Clearance is heaven for anyone that loves bargains, has a big family or donates to causes. It gives you all the items you need and want at low prices. Clearance is the best way to shop, but you not all stores are the same. Here are 5 stores that have amazing clearance finds!

5 Stores to get Amazing Clearance Finds

Meijer:

It is number one in my book! They do amazing 50% of clearance price sales 2-3xs a year, the best part is the original price of item counts towards your Mperks! This is the best way to buy clothes, gifts and seasonal items throughout the year. They always have something on clearance and I never buy unless 75% off or more. Only exception is something I really needed and was already going to buy then I would do 50%. Also a good place to buy next sizes up or next year at that seasons clothes.

This store does get to 75% or more on their clearance and it is on so many random items. Like recently $13 hair dye was on clearance for $3! Best buys are usually hair care or medicine. Also if lucky to find seasonal items at 75%-90% off snatch it up! This past winter ended and they had all hats and gloves for $1 and it included Disney ones. Randomly you can even find baby items, feminine hygiene products and more. (Found tampons on clearance for $2 a box for Tampax Pearl)

Walgreens:

This store has seasonal and random products getting marked down almost weekly. I usually go here for the toys or makeup. They mark things down all the way to 90%! Just have to snatch it up before someone else. (Good place for gifts). Checking your local store once every two weeks or so is the best bet at catching deals!

The best time for clearance shopping here is when they do a random 50% off all clearance and marked down items. It is where you can get a lot of different things like clothes, shampoo, baby items and more. Now if you get lucky combine it with $5/$25 coupons they have. Deprecate transactions to use many coupons. Best Buy!

This store is amazing for markdowns and clearance. They have markdowns on food and general items that can get really low! I got a $4 bottle of orange juice for $0.15 once! Close outs are hard to spot because they leave them in the aisles, so keep an eye out for white hangtags. Markdowns are in different spots in the store. Look at the outer walls of the store for different stands and look in your meat area for a small section they use for markdown meat!

Look around your local stores to see how their clearance, markdowns and close outs go. Write it down in a notebook when you spot them or get notices about them. Also keep an eye out for how long it takes for items to get marked to a really low price. Happy Hunting!

These easy tips will show you how to get out of debt and pay your bills down fast!

There’s not much worse than the feeling of drowning in debt.  The crushing weight of financial obligations impacts about 8 out of every 10 people, yet few people admit to the stress it places on their daily lives.  While there’s no magical cure for getting out of debt, there are a few things that you can do to reduce debt more quickly and raise your credit score.

Get Rid of the Credit Cards for good

One of the most prominent sources of debt in the United States is from credit cards.  In fact, the Federal Reserve indicated that in Quarter 3 of 2016, the total credit card debt for Americans was over $747 billion.  That breaks down to about $16,000 per household.  In order to reduce your credit card debt, stop charging and start paying off the card with the highest interest rate first.  If it sounds easier than it actually is, you’re not alone. With the rising costs of food, housing, and daily living, the gap between income and expenses is growing.  However, putting even $20 more than the minimum payment each month toward your debt can add up quickly and reduce the amount you pay long term in interest charges.  Once you stop charging, you’ll finally be able to get a grip on the amount of credit card debt you have.

Pay extra on your mortgage

If you plan to stay in your home for a significant amount of time, add $20-25 each month to the loan’s principal.  This will reduce the amount that you owe more quickly and, just like with the credit cards, reduce the amount of interest you’ll ultimately pay.

Take up a side job

If you find yourself in debt, the only real way to get out of it is to make more money to pay it off.  That might mean taking up a side job and stashing away that money for extra principal payments each month.  From babysitting, tutoring, cutting lawns, or selling your handmade goods on craft sites, there are plenty of ways to earn/save extra money each month.  Don’t be hard on yourself if you find that the “extra” money you make needs to go toward bills and food expenses.  If that extra money helps keep you from charging things to your credit card, it’s still a significant win!

Be realistic and make a plan

You can’t get where you want to go if you don’t know how to get there. Before rushing off to pay down debt, make a complete list of everything you owe, the interest rate, and your current monthly minimum. Be honest about it.  Organize your list by placing the balance with the highest interest rate first.  Calculate how much “extra” you can contribute each month and make a plan to place that toward the balance with the highest rate.  You can then calculate about how long it will take you to pay off that balance as long as no additional charges are made.  Once that card is paid off, funnel the payments that you were making into the next balance along with that minimum payment.  This way of debt reduction is called the snowball method and, when practiced strictly, can greatly reduce the amount of interest that you’ll ultimately pay and the length of time it takes to become debt free.

The best thing to do to get out of debt fast is to be realistic and look for ways to decrease spending while increasing income.  If you think you’re the only one with debt, think again.  With  a good plan and a reduction in spending, you will be able to achieve financial freedom.

photo attribution:
garagestock / 123RF Stock Photo