage. The $70 adoption fee was quite a deal. It included the first 2 sets of shots, Feline Leukemia testing and neutering. Since the Pasadena Shelter is associated with the ASPCA, we also got our first check up at our veterinarian for FREE (within the first 5 days). All of this would have run me over $200. If you’re thinking about adopting a new pet, do check your local shelters first, especially for kittens. With all the cut backs the city is imposing on the shelters, you should try to rescue a pet first. They’ll add a happy new dimension to your life. Local Shelters Bargain Buys, Inside Scoop, Local fun 2010-06-23T01:03:12+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/4_things_you_shouldnt_buy_used/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/4_things_you_shouldnt_buy_used/#When:20:46:54Z A recent article in US News and World Report listed 20 things you should never buy used. Many of the things listed, I own and have been bought used.  I thought the author was so off base, without any consideration of price vs. length of use or quality in construction. So I thought I’d write my own version. Things you shouldn’t buy used. 1. Car seats. However I’d use a used car seat if it was a “hand me down” from a friend in a heart beat. 2. Undergarments. This one should be obvious. 3. Mattresses. It can occasionally be okay, but with the bed bug epidemic and the inability to see what’s inside, I’d pass. 4. Cosmetics That’s all I could absolutely say you shouldn’t buy used. If it can be washed and sanitized, is still useful and in good working order,  it’s fair to consider buying used. But, as the buyer, you must do your homework before you buy. Check for recalls, understand the product and its useful life,  what the drawbacks are etc. Weighing the benefits and detraction’s of all the products information before you buy. Zannee's Tips, Inside Scoop, Consumer 2010-06-21T20:46:54+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/nbc_today_in_la_bargain_segment/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/nbc_today_in_la_bargain_segment/#When:04:13:51Z Good Morning Bargain Shoppers! Some great Fathers Day and graduation gift deals are available at most of my bargain sources. But for Saturday mornings segment for Dads and Grads, I dug up the products I showed on NBC 4 Los Angeles at these sources. Remember to tell them BargainsLA sent ya! Fine Italian Men’s Suits: Roger Stuart Clothiers - Wholesaler of fine suits 729 S Los Angeles St. Downtown Los Angeles, 90014 213.627.9661 Fine Jewelry Shane’s Jewelry 1008 Broxton Ave. Westwood Village, Los Angeles 90024 310.208.8404 EBox 360 Elite Game Dude 12104 Sherman Way North Hollywood, 91605 818.764.9525 Only 15 available XBox Elites available at the super discounted price. Must Mention BargainsLA.com to get this special deal of on Saturday 6/12 only. Home Theater Electronics: The Outlet by ELS 1532 S. California Ave., Monrovia, 91016 626.357.8449 Happy Fathers Day and Graduation! Fashion, Electronics/Tech, Entertainment, TV Appearances 2010-06-12T04:13:51+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/renting_vs_buying_a_special_occasion_dress/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/renting_vs_buying_a_special_occasion_dress/#When:21:52:28Z Renting is vastly cheaper than buying …. Often 90% less that buying. A savvy way to save some dough, especially if you never plan to use the item again. I have rented nicer cars for events,  camping and hiking gear, large tools and home repair items. But you still have to consider how much or long you’ll be using a product to decide if buying or renting is better deal. When we became avid campers we ended up buying our tents and gear. It was more cost effective than renting. But before we bought we rented till we knew how much we would use the gear. My friend rented the cutest cocktail dress for a class reunion a few years ago. As a mom who is into outdoor sports, her life didn’t support buying a cocktail dress and the chances of her wearing it again were nil. She rented hers at a local store called One Night Affair in West LA. Got a $700 cocktail dress for $70. But you can also rent special occasion dresses online: Sites like RentTheRunway.com and WearTodayGoneTomorrow.com offer dress rentals at 80%-95% off original retail. You have to become a member to rent,  but if you have a very active social life, are between the sizes of 0-14 you can really save using these sites to dress you for more formal occasions. Renting designer fashion handbags is still a cool thing to do, especially if you like to vary it up a bit and always have the latest bag. Sites like BagBorroworSteal.com (Avelle) sort of took the web world by storm a few years back. They have expanded their collections to include all sorts of accessories and they also have a sales page where you can buy a gently carried designer bags and accessories for 35%-65% less. Even brides are renting their gowns instead of buying. Groom’s have been renting their tuxedos for years, which saves them considerable money and hassle. Brides typically buy expensive dresses only to wear them once and then pay for storage space. Many bridal salons now rent dresses and accessories for a fraction of the purchase price. Renting a wedding gown can run anywhere from 100-$1000. Considerable less than purchasing a designer gown. If you want to preserve your dress as an keepsake heirloom, or wearing a previously worn dress sounds awful, then renting isn’t for you. Check out websites like http://www.onenightaffair.com/  and http://www.rentabridalgown.com/ to see the quality of rentals gowns. Make sure you start your search early as the best gowns always get booked first. For the best overall deal ask about rental packages with veil or headpiece tiara, petticoats and jewelry included. You should purchase your own bra and underwear. Your contract with any rental company should include a guarantee that your dress will be clean and available for pick-up several days before your event or wedding. Ask detailed questions before signing anything. Often easier on the bank account, renting has some advantages over buying. Zannee's Tips, Fashion, Entertainment 2010-06-09T21:52:28+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/online_sales_of_note_6_7_10/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/online_sales_of_note_6_7_10/#When:21:15:03Z When the weather is nice, like now, I have a hard time getting myself into a store or mall. I’d much rather shop off hours online and enjoy the fabulous weather. So here’s a list of some noteworthy sales in cyberspace…. Net a Porter is having and end of season sale with savings of 30%-40% Stella McCartney is having a 40% off sale C & C California is having a 30%-75% off sale Ebay Fashion Vault has Brooks Brothers right now at 50%-60% off Charlotte Russe Sale has savings of 30%-50% Dell Home has 10 days of deals Now through June 16th, enjoy extra discounts on laptops, gaming consoles (a new Xbox 360 for summer, perhaps?), and drool worthy HDTVs. The offers change daily, so check back often. Dell’s 10 Days of Deals sale ends 06/16/2010. Betsy Johnson has 30%-50% off dozens of dresses, clothing and accessories Other deals worth perusing Dr Scholl’s has FREE Shipping thru 6/16 Zannee's Tips, Online Sales, Sales 2010-06-07T21:15:03+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/teaching_bargain_shopping_and_value/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/teaching_bargain_shopping_and_value/#When:18:47:20Z The art of bargain shopping is more like a state of mind then a shopping technique. It’s frugality with a quality base line. Whether it’s in upper end home furnishings, clothing or on grocery items and household cleaners. You want the best quality you can get for less. Teaching this to your kids isn’t easy. Whether or not you shop department stores or the web, thrift stores or outlets or sample and warehouse sales, take the time to show the quality and value (or lack there of) on product. Explain the reasoning behind your purchase. As good bargain shoppers, teach by example. Ask these 5 questions before you make a purchase: Is it quality? Is it priced below market prices? Do you need it? Does it serve a purpose? Do you love it? If you can answer yes to all of these and can afford to buy the item… do! It looks like I finally succeeded in teaching this to our kid. This last week I had to get her another dress for a special occasion. We spent an afternoon and shopped at resale stores and websites as well as department stores and garage sales. She found a summer dress she loved at Kohls on sale for $39 instead of $49,  but she needed an evening dress. So she passed on the cute Summer dress and continued looking even though we were both exhausted. Ultimately she found the evening/ cocktail type dress in a girlfriends closet… it fit and she could borrow it for free. To reward her good judgment, I snuck back to Kohls to pick up the summer dress she loved so much, but didn’t need. Not a killer deal, but a fair price on a reasonably well constructed garment. It had value. Both dresses look really great on her. Bargain Buys, Zannee's Tips, Shopping Adventures, Fashion 2010-05-31T18:47:20+00:00 Suzanne O'Connor http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/top_ten_no_nos_for_discount_retailers/ http://www.bargainsla.com/blog/entry/top_ten_no_nos_for_discount_retailers/#When:18:57:04Z Discount retailers buy differently and sell differently than regular retailers, sometimes reverting to tacky ploy’s to draw in more shoppers. What discount retailers should know is bargain shoppers are also a different breed of shopper, often put off by certain marketing ploys…. 1.Don’t claim to be a Blow Out Liquidation Sale when you’re not. Please don’t tease me with your meager markdowns of only 10%-15%.  Blow out sales should start at 30% savings and liquidations at 40% off. Don’t claim to be a liquidator and then sell your product at market price levels. Liquidators, do just that…liquidate to move product fast. Your mere 10% discount doesn’t cover sales tax and gasoline. It isn’t worthy of my attention. 2. Don’t tease me with “Up To’s” ….up to 50% off or up to 80% off doesn’t mean squat!! Only one product has to be at that markdown for that claim to be legal. Everything else can be retail or just 10% off.  So just say 10%-80% off. 3. Don’t say you’re having a HUGE SALE when it’s only a small corner area or rack full of product. Huge means “lots of stuff on sale’, not just a few items. 4. Don’t make me do the math when I come in the store. Post your prices clearly and on each item.  Do I look like a mathematician? Do I look like I want to rack my brain, work a calculator or do long division? Just give me the selling price vs the regular retail price. 5. Don’t exaggerate and tell me the retail price on a product is higher than it is to make the markdown look more spectacular. That’s lying! 6. Don’t make it complicated for me to buy a product, especially in electronics and appliances. Clearly print out what the product is, how it works, what it does and what the price is. Do not overstate how fabulous the product is. Let me know if it’s the most current or last seasons model and why it’s on sale at such a low price. 7. Don’t tell me the rules of the sale after I make the purchase. If all sales are final, product is “as is” or any other purchasing limitations should be advertised before the customer makes the purchase. 8. Don’t tell me you carry designer fashions or name brand product when you don’t. The customer knows. 9. Don’t make me check my bag at the counter before I shop. Chances are my handbag is worth more than any purchase I’m about to make. And most importantly… 10. Don’t lie to your customers. Everyone hates to be lied to and manipulated. The ill will you’ll create by doing that will put you out of business… fast. Did I miss some? You can add your “don’ts”  in the comment section…. Zannee's Tips, Complaints & Ripoffs, Consumer 2010-05-21T18:57:04+00:00