Online versus Reality: a shopping dilemma

Do you remember the time before the internet? I do. It was a time when a good fundraiser in a country town was the "warehouse shopping trip". Essentially you booked a bus and charged people to drive them to Brisbane and take them to different shopping outlets. Because everyone was bored with their local small country town retailers, these trips were VERY popular. 

Now of course, if you want anything from any shop, as long as you're willing to pay for shipping it's only a click of the mouse away. So convenient!

I must admit however I don't love online shopping. I browse but never seem to buy, the insubstantiality of the item on the screen putting me off. Sure, I can judge whether it's going to fit by the measurements, but what will it look and feel like on? The model is no help, even the plus size ones are not my shape. And yes I can always return it - but the thought of going to the post office these days gives me hives. 

And so when I need clothes I go to the shops. I like to touch the fabric and put things on and twirl about. But even this gets tiresome after a while; endless items that aren't in my size or are too expensive and outfits that do that look awful - all this can get you down. And then there's the tiresome marching about between stores, endlessly tempted by window displays, distracted by other shiny objects and hassled by mall salespeople about Dead Sea Salt Scrubs. 

So I guess I don't really like shopping in real life either. Catch-22?

At least there's always op-shopping. 

What do you prefer when buying clothes, online or reality?

Save dollars with Op Shopping

I haven't had much of a chance to go op shopping lately, but yesterday I hit up four local shops on a mission to find some wedding outfit accessories. 

Although I wasn't successful in finding exactly what I wanted (note: op shopping is not great for this kind of thing) I did find some great bargain items. 

I thought I'd share with you because by my calculations, I saved at least $110 than if I had shopped retail!

The first item I bought is a red TS dress. I'm guessing it's part is the TS14+ range but the tag just says "TS". I usually do not like this label at all due to the tendency to have everything cut on the oblique but I tried this on and thought it was nice. TS14+ dresses retail for anywhere between $89-$200+, on sale for about $60. I got this for $6. Saving? I'm going to say ballpark $50 at least. 

The handbag is Basque, a label from Myer that I adore. I have a few pieces of their plus size label Basque Woman that I have picked up op shopping and they are always great quality. Their handbags retail for $89-119. On sale the smaller ones are about $59. I paid $10. It has a tiny, nearly invisible pink mark on the front. Saving? I'm going to say about $50. 

The gold chain is of mysterious provenance but it's pretty solid and heavy. I've seen similar in places like Colette or Lovisa retailing for $15-20. I paid $4. I reckon I saved at least $10. 

So by my calculations, I got a great versatile dress, cute bag and chunky chain for a song, saving approximately $110 overall. 

I'm really sorry about my dusty mirror!

Another op shopping win in my book. And I left behind an Olga Berg clutch!

Have you got any major bargains lately? 

Why I'm Still Shopping at Aldi

I don't think the people of my suburb "get" Aldi. A new one has opened up down the road (can I get a HALLELUJAH?) and I've been there twice now, switching from one a 20min drive away.

The locals, used as they are to Woolworths, push their overflowing trolleys past, giving it the side-eye. Of those that dare venture within, some seemingly dismiss the Aldi trolleys and bring one in from Woollies next door. Most don't have shopping bags, and I see them putting their purchases, one by one, loose into the boot of their car. The inventive ones have flogged an empty box or two, but this is a hard task given that this Aldi seems to be permanently fully stocked; shelves groaning. I think the staff are bored.

Our recent improvement in the fiscal situation meant that for a while, I was shopping at Coles. Not for any particular kind of loyalty, but because I like the Flybuys points. When we were struggling, I always longed to shop there again. I imagined myself strolling the aisles, leisurely browsing the 7 different brands of tomato sauce on offer.

But like most things in life, reality was quite different to my daydreams. I went back there a few times, bought my usual things - nothing too lavish like steak or anything - and walked out shaking my head over the docket. I could not believe what things cost there. Years of shopping at Aldi have spoilt me for the cost of things ranging from muesli bars to cheese.

And so I am back at Aldi, and quite happy about it. I am literally saving $30-40 a week shopping there, and honestly, there's next to no difference (except the fruit and veg isn't great). There's a few minor things I cannot get there, but I can duck into a Coles/Woolies/IGA any time once a month to get these.

I'm sure my fellow neighbours will warm up to it soon. They just have to remember to bring a trolley token, their bags and learn the Aldi checkout race-against-the-teller technique. Easy peasy.

Where do you grocery shop, and why?

A welcome return to thrifting form

I went op shopping today. Sure, it was pissing down rain but I'm pretty broke and knew that if I went to the shops I would just get depressed about all the shiny things I can't afford.

I haven't been to my local charity shops in quite a few weeks due to a self-imposed ban. You see, after cleaning up my dining room I discovered I had WAY more vintage stuff that I'd bought for my Etsy shop than I thought.

But today I cut myself a break and went shopping for myself. Ah, the pleasure of sifting through knick-knacks for some little treasure to take home. Yes, it's other people discarded junk but it's always surprising and never not fun.

Today I struck gold with two little Pyrex dishes and a couple of tops. I usually don't shop for secondhand for clothes due to the difficulty in finding larger sizes but recently it's become easier in some charity shops that sort their racks by size.

And so, instead of getting all sad at the mall because I can't afford $49 for a nice shirt, I spent $14.50 on clothes and $5 on Pyrex and I'm as happy as a clam.

Have you found any good op shop bargains lately? What do you look for when you go?

Weekendness

Every time I think to myself I'm going to have a restful weekend, I end up doing so much more than I had planned. This weekend was no different.

Saturday I had two things planned: post office (to post another Etsy sale, yay! That's 3 in 4 weeks) and to do a little op shopping.

I found these delightful coffee mugs, but not much else. I think I need to venture further and check out some new stores. Note: the other items in this picture are from my mum - she's forever cleaning out her cupboards and donating things to the shop! I may be tempted to keep the cute purple tartan Thermos for myself though! It's practically mint!

My darling husband worked all Saturday night, so I curled up with the tv and watched The Help. What a great movie! So emotionally overwhelming and fascinating at the same time. I watched the entire thing without realising that it was Bryce Dallas Howard playing Hilly. Hee. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the story I don't recognise actors!

So at about midnight last night, eyes drooping, I decided to take a chance and put on my first loaf of bread to bake in the bread maker. The bread maker was a wedding registry gift and damn me if we haven't used it once since. So I read the little instruction book and the back of the bread mix box, poured everything in then pushed some buttons and went off to bed with my fingers crossed.

Well, if I didn't wake to the aroma of freshly baked bread! Amazing! That's not to say I was not woken by the machine beeping to itself early on at the crack of dawn when turning on, but hey presto! When I hauled my lazy buttocks out of bed, behold...

It kind of exploded at the top but I didn't mind. Hubby gave his seal of approval, and has expressed an unexpected level of interest in learning to use it, and also wants to learn how to bake bread from scratch. I suggested maybe we start with some bush bread or damper and work our way up.

I couldn't resist just one more op shop to top off my weekend so I hit my favourite down at Brendale. And boy did I hit the jackpot!

We've decided that this lovely Australian map isn't antique, or possibly even old enough to be vintage, but it's got rustic charm written all over it! And it was only $3. Winner.

I also picked up this lovely little jug, which I think might be Johnson of Australia, though I have never seen the pattern before.

I also baked this afternoon. Mum gifted me with some cupcake packet mix before going away (amongst other things, including a passion fruit and a continental cucumber. What am I going to do with a continental cucumber? WAIT. Don't answer that). So out came the Big Red Mixer (she really needs a name - any suggestions? Something 50s like Betty perhaps) and pretty soon I had 12 little chocolate cupcakes on my hands. It was a nice way to end the weekend.

How was your weekend? Any good shopping finds? Did you bake? Garden? Chill out?

Couponing: Oz Style update

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This week is my second week of being a novice couponer. This morning I sat down with the week's junk mail and went through it all. I mean REALLY looked at what is being sold and the prices. I am focusing solely on groceries at the moment as this is the area where I feel our household can really save some dough.

I physically cut the sale items I wanted out of the catalogues and clipped them all together with a bullclip. Then I took the little pile of paper shopping. I think C was a little embarrassed. He should be thanking his lucky stars I'm not toting around a large binder folder full of coupons and clippings just yet!

I've found the hardest thing is learning what things really cost. I mean, the catalogue may tell me that something is on special for $1.29 off, but how do I know that I can't get the same item at another supermarket for $1.50 cheaper normally? So it's been a steep learning curve and it has been absolutely shocking, SHOCKING I tell you, to realize just how blase I have been about groceries for many years.

I used to walk in, buy the things I needed and get the hell out. Do you do this? Sometimes I wouldn't even look at the price. So for example if I needed pasta sauce, I bought the brand I knew I liked. And sometimes, it is the brand my mother buys. I think "they" (being the people behind all these brands) rely a lot on familiarity and comfort to sell their product, and I've come to believe it is just silly!

I had to break some very big brand habits when our household had to start shopping at Aldi, and I'm doing it again now. If another brand of tissue is on sale that is not my "normal" one, I'm going to buy it. Because you've got to try it before you knock it, right?

One problem I've encountered is the price of buying in bulk has set me back a few more dollars than I thought it would initially. I spent $170 last week at Aldi and Coles combined, but I'm hoping that it will last me 2 weeks. Yes, that is including meat. So if it works out to be $85 a week in groceries, I'm going to be a happy clam, because it will mean no more mid-week stop-offs at the local shops to get last-minute things for dinner.

Here are a few rules I've set myself:

• If we don't eat it, don't buy it, even if it's on special (duh)
• If it's a bargain, buy at least two
• Check the free in-store magazines for coupons (I was so excited to find my first coupons last week!)
• Use your loyalty card to get points (FlyBuys at Coles, Everyday Rewards at Woolworths)
• If you can get it at Aldi cheaper, only buy it if it tastes ok (always a hit-and-miss situation)

My best bargains for these past weekends have been:

• $6 for a 780g jar of Kraft Peanut Butter (got 2 because we burn through it like nothing on earth).
• $3.49 for 1kg Sard Oxy Plus stain remover (the equivalent in Napi-San brand is about $7 I believe)
• $1.29 for Crumpets (50% off)
• $1.49 for Doritos (50% off)

I have found the most helpful website by far is Oz Bargain, as it lists the weekly grocery specials and the dollar AND percentage savings for each major supermarket.

Admittedly, today I went and spent a further $60 at Coles, thus blowing my original budget plan, so I'm going to be trying harder next week. I must admit though, $11 of that was on ice-cream to get a free 6 month magazine subscription!

What's your best bargain lately?

Extreme Couponing: Oz style

One of my twitter friends, Grosby, sometimes tweets about Extreme Couponing, a show in the US about people who “clip coupons”. I don't think there's an Australian equivalent, mainly because we don't get catalogues ("inserts”) with many discount vouchers on them for things like groceries or staples. But there are some great ways to get bargains by watching the specials and buying in bulk when good deals are available.

How do I know? Because I was so fascinated I ended up researching it. My first port of call was the Extreme Couponing website, to watch some clips of the show as it is not showing on cable TV here yet. It was here I learnt the truth of someone else's remark that Extreme Couponers are actually hoarders with an excuse. I mean, some of folks have built special rooms in their house to hold the bargains that they had picked up. Some even do it just to give thousands of dollars worth of goods away to charity.

Then I hit youtube and found people like “Coupon Queen” Jill Cataldo and The Krazy Coupon Lady, Heather Wheeler. And I can tell you, I was mesmerised. Some of these couponers (and it's not just the ladies, folks) even Dumpster Dive to find coupons that have been thrown away.

Well, I have been INSPIRED. I usually throw away my junk mail because I shop at Aldi, and up until now really believe that this is the best way to save me money on my groceries. But there are things I just can't get at Aldi, or I don't like their version. Baked beans is an example. Aldi does have an acceptable version, but I'm a Heinz Baked Beans girl from birth. So imagine my happiness this week when a peek at my junk mail reveals a them on sale for $1 per can at Woolworths this week!

This afternoon I spent a good 20mins going through the junk mail and writing down some bargains. I'm going to put the lists in my handbag, so they're in there when I'm at the shop, and not on the counter at home like usual. And I'm going to buy in bulk, because I do actually have the room to do it, even with meat.

I'm a novice though, still learning. I don't keep a folder or binder of vouchers or coupons. Yet. Or carry a filing box in my trolley, which was a strategy I saw that I liked! But I am hitting up bargain-hunter websites like OzBargain and Shop-a-docket. In fact, I'm going to print off a discount voucher for 10-pin bowling right now – that's our next date night taken care of!