99 Cents or One Dollar Tree Stores

99 Cents store or the Dollar Tree store offers an abundance of products we normally get at K Mart, Target, Walgreens, or Wal-Mart for no more than a dollar! Don't believe the misconception that the products are inferior. While there are some uncommonly known products, there are also a lot of other familiar products. Here are some brands I've found:

1720 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91106
Cross street: Meridith

-Baby Ruth
-Colgate
-Fun Dip
-Hershey's
-Hidden Valley
-Kit Kat
-Lysol
-Milky Way
-Nerds
-Pop Rocks
-Sally Hansen
-Snickers
-Softsoap
-Sugar Daddy
-Toffifay
-Totally Juicy
-Twix
-Windex
-Zote

I've also found fresh produce (apples, bell peppers, blackberries, blueberries, garlic, jalapenos, potatoes, raspberries). You can also get bacon, canned tomatoes, coconut flakes, Oscar Meyer ham, seasoning salt, gift wrap, gift bags, basic cups, tupperware, buckets, candles, etc. etc. CAUTION: I recommend staying away from products that don't offer an expiration date. This applies to any place, though. For binder papers, folders, envelopes, journals, and stuff like that, you can go for the cheap stuff. It's all the same. It's definitely worth investigating. Go there. If it's not your thing, then go elsewhere. I like to stay away from their generic brands because I don't know if it'll work well or not, so I go for the tried and true versions. If you want to experiment with new products, don't go overboard. Spending $5 on five products you'll never use isn't money well spent. You're better off buying one product that you actually use. Things I suggest you buy elsewhere: kitchen products, tools, dried fruits and nuts (they're often times rancid and rarely restocked).

ONE FINAL NOTE: I know someone who found the Texas Instrument scientific calculator valued at around $50 for only 99 cents at this location.

VONS Free Delivery Code

Vons.com has sent me another promotion code for free delivery on a minimum of $50 purchases. Who doesn't spend at least $50 on groceries? I know when you buy groceries weekly or buy meat at a butcher and produce at the Farmer's Market, it's a different story. But frozen foods, dairy, and canned products, and snacks should also be purchased. They aren't very nutritious, but I like having a variety of choices (in case I injure myself and I can't cook, there's a blackout so I can't open the refrigerator, etc). It's when I get promotion codes like these that I take advantage of the offer. Be careful, though. Sometimes I purchase things and one essential ingredient is missing, so I may have to go out and buy the remaining ingredients. It's best to leave an open schedule shortly after the delivery.

Promotion Code: FRESHNESS
Expiration Date: 5-8-08

National Frozen Food Month

March is National Frozen Food Month. It's the best time of year to buy frozen food, as the best deals exist. This is when I like to stock up. It's ideal because frozen food has such a long shelf life that if I buy enough frozen food during this month, I don't need to buy anymore frozen food until a major sale. I recommend sweet peas, vegetable medley, corn, spinach, cherries, strawberries, TV dinners especially Marie Callender's, Banquet pot pies, Hot Pockets, Gordon's fish sticks, okra, plums, pineapples, mangoes, frozen juice concentrate, blueberries, and Totino's pizza rolls.

Prescription Discounts

I firmly believe that we live in a country whose approach to healthy lifestyle is management-symptom oriented prescription medication that's unnecessary in many circumstances. If we, as a society, stopped turning to prescription medications to correct imbalances within our body, we might put more active effort into naturally reaching equilibrium. With that said, in some circumstances, prescription medication is unavoidable. With spring approaching, I inevitably face severe allergies. I'm even at risk of reaching critical life-threatening levels. So, it's prevalent that I take prescription medication. I've explored holistic and Eastern medicine practices to reduce the intensity of my allergies, but it isn't sufficient. With each medication costing up to $200 a pop, they really add up. I wanted to share a resourceful website that offers discounts for qualifying prescription medications. It lists discount cards that offers savings on select prescription medication, and many medications are eligible. Popular medications, name brand or generics, can be eligible for special discounts such as 1 out of the 4 pills will be free, or the cost of two pills will be waived at the pharmacy's office and two more will be delivered to your home free of charge.

www.needymeds.com

I learned of this website through a social worker who works in a hospital. It's easy to use, resourceful, reliable, abundant, and informative. Social workers are a valuable asset and a wealth of knowledge when it comes to discounted medications, as it's their job to assist low-income patients. What I actually recommend is to schedule an appointment with the social worker at your hospital right after your health exam. That way any suggested medication can be reviewed with the social worker for any eligible discounts. Sometimes, a generic medication may be eligible for a discount but not the name-brand version. Aside from the substantial cost in difference, generics and name brands are usually identical. Sometimes, generics are even preferred when name-brand medications have a coating that some people are allergic to. My point is that generic versions are a favorable choice when discounts are offered. But it's best to investigate and finalize everything at the hospital, so any necessary corrections can be made right there. A lot of times, physicians prescribe the name-brand version unless it's well known that the patient prefers low cost. Sometimes, well-intended gestures can cause greater financial challenges when you learn that discounts are offered for the name-brand or the generic for the same medication instead. No matter how much you want to save money, waiting for a revised prescription may not always be advisable. Additionally, many programs that offer discounts requires an advocate such as a physician or social worker. It makes the most amount of sense.

There are other ways to save money on prescription. For example, pharmacies that reside near major hospitals for lucrative reasons often have financial arrangement made between hospital and pharmacy for first-time patients. A pharmacy may generously cover up to $200 worth of prescription medication(s) if it's your first fill. After that, the discounts usually dissolve. I recommend taking advantage of the offer. But be aware that small and local pharmacies especially ones near hospitals charge more for medications than say Target or Wal-Mart. After your first fill, it's preferrable to go somewhere else.

If you want to milk it, and you take medication(s) on a regular basis, you can hop hospitals. Large hospitals that accommodate no or low-income patients and hospitals near universities are most likely to offer discounts. By speaking to a social worker, you can find out if medication costs can be waived. And just keep doing that until it's no longer an option. Because this blog is dedicated to saving money, I mentioned this possible opportunity, but that doesn't mean I agree with it. The first time I can understand, but when arrangements are made to continue this habit when there are patients who really need the money, I find it not only distasteful but immoral. Another great way to save money on prescription medication is to ask your physician for any available samples. My optometrist has given me three bottles of prescription eye drops. That's a substantial amount of savings, and all it took was asking.

I know there are a lot of people who don't find investigating these discounts worth their time. I'm not sure why. They seem firm in their position and unaware that they're making an uninformed opinion. How can you possibly know that it's a waste of time or not worth the effort if you don't even know what the offers are? How difficult is it to open your web browser, type in www.needymeds.com and searching for the medication you need under alphabetical order? Many of us spend extensive hours online, anyways. It's not the most productive way to spend time, but since when did we start to care about spending our time more wisely? I can't help but feel like that claim is just used as an excuse to avoid inquiry. It's a quick search. Unfortunately, I've come across an exorbitant amount of lazy individuals, so my faith in people taking my advice is low. I provide phone numbers and referrals from a reputable office that's likely to recommend a competent specialist. And people manage to still ask me more questions, questions that can quickly be answered with a phone call. So I'll even do some of the work for you.

-General Discount Cards-

Discount cards for patients with no health coverage:

Merck Prescription Discount Card
Pfizer Pfriends
Together Rx Access Card

Free to low Discount Drug Cards:

AARP MemberRx Choice
www.aarp.org
Citizens Prescription Drug Program
www.citizensenergy.com/energy-assistance-citizens-health.htm
FamilyWize Prescription Drug Savings Program
www.unitedway.org

Discount cards that require a small payment each time a card is used:

Pharmacy Reward
www.pharmacyreward.com/needymeds/index.cfm
Rx Help for You
www.Rx HelpforYou.com

Eligibility details vary and must be reviewed, but I practically handed you a cheat sheet.

At the very least I urge you to ask your physician for any sample medications. Physicians are loaded with them. So, it never hurts to ask. What's the worst that can happen? You get nothing complimentary, and you're in the same position. For the possibility of saving money and being no worse off than you already are, a question that takes 30 seconds to ask is worth it!

Promo Code

Vons.com is currently having a special promotion. During your checkout, use this promo code: 2STOCKUP to take advantage of the free delivery offer that expires on March 7, 2008. There are cheaper alternatives to Vons.com, but I like having www.vons.com around. Sometimes, when the weather is unpredictably raining heavily, I prefer not to go outside. When that's the case, I don't really have the means to travel to the best bargains. Usually the delivery fee is $7.95 or $9.95 depending on the time slot you select. But if I'm not paying for the delivery fee, and I don't have the means to go out, this is actually an ideal choice. You have to buy a minimum of $50 orders. Right now, Chunky soups are having a 10 for $10 special. Marie Callender's frozen foods are also going for $3.00 each. Frozen foods are grossly overpriced, but I like having them around for emergency situations. I have back and knee problems, so it's a nice choice to have around, rather than costly takeouts.

Free Delivery

Promotion Code: 2STOCKUP

Expiration Date: 3-07-08

The Sale Approach

The key to saving money is to buy enough items when they're on sale to hold you over until the next sale. This method works well, and once you develop a system, it's quite successful. But in order for this to work, you have to have money reserved. It saves money in the long run, but if you don't have the money to save money, it won't work. There are many reasons to save, and this is one of them. This approach works especially well for things with a long shelf life such as school supplies, cleaning products, personal care items, household supplies, some dry goods and frozen foods. Sit down one day and really jot down what you need and want. Review it and see if there are cheaper alternatives or other products that can be substituted for a more versatile use. It's always best to formulate a plan, understand exactly what you want and why. It keeps your priorities in focus and reduces your likeliness of going on a careless splurging spree. It's also useful when something's out of stock because you can more easily find a suitable replacement. Remember, it's not necessarily a good deal simply because it's on sale. I wouldn't suggest buying 5 dozen eggs because they're a steal. If you can't finish them or it goes bad before you can eat them all, then it's a waste. Ask yourself if you would buy that if it weren't on sale. If you wouldn't, then it's probably not a responsible purchase. If you overspend because of a sale, you're not necessarily saving money. The key is to spend less money in the long run so that you can live a comfortable life. If you're over exerting your budget over the sale, then it's self-defeating. Sales come and go. You don't have to get everything that's on sale right now. Sales aren't the only way to save money. If a 12 pack of toilet paper is on sale, it's cheaper than the regular price for that 12 pack, but the same brand's 24 pack of toilet paper for the regular price may be a bigger bargain. It's also possible that another brand of 12 pack toilet paper's regular price is cheaper. Always look around for what else is out there.