Steals of the Week

In looking at the less than stellar state of my bank account lately, I've been facing a lot of the same hard choices with money that most consumers face in this tough economy. Everything is more expensive as taxes increase (thank you LA County....), every one's job security is in question as companies fight to remain competitive, and sometimes it just seems like you spend all your resources covering the basics and never have anything left over to use for something that could be considered fun.

In spite of all that, I try to remain optimistic and find creative ways to have fun that don't involve huge financial resources. Because I absolutely refuse to let a crappy economy suck all the happiness out of me. Life is meant to be LIVED, people! And fun can be found on the cheap...you just need to know where to look.

Since I snagged a couple of interesting bargains this week, I decided create a new regular blog entry and share my discoveries. The "Thought Locker" has proved popular, so now I'll be bringing you "Steals of the Week." Maybe not every week, but whenever I find some great bargains worth sharing.

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Retail

The weather was gorgeous in Los Angeles earlier this week, and I got up every day, looked in my closet, and realized my wardrobe needs an injection of spring. So what's the best way to shop on a budget? GET SHOPPING! And don't assume higher priced stops won't have bargains. In a down economy, EVERYTHING is on sale.

Case in point - my visit to J.Jill at the Paseo Colorado shopping mall down the street from my office. Now I like J. Jill's clothes, but I don't shop there much because I think their stuff is pricey in general. The quality is good, and everything I've bought in the past has held up well, but $79 for this basic jean jacket? No way.

As luck would have it, this jacket had been marked down 3 times already, and the store was offering an additional 50% off the last marked price. The final bill for me to take this home? A mere $13.

Are you going to find a deal like this every time you walk in? No, but if you don't try, you'll never know what you find.

Entertainment

I was out quite a bit this week, and there were bargain aspects to both my evenings. Entertainment is one of the first discretionary expenses that get the boot when you're short on money, but they don't have to be.

I already mentioned the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club. In addition to lower cover for lots of comedians and bargain food, they were giving out two-for-one coupons at the show that were good pretty much any time. Cheap the first trip, and even cheaper the next time! I like it.

And the folks at the Troubadour have a great way to fight high concert ticket prices. If you buy through Ticketmaster, the fees can be almost half the price of the ticket. For Bob Schneider, tickets were $15 and the Tickemaster fees were $8.75. The Troubadour has a fax system that let's you order tickets directly through their box office for only $2 in fees. And you can pick up the tickets at the venue right before the show. Cheap AND EASY!

And don't forget to join e-mail lists for places you frequent, and follow them on social media sites like Facebook. I just got an e-mail from the Troubadour today about a FREE Dinosaur Jr. show next week. FREE!

Sports

You guys know I love hockey, and cheap hockey is the best kind. Head out to Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo on a Friday night, and watch some great rec league games....absolutely free! It's a lot slower than an NHL game, but it's a fun way to spend an evening! And if you get bored while you're there, join an open public skate session for the last hour - a bargain at only $5! I spend more than that on Starbucks every morning!

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So those are my favorite steals this week. Now tell me about yours! I would love reader comments on ideas you have for fun and inexpensive shopping and entertainment. Together, we can all get through this tough economy....and have a great time!