10 Ways to Stay Out of the Mall (and Save Money)
Saturday, April 09, 2011
1. Hit up fleamarkets for finds. There are incredible deals to be had out there every weekend, and you can recreate for very little money looking for treasures. And if you've got clutter to unload, check into renting a table for next Saturday.
Local hookups: The General Stanton Inn, in Charlestown, hosts an amazing flea market Saturday and Sunday from 8am-3:30pm. Wrap a walk on the Breachway into the deal, and it's been a very good day. For more local fleamarkets, go here.
2. Go window-shopping... on the Web. It's a fun way to get ideas, see what's new and fun in your favorite indulgences (food, beauty, clothes, decor). Here's the trick: you can even fill up your shopping cart... just log out before you click "process order."
Local hookups: Go to Etsy and search for "Rhode Island" for online shopping with a totally local impact. And when you're budget's ready, you can support local merchants.
3. Clean your closet. This is on your spring-cleaning list anyway. Couple upsides: you may find some forgotten treasures that can go back into rotation, and you may own some stuff that can pay off at a consigment shop. The
Local hookups: Big Sisters RI has 9 drop-off locations statewide, look for the one closest to you, here; Dorcas Place in South Providence runs a fantastic program called the Clothing Collaborative; for more on how and what to donate, go here.
4. Get creative, and engage your kids (if you've got 'em) in a quick RI history lesson. Design some play money and decide whose face should go on the $20 bill... Roger Williams? Anne Hutchinson? Bruce Sundlun? Pauly D?
Local hookups: For ideas on well-known RIers, go online here and click around for background and portraits for inspiration.
5. Go to a museum, and decide which piece of art you’d buy if you were a multimillionaire. Compare your list with like-minded, and budget-strapped, friends.
Local hookups: It should all begin at the RISD Museum, but don't overlook some wonderful collections elsewhere. The National Museum of American Illustration is one of Rhode Island's best-kept secrets, as is the Newport Art Musuem and the Warwick Museum of Art.
6. Take a long walk to help you lose the pounds that are still hanging around with the chilly nights. Not only is this the cheapest, best entertainment, it's also a potential cost-saver, when you'll find yourself fitting into last season's shorts and swimsuits.
Local hookups: For a listing of dozens of great areas to walk either near you or near a place you'd like to spend the day, go here.
Local hookup: Farming Turtles in Exeter sells "edible centerpieces," which are microgreens in beautiful glazed containers, which will get your enterprise underway in no time. Go here to see where they're available near you.
8. Send a postcard to someone. For a few bucks you will make someone's day... can you imagine the delight at seeing a real piece of mail? Remember how it feels to actually hand write, and realize this is solid do-gooding without the big cost.
Local hookups: Providence artist Jennifer Polan designs a line of wonderful, retro postcards with Block Island scenes. Check them out, here.
9. Do a little smart budgeting. Add up all the unpaid balances on your credit cards and organize them by interest rate, highest to lowest. Plan to increase your payments on the highest one each month until it’s paid off; then start on the next, and so on down the line.
Local hookup: The Financial Planning Association of Rhode Island has resources that could come in very handy looking forward. Check out their tips of the week, and more, online here.
10. Attend some open houses, and start dreaming about owning your own home. Use an online calculator to do the math, and think about a plan for how you can make that happen with some smart savings. Now aren't you glad you skipped the mall?
Local hookups: For a great variety of open houses, check in with Residential Properties, here, and Lila Delman, here.
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