Tips from locals I met over the weekend
I picked up a few good tips from the folks who came to hear me talk about bargain hunting at the West Valley Library this weekend.
- Q Market & Produce Market in Van Nuys has great prices on produce, I'm told. Visit them at 17259 Vanowen St., between Balboa and White Oak. (818) 345-4251.
- Jons and ethnic grocers often have great prices on produce and other staples.
- Manufacturers often have coupons through their Web site. Consider emailing or calling the company, explain that you love their products and would like to receive coupons.
- Debbie Meyers' Green Bags, which prolong the life of fruits and vegetables, really do work, said two people who came to the library. One woman said she put bananas in the bags and 9 days later they were still fresh. The bags are $20 for 10 plus you pay $7 in shipping and handling. May be cheaper to buy them at the grocery store.
- Bartering is a good way to get services for free. Web sites like Itex and People Trading Services facilitate bartering and charge a fee based on the value of services being exchanged.
Thanks to Jerry and my fellow bargain hunters who came!
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About The Bargain Hunter
Daily News staff writer Julia Scott loves to find bargains on everything from groceries to Gucci. Her tips will help keep your hard earned cash where it belongs - in your pocket.
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In Highland Park,(NE Los Angeles) Figueria Produce, corner of Figueroa and York across from the 99 Cents Store has vegetables, fruits and butter less expesively than 99 Cent Store. Celery, 44cents a head, bannanas at 79 cents, etc. They also have a spice cellar which is very well stocked and much less expensive than at 99C store.
I just checked on amazon and you can get the same bags for 9.99 with free super saving shipping (min amazon order $25 but its still free shipping and you can buy anything else for the other $15) or you can buy from another amazon vendor for as low 4.99 plus 4.99 ship fee which comes out to final cost of 9.98 including shipping! (and yes they are all new, not opened or used).
You can also buy the green bags at Bed Bath and Beyond and use the 20% off coupon, saving on shipping and handling. I think they are about $9.99.
Thanks, Chris and Dotty, for sharing these lower prices on the Green Bags! ~Julia
One of the best markets in the valley is
Valley Produce at 18345 Vanowen st in Reseda
Tel # 818 609 1955
great fruits, veggies, they have great deli service and meat dep and lots of middle eastern pruducts.
Worth going there.
Farm Boy on Hazeltine and Riverside (across from Trader Joes) has great produce and really resonable prices. It's the one thing I truly miss since I moved from the valley 2 months ago. They have everything the farmers markets have plus sushi and yogurt. I love them!
Sunland Produce in Sun Vally is also a great place to buy produce. The address is 8840 Glenaoks Blvd.
Debbie Meyers Green Bags are great and can be bought at Bed Bath and Beyond for $10.00 plus use their 20% off and you can save more.
Debbie Meyer's Green Bags & her Bread Bags are also available at Target!
I bought the green bags to prolong the life of foods on a camping trip. Sorry, but they do not work. I removed the moisture inside the bags daily. Within 3 days the bananas and apples were over ripe,the spinach was slimy and the cucumbers began to show a white mold. The broccoli stunk, but the tomatoes were fine. My salad fixin's would have lasted through the trip had I just kept them in the plastic grocer bags. I'm relieved the green bags were cheap, otherwise I'd be kicking myself daily for being such a sucker again. Someday I'll learn to stop believing those infomercials!
El Super, on Sherman Way near Coldwater, not only has great produce prices generally, but they have "Frutas Miercoles ", or "Fruit Wednesday". Every Wednesday they put 6-8 produce items on extreme sale (how about strawberries $1/lb in October???).
Great tip! Thanks, Hilary. ~Julia
I checked out the two websites mentioned for barter -- How does paying $49 per month to sign up equal saving money? Looks like the site owners are not interested in barter...
McMontes,
Good point. Barter sites charge a fee for connecting people who want to barter, either through membership fees or a percentage of the value of the services provided. If you barter enough, it may make sense for you to join. Plus once you establish contact, what is keeping you from striking your own deal? ~Julia