Suzanne O’Connor’s Bargains LA

FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters

With all the importing we do for fruits and vegetables I have become rusty on which fruits and vegetables are ripe in what season.  You can find almost anything now at anytime. But from traveling thousands of miles you have to put up with buying frozen or somewhat unripe produce.

Then I found FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org. … a complete resource for those of us that can’t remember what grandma taught us about fruits & vegetables. About the only thing I remember is that Fruits and vegetables are at their cheapest price when they are in-season. With Springtime around the corner it’s time to learn how to choose, use and get the biggest bang for our buck with fruits & veggies.

At FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org.  you can learn about vegetables, nutrition, meal planning around seasonal vegetables, buying on a budget, long term storage and more. You can even ask an expert about preparation, nutrition content. Label reading, menu and recipe advice etc.

Broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, squash, and even Rhubarb more will be come more familiar and be on our menu more often by using their planning and tasty menu guide.

Now you have no excuses.

Bargainist.com

Bargain hunting has always been in and right now getting a great deal is super hot. The new trend in 2010 is coupon use, freebies and discount codes. Looks like a lot of folks are jumping on the band wagon helping us find deals in town and on the web.

The Bargainist is a national website with coupons, discount codes and deals listed on everything from designer boots to electronics. Recent leads to online deals include a Guess boots at 40% off, a Nike Coupon, a 70% off at ShopBop, and a 25% off a $30 purchase at Pro Flowers and a Nikon Coolpix L20 camera for $90 instead of $120.

They cover a lot of goods at discount websites but they also get and post links and info on less common savings like a 20% off coupon for Kenmore kitchen appliances at the Great Indoors and a 62% savings at at the Watchery on a Movada Junior Sports Chronograph watch.

You’ll also find a section with “How to” and “Money Saving” tips. Always useful for getting the best deal.

Bookmark this one. Visit it often. It’s fun and packed full of info and savings!

BigCityDeals

In a big city like Los Angeles, there are big deals to be found everywhere. Competition is fierce amongst retailers. Importers and manufacturers abound! Services want your business!
Nice to have help finding them from Big City Deals.com.

Similar to Groupon, this free site (Big City Deals) lists specials money savings deals in Cities nationwide for just one day. Ya gotta move fast to get the deal.

Recent savings have included a 30 minute golf swing evaluation by Golf TEC in Santa Monica at $25 instead of $85. And $25 of SOS Emergency Preparedness products for only $10.

Still in it’s Beta mode (working out the kinks), Big City Deals posts BIG savings for big city dwellers like us. Actually for anyone who loves a deal.

Big City Deals is a nice new addition to money saving websites.

ServiceMagic

If you’re one of those lucky folks who just purchased a new home or need to spruce up, make repair or upgrades in your existing home for the holidays, then check out ServiceMagic.com. 

On this site, you select what kind of work or what you need in terms of contractor/ handyman services and they send you names of 3 pre-screened, qualified, insured, licensed and bonded workman you will bid on your job.

This service is free to you.


ServiceMagic has made over 12 million matches between consumers and service professionals skilled in more than 500 home related services nation wide. Plus you can read word of mouth feedback from customers who have used the service professionals.

Is it completely fool proof, no. You will have to provide an accurate description of what kind you need done. But it does help you make better choices for getting work done around your home. You make the final choice on who you use.

ServiceMagic.com also want you to follow up with them on how the work is progressing. Then, if something goes wrong, they’ll help you communicate with your service professional and even provide up to $500 of additional labor toward making the job right.

Finding qualified home improvement services and contractors just got easier.

Debt Proof Living

Years ago when I did my first NBC 4 morning news show, Mary Hunt was the interview in front of me. Her practical, frugal tips, advice and good sense made a serious impact on this humble bargain hunter.

But frugality was not in vogue then.

Well it is now and this Queen of frugal common sense has a website packed with tidbits of info to help all of us manage our finances better.  The real practical tips are in her membership section. Included in her subscription based newsletter were articles like “3 Ways to cut the High Cost of Health Care, “ Generosity and the Recession”, “8 Restaurant Ploys to Watch For” and more.

The value here is the expertise of Mary Hunt. With dozens of television appearances, magazine article and a track record that is over a decade long, this frugal financial Queen is the real deal. …Not a “pop up” frugalista.

Though her advice and insights are practical and serious, Mary keeps it light.  She also keeps membership affordable with a 6-month membership at $18, a 12-month at $29, a 24-month at $56. Of course you can gift a needy someone with membership too.

By following one piece of advice you’ll probably save more than the subscription price. Living debt free is real freedom and Mary Hunt will help get you there.

Groupon

Holy Cow this is cool!
This website uses the power of group purchasing to get consumers incredible deals on the best local goods, services, and culture. Groupon features one daily deal on everything from restaurants, teeth whitening and sporting events to paintball, hypnotherapy sessions and boat tours. By requiring a minimum number of customers to sign up for each deal before it is available, Groupon uses collective buying power to negotiate jaw-dropping prices.

The way it works is that everyday they send you an email with the deal du jour. If it’s one you like, purchase it, get your friends to join in, and if enough are sold, then the savings are yours. If not, then your card isn’t charged, and you try again another day.

Recent Groupon’s in LA have been:
$50 for tickets to LA Women’s Tennis Championship on 8/8. $85 value.
$35 for $70 meal at Porterhouse Bistro
$13 Whale Watch off Newport Harbor, $30 value.

If enough people purchase, the next day you’ll get the deal via printable coupon.

Sign up through email, and every morning your inbox gets the deal of the day. You have till midnight to decide, and if the deal isn’t for you, then you always have tomorrow

SpendLessTV

Changing the way we think about money is paramount to saving it. Some people find it annoying that all I want to do is figure out how to get something I want at a bargain price. But thinking like that saves ya money.

So if you need to change your thinking or tweek it a little, try checking out Spend LessTV.com. They have a ton of pre-loaded videos from a full range of sources on how to save money and spend less. Videos loaded with tips, tricks, ideas and how to’s to expand your bank account and train your brain.

They have their video collection sorted by topic so you can peruse it that way or just go through and look at them in the order they were posted.

Though they have some home made videos most of their sources are not just fly by nights. Their savvy sources include Good Housekeeping, The Debt Diva, and frugal style hipster Michelle Madhok.

Cool educational viewing to save more money. Works for me.

WiseMoneyMatters

Do you have a difficult time saving money. At the end of the month is all you money gone? Well apparently you’re not alone and thousands of people have the same problem.
WiseMoneyMatters.com can help with insightful and real life tips on how to save money everyday.

Each week they have a new Weekly Financial Check Up (so you can see how you’re doing) along with productivity tips ( to help you use your time better and make more money) and Investing Basics (for those of us who are investment dummies).

Simple concise advice and information to help you keep and save more of what you make.

FreeShipping

One of the drawbacks to online shopping are the shipping charges. Smart online bargain shoppers have always known the cost of shipping can make the difference between a good deal and a great deal. But finding out who has free shipping deals can be daunting.

Until now…. www.FreeShipping.org is cool site that list which stores are offering free shipping coupons. This site provides a list of known online retailers who are offering free shipping coupon codes to over 850 stores including JCPenney, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Dell and Gap.

So I looked up Nordtsroms and got several free shipping offers
1. Free shipping when you spend $50 or more in Beauty.
2. Free shipping on orders over $200.
3. Free shipping on Nordstrom gift cards.

Operated by the husband-and-wife team of Luke and Maisie Knowles, this well organized site is easy to cruise and I also found dozens upon dozen of other web stores that offered free shipping including Best Buy, Target, Amazon, Office Depot, Brookstone, Buy.com, Radio Shack, Shop4tech, Shutterfly, Sony, Sears, Ace, American Eagle Outfitters and many more. You can also locate free shipping coupons by store name, category, soon to expire and most recent free shipping coupons.

So now you can shop online, and save even more. How cool is that!

DealNews

Like low low pricing? Then you’re gonna love this.

DealNews.com is a neat little website that does a really good job of listing the best deals on the net. Everyday they list dozens of products at lowest price they could find, great sales and online discounts from electronics, computers, games and toys, to clothing, travel and more. They’re picky too, only referring us to stores that are reputable and they ban stores with a history of poor customer service

According to them that means,  we list the best deals period, regardless of our relationship with the seller.  Okay I’ll buy that.

On the day I visited I came across some promising sales and discounted product. The Disney outlet.com was having an additional 75% off sale. They also had:

 Shoebuy.com offers the Sumdex Bantambrief Notebook Briefcase, model no. PON-302, for $32.45. Apply coupon code “ACCESSSB” and the price falls to $27.45. With free shipping, that’s the lowest total price we could find by $5. It accommodates laptops with screens of up to 15.4”.

 Toys “R” Us has Nintendo’s hard-to-find Wii Fit with Wii Balance Board in-stock for $89.99. With shipping at $14.19, it’s the only online store we could find that’s taking orders.

 Amazon.com offers the Hi-Tec Women’s Multiterra II Low Hiking Shoes in Light Tan/Taupe (pictured) for $12.99. Shipping adds $4.98, but orders over $25 qualify for free shipping. Even with shipping, that’s the lowest total price we could find by $19.

You get the picture. If one of a kind online deals and serious savings make up happy this site will become a best friend.

Favorite Newsletters

I like to stay informed. Getting the inside scoop often leads me to bargain sources, companies, innovations and ideas that I can pass on. My day always begins with checking news sites, shopping and news blogs, and the slew e-mail newsletters I am signed up for.

Two e-newsletters that always have tantalizing tidbits of information are Jens List and Robin Sax facts.

Robin Sax’s, Saxfax Weekly is a self-published e-newsletter sent out by a Robin Sax. This Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney, legal analyst, speaker, and author has been seen on many media outlets.

She is also a pretty savvy consumer and has made it a hobby to be in the know. In her weekly newsletter (Thursdays) she shares a variety of information, including contacts and resources, whether it be for a nanny, notary, web designer, legal information, or a specialized gift and like me she shares her info for free. How could I not like her and what she does!
www.robinsax.com/

One of my daily fixes come to my in box as Jen’s List. This valley mom daily newsletter is packed with community information, especially useful for moms but also of great for general interest.

I have been subscribing since last Spring and have received dozens of resources for nannys, home improvement, money management, home sales and rentals, entertainment, legal, health, kids classes and schools and more. Leads run from the Valley down to the South bay.

I wish I had had her as a resource when my daughter was little.

www.jenlevinson.com/

Stay in the know and link up with these two savvy chicks!

Thrifty Kitchen

I love it when life is made simpler and cheaper. Both happen at ThriftyKitchen.com.

For a $10 a month subscription you can have weekly family dinner recipes based on the discounts and sale items offered at your local supermarket. You can save a bundle by eating what’s on sale each week! You choose the store you prefer to shop and the number of hungry people you need to feed - they do the rest!

Each week, on Thursdays, you log in and see what’s on sale each week as well as information on applicable coupons and where to find them or print them online. Then on Friday you go back to view “This Weeks Menus and Recipe Meal Plan” for tasty recipes that use those ingredients. You print your customized shopping list and purchase the ingredients in one shopping trip, then just follow the instructions for each day’s meal prep.

These tend not to be gourmet meals but are family-friendly, nutritious, and simple to make. The recipes are adapted from a wide variety of sources including website owner Lisa Leete own family favorites, cookbooks, cooking magazines, online cooking sites, and reader submissions.
The menus are highly varied, but some ingredients are more common than others. Chicken is a frequent ingredient, as it is lower in fat and very reasonably priced compared to many other protein sources. Vegetables are a major player in both side and main dishes. If you see an ingredient in a recipe that you know won’t go over well with your family, simply leave it out.

Seems like a good way to spend less and eat better!

SayGoodCredit

How many of us start out every year organizing our bills and setting up budgets only to see another year go by and deeper in debt. Sound familiar?

I used to think my problem was never making quite enough money to cover my expenses. I lived in the world of “ifs”. “If “I could only get a better paying job. “If” I could make a killer business deal. “If” I could only catch up.

But my real problem was not knowing how to budget, plan ahead and live within my means. Now is always the time to get back on track.

A great starting place is http://www.sayplanning.com/saygoodcredit/manage-budget.html

There are tips on establish credit, rebuilding credit, budgeting planning and management, managing mortgage debt, avoiding ID theft, setting up a spending plan and more.

It won’t be the most thrilling read of the day. But the information, links and advice will help steer you to a better financial future.

aLaTest

Ever read a Consumer Reports report on a product you use and completely disagree? Would you like to see other people or professionals reviews of products your interested in before you buy? Then check out www.alatest.com where you can find objective reviews on products that are totally independent.

This site is free and offers quality product information and reviews from over 600 sources summarizing the results through standardized ratings that seem to follow standardized grading on a 100-point scale. The weakness is that scores of 90-100 points get “Best” ratings and scores of 60-69 still get a “Good” rating. But if you ignore the wording and stick with the score you can quickly decipher what’s what.

The categories on alatest.com cover mostly electronics and home theater products including photography, games, home electronics, appliances, computers and more.

Another good tool for savvy consumers to use before you buy.

CounterfeitChic

Ah, the world of fashion knockoffs.

You’d never have guessed how pervasive this world is until you read the blog CounterfeitChic.com. Written by law professor Susan Scafidi, who hides a copy of Vogue in her briefcase, you’ll find she her pulse on the business and legal aspects of business of knockoffs. Informative, insightful and full of stuff you would never have thought about before.

From Old Navy knocking off designer denim leader 7 for All Mankind to Urban Outfitters knocking off Lavin necklaces, the scoop is here with loads of extra inside info. Susan touches on just about every aspect of counterfeiting designs and products, from imports to home grown varieties along with inside industry information and insight. It’s a compelling read and a must for anyone who has ever bought a knock off ….or never has.

ExperienceLA

New to Southern California? Or are you an old timer. Either way with summer here it’s time to get to know all the cool places and stuff we have to offer. But with gas at over $3 a gallon, it’s time to get to know the area via the metro.

At www.ExperienceLA.com you figure out how to get around and many of our wonderful sites by using the metro. Reader Jennifer G writes in …”We plan our family outings around the metro system. We’ve been to Universal Studios, Hollywood & Highland, Aquarium of the Pacific, California Science Center, Staples Center, and the Disney concert hall so far! They even have a section where you can find free events in the L.A. area!”

I found a link to a large number of our regional farmers markets and festival and fairs. Since there is always something going on in L.A…. From traveling art exhibits and live theatre to sporting events and festivals… Start planning your adventures by using the LA County Cultural Calendar and Experience LA.com. It should be your first stop.

MyBargainBuddy

I get daily e-mails from www.SmartBargains.com, www.Overstock.com, www.Marshalls.com, www.TJMaxx.com and a menagerie of other discount sites. It’s exhausting.

But one of my all time favorites is www.MyBargainBuddy.com. Yes, it is another one of those portal sites that lists coupons and online deals. The difference is that here, owner Karen doesn’t overdue it, listing every deal out there so your head spins. She highlights a reasonable amount for easy browsing.

The day I visited My Bargain Buddy, the site had a link to a Rival Premiere 5 speed blender for $14.99 instead of $29.99. I also spotted an Ipod Nano Sync and charging cradle with a remote for $24.99 instead of $89.99. Plus this site links you to links for additional savings on the already discounted merchandise. Cool!

This well laid out site is easy to navigate and easy on the eyes. Die hard shoppers can go to the All Stores page and check out everything if they want to. But I recommend
signing up for the free daily newsletter to quickly scan the choice best bargains of the day along with links, sales, coupons and special offers.

Any easy way to save.

ChillOutLA

Okay, so I am gonna let you all in on my little secret. For the last 15 years I’ve been teaching commercial dance classes. I didn’t drop them after I became a bargain shopping guru. But I did slowly cut back as my work load increased and am sadly down to just one a week which is soon to be history.

Dance as a first love had always been a way to relieve stress, stay in shape and use my creative juices. As a teacher, I have never had to pay for a class and I am now facing paying for something I have received for free. Off hand I’d say I am spoiled. But it’s time to get on the ball and start the search for both R & R and a good exercise program… be it yoga, pilates, weight training, ballet classes or whatever.

Which brings me to Chill Out LA. This online site give you the low down on local spas, classes, yoga and other “centering” activities to help both mind and body stay in shape. Every Thursday they send out an e-mail packed with info on spas, massage centers, yoga studios, meditation workshops, and rejuvenating getaways are truly affordable. Not just the over-hyped “Hollywood glam” stuff. Real classes, real people at real prices.

The last e-mail I received had power yoga classes at $8-$10 a pop which is below the Westside norm of $12-$18. Most of the sources tend to be in LA proper but since sign up is free it’s worth it. Hopefully they’ll expand as their readership does. An easy way to find the sources that take care of your bod…. for less.

MoneyPants

Did you overspend again this year? Oops -did I bring up the uncomfortable money issue? The New Year is always a great time to start a new. One of the most useful things we can do is get our financial houses in order. All of us, no matter what our financial status should re-examine our financial behaviors, spending and saving habits and long term goals. But not all of us can afford professional financial consultation.

Welcome to www.MoneyPants.com. Three friends, who are not financial advisers got together to create a better way to gain control of their money. The result is a very useful website. For $9.95 a month they’ll helps you track your spending, create livable budgets and make financial priorities.

Learn how to save 10%-20% by becoming aware of unconscious spending habits. Set up a spending plan as a way to reach your goals. Use their software program “Cash Track” on their site to track your spending. Since no account information or personal data is listed it’s very secure. You list what you spent money on and evaluate if it was worth the expense. From cookies to car payments. Seeing all of it in front of you helps you create a realistic budget, track spending habits and make changes to meet your goals. They’ll also e-mail you when your bills are due. There are message boards where you can pal up with someone who has similar goals.

This is basic financial planning and budgeting for those of us who need a pal and a plan to get and keep us on track. If you suffer from “the more I make the more I spend” syndrome and no matter how much you try, you’ve spent all your income or more by the end of the month, this site is for you. Plus they have a 30 day try out where they’ll refund your money if the program doesn’t work for you.

A great way to start your New Year.

CheapskateMonthly

Down deep inside of every bargain hunter is a suppressed cheapskate. All of us want to get more for less, become debt free, live well within our means and learn the inside tricks of how to do that.

Mary Hunt’s Cheapskate Monthly newsletter is packed with creative and realistic ideas on how to live debt free, improve your credit score, reduce your debt and manage your money well. Mary uses her own experiences as a point of reference and with her strong background in business and finance along with 13 years of Bringing dignity to the art of living within ones means.” Credo, her insights into our daily financial world are as practical as they are inspirational.

All of this information is presented in a straight forward, easy to read format with a sense of humor. Cheapskate Monthly tips, advice, and hard learned information should be incorporated into our lives.

DealsofAmerica

The biggest shopping season of the year comes on the heels of the second largest….back to school shopping season. If you’re a parent, seems like all you do from August through December is shop and buy. Being able to find great deals, coupons and online bargains can really aid in keeping credit card debt down and balancing your budget at the end of the year.

You can add another coupon codes and leads to deals site to your bookmarks with www.dealsofamerica.com. A quick scan of the site yielded leads to bargains at 10%-90% off original retail. I found 40% off notebook computers deals plus coupon at Dell Home. A link to Classic Closeouts had a girls down coat at $8.49 instead of $89. Another buy at Buy.com had an Ipod Shuffle IGM MP3 player at $119.99 w/ free shipping…. Not bad.

The Back To School Center page has links, coupons and specials at HP Home, Amazon.com, E-bags, Alibris.com, Smart bargains and more. Great for the college bound student.

Deals of America links to well-known, safe shopping sites and updates every half hour making it easier to find some of the best current deals the web has to offer.

Go get ‘em tiger!

PriceGrabber

Shopping on the internet can be an exasperating experience. Particularly now with the disclosure that some sites sell to different customers at different pricing. Yep, it’s pricing discrimination based on your profile as a shopper. Read more

So how do you make sure you get the best possible price. Well the always fabulous www.pricegrabber.com is great if you can narrow down the specifics of what you’re looking for.

Doing a general search say for binoculars yielded page after page of results from Bushnell to Nikon. Getting more specific with model numbers, manufacturer or specifics of use will give you a good selection without overwhelming you so you can choose from whom online you want to purchase.

Comparison shop hundreds of different sites for men’s and women’s apparel, toys, electronics, books, sporting goods, beauty products, computers, software, magazines and even …mortgages.

I have found this tool not only useful for online comparison shopping but in store comparison shopping as well. You immediately get a sense of what real market value is without wearing out your feet or your wallet.

Pricegrabber.com is an extremely valuable tool for any savvy bargain shopper. Book mark it!

TheSavingDepot

Knowing where to cruise online for a deal, when to pounce and how to get additional discounts helps all bargain shoppers score better deals. www.TheSavingDepot.com is another online site that has coupon codes, specials and sources for online deals. What makes this site stand out compared to others is the ease of navigation. You can scan the pages quickly to see if your favorite website is having any specials or to see what items are offered at bargain basement pricing.

This easy to navigate site like other sites lists dozens of ways to save on well known brands and manufacturers at known websites and some not so well known. You find codes and links for everything from Plus Sizes savings to kids stuff, DVD deals to savings codes for The Sharper Image much faster than other sites that have the same information.

Since time is money, we like thesavingdepot.com

Bookmark it.

ConsumerWorld

To keep on top of consumer information I read everything I can get my hands on. The LA Times, OC Register NY Times and Daily News almost daily. I cruise dozens of websites looking for trends, recalls, fashion tid bits, business mergers, sales, web technology info and store opening info. It’s a good hour of snooping every day.

One of the best of these is Consumer World. I find the most amazing factoids and leads through this weekly e-mail updates. Did you know that this week is National Consumer protection week? Neither did I, until this morning. But I get more info than that and most of it is eye opening.

How about what the top consumer complaints were for 2004? How do you spot a “Fake” product… that’s one I’ll need to read. I learned about Phishing through Consumer World… those phony account updates e-mails. Do you know about the new trend of paying by using your finger print? Did you know airline complaints jumped 24% in 2004? Consumer World also offers a “Bargain of The Week” with a lead on finding this week Roses for $19.99. Hmm, isn’t that my territory?

These are all pieces of information that most of us can’t seek out by ourselves and effect our financial spending and stability. Through their weekly e-mails I can decide what articles I need to read on their website and what applies to my “bargain” neck of the woods.

Smart consumers, smart people stay well educated about their world. This is another easy way to do that. You’ll be able spot a scam and save a buck or two.