>Now that I’ve got your attention — Best Bargain Find Ever? Okay, PBN, I’m a bargain shopper, a coupon clipper, and a comparison shopper, too. Singling out one bargain as the Best Ever is nearly impossible. Here are a few examples:

*the inexpensive “calendar mug” form the corner gas station: free coffee on the dates in red
*Amigo’s winter coat from the consignment store: a brand name jacket for $20
*swag! Husband picked up a mini jump drive that is the perfect size for my school files.
*books for my classroom from Savers’ thrift store: great titles, great price, and I had a newspaper coupon for $5 any purchase greater than $5. Fabulous!
*my new purse from the outlet mall, brand name, half price, will last forever!
*messenger bag for school – already marked down, then entire luggage dept. on 50% the day I bought it
*anything purchased at Steve and Barry’s for $8.98!

Planning ahead and being aware is the first step in finding great bargains. Last December I made my list, checked it twice, grabbed my Very Important Customer discount card, and headed out to Kohl’s to shop. I knew what I was looking for, so I didn’t overspend. It was a big sale day with early bird specials, so I shopped in the morning. After these specials, I used my Kohl’s charge and the additional 15% discount coupon. End result: they practically paid me to shop. I watched the numbers on the register go down, down, down, until I couldn’t believe how little I paid for the cart full of presents!

Bargain shopping? I’m there, whether it’s online or brick and mortar.

Parent Bloggers Network is doing their part to help readers watch their wallets during this economic downturn by co-sponsoring this blog blast with Couponers.com.