Shopping Cheaply in the Twin Cities

In the current economic crisis that erupted in 2008, many people have been forced to cut back on spending because of reduced income, lost jobs, and other factors. Even though income may be reduced, there are still basic needs that individuals and families have to meet, such as food and clothing.

In the Twin Cities, my wife and I have taken advantage of four businesses to help us save money. We knew about these before the economic crisis, but they have become more popular given the current state of affairs for many people. All four are located in suburbs of the Twin Cities.

Lofthouse Bakery Outlet Store. A church friend of ours told us about this outlet store. Once we tried it, we were hooked. The store, located at 7350 Commerce Lane NE, Minneapolis, MN 5543, offers a variety of breads, some relatively common (such as sourdough) and others more exotic (such as the fruit bread I bought recently). Lofthouse's main business is baking bread for high-end grocery stores, such as Byerly's and Lund. I have also seen their products in the Festival grocery store located near our home. The outlet store sells the loaves that do not met the high specifications of Lofthouse's customers.

When my wife and I first began shopping at Lofthouse, bread generally cost 50 cents a loaf. When gas and grain prices began rising, Lofthouse raised their price to $1.00 a loaf. The same loaves in the grocery stores were in the $4.00 and more range. [It was at this time of rising prices in the economy that we noticed that more people were shopping at the store.] The $1.00 a loaf price, however, does not always hold. Loaves of sliced sourdough, for example, are sometimes 10 cents a loaf. The price varies according to how much of a particular kind is in stock.

There is one "problem" at Lofthouse: the customer does not know what kind of bread will be in stock on a particular day. If you are flexible, you will usually be satisfied. A hint: try to get to the store early in the day. That is when you will find the best selection. [Note: the outlet store also carries a selection of cookies, but the bread is the best value.]

Mike's Discount Grocery Stores. The same church friend who told us about the Lofthouse Outlet Store also told us about Mike's Discount Grocery Stores. There are several locations for Mike's in the Twin Cities, but the one my wife and I shop is at 230 Osborne Road NE, Fridley, MN. Ironically, this Mike's is just a long block north of the Lofthouse Outlet Store, making for an easy combined trip to the two stores.

Mike's handles products from other grocery stores-products that are close to their expiration dates or their "best-when-sold-by" dates. When our friend told us about Mike's, she said we could get some great bargains, but be sure to check the dates. She was right: we have found some great bargains, but we have been careful about the dates. If you're not afraid of living "on the edge," you'll find that Mike's is a great place to go. I won't go into prices, but overall, the prices are much lower than you would find in the traditional grocery stores. The price of bananas is one exception. You can even buy Lofthouse products at Mike's, but the prices are cheaper if you go to Lofthouse itself.

In addition to the Mike's where my wife and I go, there are three other locations: 7163 Commerce Circle W, Minneapolis; 905 45th Avenue NE, Minneapolis; and 516 E. River Road, Anoka, MN.

There are two other stores I want to mention, but I'll do so only briefly because most people have some idea of what kind of stores they are.

Unique Thrift Store. Our knowledge of this store also comes from our same church friend. Unique, located at 2201 37th Ave NE Columbia Heights, MN 55421-4110, carries the traditional line of used clothing, used books, and other used items. Think of a Good Will or Salvation Army store and you have an idea of what Unique is all about. Unique has recently been remodeled and looks impressive.

Savers Thrift Store. Savers is on the same order as Unique. The location my wife and I shop is at 4849 Central Avenue NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421. This particular store is not as attractive as the Unique store, but still has the potential of having what you need.

When my wife and I were planning a trip to the Pacific Northwest, my wife needed to replenish her supply of summer clothes. Trips to Unique and Savers provided much of what she needed at reasonable prices.

If you are looking for, or need, bargains, and you live in the Twin Cities, try these four stores. They may have what you need at prices you'll be willing to pay.