These are a few of my favorite things...

Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens - discounted shopping and cheaper brewed coffee, these are a few of my favorite things!


It's no surprise for you to learn that I have become a discount shopping enthusiast. It's become a bit of a challenge and a thrill when I find something at a substantially lower price than retail. I'm sharing some of my favorite discount shopping resources in this blog. Please send your own so we can build an empire of discount resources!


www.retailmenot.com - Retailmenot is an online shopping community dedicated to the 'frugal shopper'. It is the most comprehensive site for finding online and store coupons you can find. Regardless of the types of shopping items you seek, retailmenot probably has the coupons. Print them out and start savings. They also offer a site to help make the most of your online process at tips.retailmenot.com. Be sure to read this page before starting to shop.


www.mygrocerydeals.com - I love this site! I have gotten so frustrated in the past thinking that I have found the best deal on pork loin, only to find that the store right next to me had it on sale for .50/lb cheaper. Mygrocerydeals.com solves that problem. You enter your zip code and select from the list of grocery stores available in your area. Their extensive database returns that weeks specials advertised at all stores in your area. It also has a coupon clipper of nationally advertised specials you can print, as well. My favorite feature is the search tool. Let's say you are looking for the best deal on Greek Yogurt. Enter 'greek yogurt' in to the search field, and you'll get a return on all of the specials at stores in your area. It's very cool and has proven to be accurate 100% of the time when I've used them. TIP: If your store is not activated in their list, send them an email. I did this and within 24 hours my store was added.


www.e-mealz.com - E-Mealz is a service that Dave Ramsey has recommended on his radio program. For as little as $5/month, E-mealz helps busy people plan weekly meals with ease. After entering your grocery store of choice, identifying how many people you are feeding and selecting the type of meals you enjoy (i.e., low fat, low carb, etc.), their site will return complete meal plans with shopping lists at your store. You'll get recipes with instructions for your specified number of eaters and an aisle by aisle shopping list. 


www.peterjamescoffee.com - I have to thank my dear friend Shelley for this tip. Years ago Shelley shared Peter James with me and I've been a fan ever since. Peter James is a wholesale roaster in the East bay of California. They roast their coffee and sell it at wholesale pricing, provided you meet their modest requirements. Not only is this the best priced coffee (for blends, premiums or organics) but it is the best tasting that I've found. The coffee industry as a whole plays a trick on us. They sell us coffee in this handy (12 oz) bags making us think we are getting a pound of coffee for that hefty $8.00/bag. I always thought I was paying about $8-$9/pound when in actuality I was paying around $12.00. Peter James actually sells you coffee in one pound increments and on average, you'll pay about $6.50/pound. The product list is extensive and you'll find something for all tastes. They require that you purchase a minimum of one 5 lb bag or 2 2 lb bags to qualify for wholesale pricing. There is a .20/pound grinding fee. Mark is the roaster and is likely to answer the phone if you call. I just placed an order last Tuesday, they roasted it on Wednesday and I received it in Oregon on Friday! I love these guys!


I previously mentioned some of my other favorites but here's a re-cap of some of my weekly visits for grocery and other items - 


Dollar Store (there are lots of these out there under different names) - remember them for basic sundry items, birthday cards and more


Bi-Mart - This is a co-op but I've never found them to hold me to joining. You have to shop there regularly to find the gems but when you do, they typically beat any other pricing. Think of this is a mini-Walmart - you can get anything.


Craigslist (www.craigslist.com) - Probably my favorite place to shop - especially the 'Free' area. Again, create an RSS feed and you'll get notified with new postings. If you are really ambitious, pick up some of these free items and sell them. It's similar to flipping houses but not as hefty an investment!


Habitat for Humanity Re-Store - Larry's blog will go in to great detail as to the amazing finds we've found here. In addition to getting free or really underpriced items, you are helping your local community build homes for deserving families. They also offer a senior discount of 20% (at our store) - this makes the discounts absolutely unbelievable. You can find furniture, building materials, plumbing supplies and art! There is also something very rewarding about re-using materials. We feel like we are helping do our part to limit the waste in our world each time we shop here. Give it a try!


Let me know some of your discount secrets and I'll share them with our readers. At a time when everyone is trying to save, these tips go a long way. Happy savings!