Favorite Shopping Spots

shopper.jpgKohl’s: They always have something on sale, and it’s so fun to find a great deal on their clearance racks.

Trader Joes: An upscale feeling grocery store that offers lots of unique foods and many organic choices. I hate grocery shopping, but it’s actually fun to go here- if only for the atmosphere. Their prices are surprisingly similar to the local grocery store too.

Target: Ours isn’t a supercenter, but they have a small grocery section so I can get some of the staples there and not have to stop someplace else. I love that I can find all of the basics here and they are usually clean and tidy.

World Market: So many fun and exotic things at this store. A great place to find decorative features for the house or a fun and interesting gift. I’ve noticed that Santa finds lots of fun trinkets here for Christmas stockings.

Home Goods/TJ Maxx: TJ Maxx is a great place to find reduced prices on name brand things like clothing and toys. I bring the kids here a lot to pick birthday gifts for their friends. They also have a lot of housewares too. Some stores are pretty ghetto and sometimes you have to dig through the piles to find a deal, but every once in a while there is a great steal. Home Goods is the housewares version of TJ Maxx. They have more big things like furniture. I used to love to go here in NC, and want to check out the one here, but haven’t had a chance yet.

Mervyns: They have super great clearance sales for the kids clothes. I go there and stock up at the big sales.

Joann’s: I have seen all sizes of these stores and the small ones don’t have much variety, but if you find a larger one it can be a crafter’s heaven. Anything you can think of sewing or crafting or framing, you will find it here.

IKEA: The BEST place to find inexpensive things for your home. They are all very affordable, and your home can look like you hired a decorator because things are designed to go together. The only downside is you have to assemble all of the furniture yourself, but it usually isn’t too difficult.

There are always other places I like to go, but these are the top of the list for now. I try to avoid malls because the prices are usually higher, and they are too spread out to trail the kids along. That’s why I haven’t mentioned any of those type of stores here. What are your hot spots?

10 Comments

  1. Heidi
    Apr 24, 2007

    I, too, love KOHL’S. They have excellent deals. My favorite grocery shopping for deals is Macey’s (I always expect my bill to be more and I am always pleasantly surprised by my lower bill) and my favorite for ease of shopping is Smith’s MarketPlace because they have a Play Land where the kids can play for one hour while I shop. Smith’s Marketplace is next door to Liv’s Dance class so while she is dancing Holden goes into Playland and baby Gray and I shop for 45 minutes.
    I have never been to IKEA but one is coming to Utah soon and from everything I hear from you, Banna and Anne, I will have to check it out.
    I like TJMaxx but I love Ross. I love a good deal and I hate paying full price for things.

  2. Heather
    Apr 24, 2007

    I love the D.I. since I can always find a treasure, I love Ross and TJ Maxx since I love brand names at lower prices, I love Wal-Mart because it’s my one stop shopping. I also love their low prices on kids basics such as t-shirts, sandals etc, it makes life for me and my budget a bit easier. Target is about 45 minutes from my house, but I am in heaven whenever I go. I love Home Depot since going there means we are fixing something up, I love our local market Kent’s Marketplace since they have the best meat department and great prices only blocks form my house, and if you go as often as I do, the checkers know you by name, and you have “freinds” there. I love Old Navy for their awesome clearance, I LOVE JoAnns since I am a fabric addict, but most of all I love Ebay! It has just about everything I want, I can comparison shop at home in my jammies at any time of the day or night, and I have found some amazing deals on there and bought things for a mere fraction of the retail price. I seriously love an awesome deal and the lowest possible price, finding a bargain is always fun for me!

  3. Auntie Lauralee
    Apr 24, 2007

    Here are a couple of my favs: First and foremost COSTCO! I buy almost all of my food there, especially meat & bakery items which are deluxe. If I need some odd item quick, then I can walk to GROCERY OUTLET which is right by my house. They are especially great for laundry and household supplies and unique kinds of cheese. I also love TRADER JOES because they always have the neat ingredients when I have a notion to cook foreign. I hate WALMART and never go in unless forced. Most everything else I buy on eBay. I just bought 20 crockpot liners each with 50 cents off coupons for $.99 total + shipping. How can you beat that? I also love to tramp around IKEA & WORLD MARKET and have bought some cool things at both of them. Our MERVYN’S closed down. Andy really likes ROSS & OLD NAVY and finds good bargains there. I like FRED MEYER now and then as well. I’ve never been to a KOHL’S, but I have been to MACY’S which is pricey, however now and then you get something beautiful for a bargain, especially at Christmas. That’s about it.

  4. Heather
    Apr 24, 2007

    Maybe I should clarify….I love the Brigham Wal-Mart. It’s always clean, never crowded, I always get up front parking, the aisles are never congested with other shoppers pushing their way past me, the checkers are lovely, the lines are never more than 2 people long, and the shelves are almost always stocked. I refuse to go the the Logan Wal-Mart, it’s none of the things I listed above, and is always a zoo and crowded beyond reason. Ours is really nice, and we have lots of people that will drive up to an hour to shop here and just to have a peaceful shopping experience there. I know Granny loves to shop here too.

  5. Korby
    Apr 24, 2007

    I just went to Kohl’s and bought some new Yoga pants and t-shirts for $5.00. I was so excited. I love their clearance. I also LOVE Target. We went to the one in Saint George daily. It had really great kid items. I got Scott flip flops and Estee a shirt and ruffled dress. I wish we had one here. Ross is my favorite place to get shirts for me they have fun and sometimes really crazy things. TJ Maxx is another favorite( more for Yoga gear) I like that they have a random selection. Grocery shopping takes me to Smith’s Marketplace. I love that you can get almost anything there and not have to go fight Walmart. I cant wait to go to Ikea again. I loved going there in Canada. I LOVE Michaels craft. I could spend way too much time and money in there. It wouldn’t be so bad if I would finish the projects. I like going to the D.I. but think I am allergic to their air freshener(?) my eyes water and my nose runs like crazy every time I go there and nowhere else. I LOVE a great deal.

  6. Melly
    Apr 25, 2007

    D.I., Old Navy, and Macyes for food. Macyes is so close, but when Wal Mart comes by our house, I’ll probably just shop there.

  7. anne
    Apr 25, 2007

    I love Target!!! And Hook me up with a super Target!!! And Costco, You guyses Walmart’s are nasty, dirty & over crowded with merchandise, although I hear things are cheap there(Which I love!!!)! I love an American Old Navy, the clearance rack is always a steal, I always find kids clothes starting at .99 cents!!! But thanks Amy, I will now add your stores to my shopping experience!!!!

  8. Heather
    Apr 25, 2007

    I agree, most Wal-Marts are a serious nightmare, but I promise, our Wal-Mart here in Brigham is very different. It’s actually a pleasant place to shop. Really!

  9. Heather
    Apr 25, 2007

    I would love to see what Trader Joes is like, it sounds so fun! IKEA opens at the end of May in Draper (I think Draper) and I am so excited to go there! I have never been to one, and as per Banna and Anne, it sounds awesome!

  10. Stephanie
    Apr 29, 2007

    Amy, We don’t have Mervyn’s here – but I find that Target’s clothes are so similar that I don’t miss it too much. I do wish we had Trader Joe’s though. We have gone to Ikea – but haven’t bought much and we NEED to. OUr house is in desperate need of being decorated. 🙂

    I LOVED seeing your pictures of Oakdale…we’re here right now.