Bargain Hunters Resource Guide

Transcription

1 Bargain Hunters Resource Guide Common Wealth Charlotte (Uncommon Financial Solutions for Low Income Families) (under construction) 1900 Commonwealth Avenue Charlotte, NC Wealth is the ability to fully experience life. Henry David Thoreau

2 Index 1. Clothing Bargain Guide Page 3 2. Food Bargain Guide Page 5 3. Furniture Bargain Guide Page 6 4. Cell Phone Saving Tips Page 7 5. Auto Insurance Saving Tips Page 8 6. Entertainment Saving Tips Page 9 7. Saving at Home Page 11 2

3 CLOTHING Crisis Assistance Ministry Free Store Address Monday - Friday, 8:00 am 1:00 pm 500- A Spratt Street, Charlotte, NC Phone: Clothes are provided free of charge. What to bring: Picture ID of the head of household, Social security documentation for all household members. You must also be able to provide proof of your address, as well as basic information about each member of your household: age, gender, and race. Goodwill Industries Thrift Stores Selected Stores Salvation Army Thrift Stores Selected Stores Monday Thursday: 9:30 a.m. 9:00 p.m.; Friday Saturday: 9:00 a.m. 9:00 p.m. Sunday: 12:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m A Freedom Drive, Charlotte, NC Phone: Sardis Road North, Charlotte, NC Phone: Albemarle Road, Charlotte, NC Phone: South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC Phone: W. W.T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC Phone: New and gently used clothing / household items available at minimal cost. Money paid for clothing is used to fund Goodwill s job training and career development programs. Varies due to store location 1011 Central Avenue, Charlotte, NC Freedom Dr., Charlotte, NC Pineville Matthews Rd., Charlotte, NC Assistance League of Charlotte Thrift Store Address Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm 3405 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC Phone: Proceeds from Thrift Shop help fund Assistance League of Charlotte philanthropic programs. 3

4 Dress for Success Charlotte Store Location Bargain Hunters Thrift Store Store Location 202 E. Woodlawn Rd., Suite 104, Charlotte, NC Phone: Agency can help people transition into the workforce by offering them free professional work attire. Career counseling is offered too. Services offered include one new suit for a job interview and a second suit when the client gets the job. Some other items offered include skirt suits, undergarments, pantsuits, blouses, scarves, unworn pantyhose, and purses/briefcases Albemarle Rd, Charlotte, NC Phone: Carries clothing, furniture, books, electronics 4

5 FOOD Loaves and Fishes Loaves & Fishes provides a week's worth of nutritious groceries to individuals and families in a short- term crisis. Address s Varies depending on location Multiple food pantries across the state Families must have a referral from the church or social worker in order to receive assistance. Families can receive assistance once every 45- days. Information needed Name, Birthdate, Social Security Number and Gender for all household members. Address and Phone Number of head of the household. Employment information for any members of the household OneHarvest Food Ministries OneHarvest is a non- denominational, faith- based organization that offers affordable, pre- packaged, high quality food boxes which can be ordered online. They accept EBT cards. Pick- up location To Order New Hope Missionary Church at 1303 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, North Carolina ALDI Discount Grocery Stores Selected Stores Monday- Friday 9am - 8pm Saturday 9am - 8pm Sunday 11am - 7pm 2526 Freedom Drive, Charlotte, NC Albemarle Road, Charlotte, NC Sunset Road, Charlotte, NC South Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC Printable Grocery Coupons / Food Deals of- free- printable- grocery- coupons- 4/ food- freebies- deals- week/ will prompt you to install coupon- printing application. Great daily deals including free activities for kids and adults around town. 5

6 FURNITURE Crisis Assistance Ministry Free Furniture Bank Address : 333 Dalton Avenue, Charlotte, NC Phone: Monday Friday 9:00 am 4:00 pm To receive free furniture, a referring partner must screen and qualify your family and submit a referral form. Households must be referred by a house of faith or social service agency and provide their own pick- up transportation. No walk- ins are permitted. Households may visit once per calendar year. Beds For Kids Address 2519 S. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC Phone: Varies To receive free furniture, a referring partner must screen and qualify your family and submit a referral form. For a nominal charge, BFKs will deliver the furniture to your apartment. Habitat ReStore Store Locations Tues- Fri 10AM- 6PM Sat 9AM- 5PM 1133 N Wendover Rd., Charlotte NC 28211, Phone: Wilkinson Blvd., Charlotte NC 28208, Phone: New and gently used furniture and household items available at a minimal cost. that minimal money paid for furniture is used to fund affordable homes built by Habitat. Assistance League of Charlotte Thrift Store : Hidden Treasures Store location See above. Gently used items such as furniture, clothing, books, toys, jewelry, household items, electronics, computers, shoes, sports equipment and baby items South Blvd, Charlotte, NC Phone: Thrift store, upholstery shop, and snack shop on site. Carries vintage and used clothing, appliances, used furniture, electronics, and home products. 6

7 Cell Phones Tips on getting the cheapest phones and contracts Start with cell phone company comparison web sites listed below. These allow you to choose the services you want; phone type (if needed), number of minutes, number of messages, number of lines, amount of data, and contract terms. The plans available are listed with the price. Wirefly.com Whistleout.com Phonedog.com **Beware** Free phones are not free. They are included in the price of the contract. You are making monthly payments until the contract is up. Can you hear me now? Will you have coverage with the company you plan to use? Because we spend most of our day at work and home, ask neighbors and coworkers if their service is good. Check coverage maps for the companies that you are considering. Gigabyte usage. Videos and music can quickly use up your gigabytes and slow your device down dramatically. For most, your cell phone is used every day for important matters, such as staying in touch with children and work. Having this technology is so important, so choosing the amount of data you need and how you use it can make a huge difference. Consider these things Trade in your old phone. Services like Gazelle and Amazon will buy your old cell phone, which helps defray the cost of the new one. Pay- as- you- go- plan. If you do not use a cell phone frequently or want to avoid roaming charges when travelling, this may be a better option Lifeline Program. If you or a relative earn less than 135% of the poverty level, you may be eligible for a low- cost cell phone plan. Check it out at When buying a phone, check the web site of the provider you have chosen for online- only deals. These are typically cheaper than if you purchase them from a store or kiosk. Best researched deals Wal- Mart- Since Straight Talk Wireless customers pay just $45 a month, the difference amounts to more than $600 a year in savings. Even taking into account the cost of a new, unsubsidized smartphone, you would still break even just 10 months after having switched to Straight Talk. 7

8 Auto Insurance Tips on getting the cheapest auto insurance Research all of your options. Many agencies will offer lower rates than you have. Bundle all types of insurance with one company for discounts. Raise your deductibles. Huge savings can be gained by raising your deductibles. Compare insurance rates before buying a car. A more expensive car = more expensive insurance rates. Talk to your insurance agent about dropping collision on a car that is very old and not very valuable. You are not required by law to carry collision if the car is deemed to be of less value than the policy. Special safety features on some cars can bring discounts. Make sure your agent knows if you have air bags or anti- theft devices. Whenever possible, don t pay in installments. You pay a premium for each installment. Don t call about a potential claim, unless you are going to actually file a claim. Records of inquiries may be used by insurers to raise rates. Remember that, as with most things, good credit improves your rates. 8

9 RECREATION and ENTERTAINMENT Tips On Finding Recreation And Entertainment Opportunities That Are Either Free Or Low- Cost Movies Rent a RedBox movie at Harris Teeter and CVS locations for less than $2.00 per night. The latest movies are usually available. Join NetFlix for less than $10.00 a month for unlimited movie or TV show streaming. You can get DVDs by mail for a low monthly fee, and no postage due. Be on the lookout for free outdoor movie nights in the summer. Several venues exist for free children s movies. Google it! The public library has a great selection of movies for free. Museums Take your family to a museum. Many museums have one day a month where they offer free admission. Discovery Place and Discovery Place Kids now offers $1 admission to families who qualify (WIC or EBT card required). Holiday Drive around town or to McAdenville to see stunning holiday light displays. No charge. Go to one of the many malls in the area and see beautiful decorations and listen to holiday music. Games Free online games for the whole family can be found on itunes and other formats. Trade games with friends and neighbors to get a better variety of entertainment. Library Charlotte Mecklenburg has one of the best library systems around. Visit for free movie rentals, books, books- on- tape, and music. Music Go to your local library. Pandora streams free music. You can choose your stations. 9

10 Education There are lots of iphone apps for educational products, such as math, spelling, Spanish, etc. Many universities have free online courses, including Harvard. Dining Some restaurants allow children to eat for free on certain nights. Find out which ones, and target those places for meals out. Drink water instead of other beverages. Sporting Events Check out your local high school or community college/university for low- cost sporting events. Theatre Colleges and sometimes high schools offer live theatre at a very low cost. Freecycle Go to to find free products and give away unused products. Barter If you have a talent to share, trade with someone else who has a different talent. 10

11 Laundry Wash clothes in cold water Only run full loads of laundry. Ways to Save at Home Cooking/Meals Home cooking is generally healthier and is always less expensive than eating out. Homemade snacks are healthier and less expensive than junk food. Try a few favorites. Pre- plan meals and grocery shop only once a week. Buy store brands. They are usually as good as name brands and are sometimes packaged by the name brand companies. Heating and Cooling Turn down your thermostat in the winter and up in the summer. Add extra insulation to your home and find ways to weatherproof around doors, windows and attics. Ask your local electric or gas utility for a free or low- cost home energy audit. Close your curtains in summer where heat gets trapped inside, and open them to allow the sun in during winter months. Electricity Turn off lights as you leave a room, and ask your family members to do so too. Turn down the thermostat in winter and raise it in the summer. Dishwasher Forgo the heated drying cycle. Run loads only when full. Water Limit the time you shower. Don t leave water running while you brush your teeth. Buying and Selling Have a yard sale. Make extra cash selling unused clothes, household items, furniture, or other home goods. Buy at yard sales. You can often pick up needed items for pennies on the dollar. Buy or sell on ebay or Craigslist. Buy or sell in consignment stores. 11

12 Negotiate prices. Many retailers allow price reductions for the asking. If any item is in less than perfect condition, definitely ask for a discount. Don t buy warranty plans with major purchases. These plans are pure moneymakers for businesses. Vacation Take a Staycation, the new trend in vacations. Stay in town and take advantage of free or low- cost entertainment, but treat the day/weekend as if you were away. Don t do chores around the house. Relax. Money Have a no spending month to see how much you can bank by not spending on anything except essentials. You might be shocked by how much you can save. At the end of the month, put all but 10% into savings, and enjoy a treat with the rest. Save your change. It can really add up over the course of a year. Save all of it! Try to avoid keeping cash on hand. It s so easy to spend, and if you are not tracking cash expenses, it can be costly. Track cash expenses for 1 week to find out how much you spend. You may be surprised. Medical Ask your doctor if generic drugs can be substituted for name brand. They are considerably less expensive. Price shop drug stores. Prices vary widely between different chains. Eat healthy and exercise for better health and less medical costs. Walking is free and provides many health benefits. Gas Save gas by combining trips and/or carpool. Use the GasBuddy app to find the cheapest gas near you. You will get better gas mileage if you keep your car well maintained. You get better gas mileage if you avoid fast starts ups and quick stops. Home Downsize if you have outgrown your house or apartment. Try to live near your workplace. You can save transportation costs. Social Organize potluck dinners with friends and/or family for a low cost fun evening. Organize game night with family and friends. 12

13 Gifts Plan ahead. Shop post- season for deep discounts. Agree on a spending cap with family and friends. Re- gift. If you knit or crochet or make crafts, give a hand- made gift. Clothing Shop at the end of each season. Clothing is discounted up to 75% at season s end. You can find great bargains. If you dry clean your clothes, check pricing. A small amount can save a lot of money over time, if you regularly clean items. Taxes Don t pay for tax refund checks in advance. Plan ahead and wait for your return through normal channels. Federal income taxes can be filed online for free! If you set up direct deposit, the turnaround time is fairly short. Go to freetax.usa. Turbo tax has free federal and state, if you qualify. Go to turbotax.com. H & R Block also has a free Federal filling. Go to hrblock.com. Purchases It s tempting, but don t buy on impulse. We are all prone to fall for great sales pitches, but think carefully for 24 hours before making major purchases. Only purchase items that you can afford to pay for. 13