Frugal Shopping in Beaumont, Texas

In these times of shaky economy and uncertain finances, folks all over the country are exploring new avenues of stretching their dollar by cutting out the fluff. The good news is that shoppers in and around Beaumont, Texas can still keep a little fluff in their budgets by knowing how to shop, where to shop, and when to shop. Educate yourself with the following tips.

How To Shop

The answer to this question is 'second hand'. Buying new things doesn't have to be a priority so second hand items will work in a pinch. And we're all pinched these days. Clothing is always a popular second hand item, but good deals can also be had on household items such as furniture, dishes, décor, baby gear, and linens.

Where To Shop

At Goodwill Thrift Stores. They're not just your grandmother's thrift stores anymore. Goodwill Thrift Stores carry clothing for the whole family as well as household items like dishes and furniture - toys, books, and a whole lot more. It may take some time and a little digging - okay, a lot of time and a lot of digging - but shoppers can find some very nice (sometimes new) name brand items at a fraction of the cost they would have paid for them in a retail store.

There are several Goodwill Thrift Stores in Beaumont and the surrounding areas. Two of them are in Beaumont, proper - one in the Gateway Shopping Center on the corner of 11th Street and I-10. The other one is located on Dowlen Road, across from Parkdale Mall in the old Pier 1 building. Lumberton also has a Goodwill Thrift Store, located at 132 S. Main Street, next to ACE Hardware. There's a Goodwill Thrift Store in Port Arthur, located at 4448 Gulfway Drive. Orange has a Goodwill Thrift Store, located at 3109 Edgar Brown Drive, next to Wal-Mart. Finally, Silsbee also has a Goodwill Thrift Store and it's located at 114 Pine Plaza, next to Family Dollar.

When To Shop

While good deals can often be found any time at these stores, knowing exactly when you'll find the best deals is icing on the cake. The two Absolutely Do Not Miss shopping days at the Goodwill Thrift Shops are Sunday and Monday. This is because on these days, clothing with a certain color tag (usually there are two colors that are on sale at the same time) is priced at .99. Sometimes, a certain color tag will be priced at .50. Very often there are other sales that accompany these, which happen every week, without fail - although the color of sale tags does change. Books may be priced at 10 for $1.00, there may be 50% off house wares, or special Fill-A-Bag for $X on additional articles of clothing.

Since you never know what you're going to find at Goodwill Thrift Shops, it's important to go early and go often. Be prepared to shop in Holiday Offense/Defense Mode, even if it isn't the holiday season. Crowds tend to gather, especially near opening time and early in the day, and some people can be - well, people.