The Deal Rack is your Friend

I hate to pay full price for anything and I mean anything. The first place I go when I go to any store but especially my local Lowe's is the "deal rack". And I sometimes catch the manager when she is marking stuff down and just wait to see what price she puts on things and ask her if she can do any better. We all know that buying off season is the best way to save on items. For instance we needed two electric fireplaces for our new home in process of being built. At least $500 each item and I caught them on sale (cause I kept going by and checking) and got them for less than half price. At a sidewalk sale at another Lowe's store I got two complete brand new commodes for our historic community center for $8 each. I also frequent the Local Habitat Restore which is where people donate unwanted items for a tax write off and the proceeds from the sales of these items benefit the Habitat for Humanity. I love love love that place. Some things are new and some are used but if you need what they have all are at a great price especially when the guy likes you and gives you a great deal. I recently bought 13 flat sliding closet doors with hardware still attached, a four foot eliptical paladian window shutter, and a pull down attic stair all in awesome shape for $35. The doors I intend to use in my basement for sliding walls so that we dont always have to have it shut off and the palladian window I am going to make a kingsized headboard out of. You might see both of these projects later. I bought 6 above the refrigerator brand new cabinets for $8 each and used two of them to make a window seat in my jack and jil bathroom upstairs. I used two of them in my laundry room to store cleaning stuff out of the reach of grandbabies and I took two to my daughter's house in Houston TX for her to to do same. Nearly all the light fixtures in my house I bought at a 75% discount. I always take my paint colors with me when I shop because you never know when you will run across something that is just right. While I was at my niece's wedding in Arizona i visited a pottery shop where local artists displayed their works. I had my paint colors and was able to get the most unusual toothbrush holder with just the right colors to match my master bath. Earlier I posted about decorating the upstairs bedrooms without paying full price. It was because I looked at TJ MAX or Marshall's and found a name brand coverlet in just the right shade of blue. Later at another store I found a shower curtain with wispy details in blue to use in the Jack and Jill bathroom. I love stores like Essex and Dirt Cheap where there are catalog returns and over buys. I was able to find a black sheet to use as a curtain in my son's apartment for $4. When my daughter was in high school I got a comforter for her bed for $10 at a K Mart clearance. and not long ago I got a whole king size comforter set with extra throw pillows and shams for $30 bucks at Stein Mart. The list goes on and on. But part of it is you just have to look and be somewhat open minded. If you want this one thing in the absolutely most current style then be prepared to pay out the wazoo. They love suckers like that. But If you are creative and savvy and like a challenge check the deal racks first. Sometimes all the difference in this years and last years model is a minor detail or a finish color and man can you do wonders with spray paint these days. Try a little creativity. You will be happy that you did.