SHOPPING (AND SAVING)
(My Personal Favorite Subject)
 
The New and Improved JC Penney

Have you all been wondering what all of those new JC Penney (JCP) commercials are about?  I know I have.  Here’s the deal:

Save with JCPenney’s New Pricing Plan:  The retailer claims that everything in the store is marked down by an average of 40% below 2011 prices.  Signs screaming “Sale” or “Discount” have disappeared and prices are now listed in whole dollars ($9 or $10 rather than $8.99 or $9.98).  Even more helpful, the retailer now has red stickers on its everyday low prices and distinguishes its clearance items with blue stickers.  But JCP hasn’t done away with sales entirely.  There will be 12 month long promotions tied to the calendar for holidays.
Reported by Consumer Reports ShopSmart Magazine – April 2012 Issue

After visiting a JCP store, ShopSmart reported that the store seems to deliver its promised savings.  Most of the items they reviewed were discounted by 40% or more and some even offered savings of at least 50%.

Another good reason to give it a try?  A store revamp that will include mini shops within the store (Sephora is already there) and services like expert advice similar to Apple’s Genius Bar. 

I can’t wait to stop in and check it out! 
 
SAVE SAVE SAVE on Beauty Products!!
Reported by Consumer Reports ShopSmart Magazine April 2012 Issue

I was pretty surprised and somewhat shocked to learn the difference in prices at drug stores vs. WalMart and Target.  Both WalMart and Target can save you big bucks on beauty products.  It had the lowest prices on the most items that ShopSmart reviewed.  There were a ton of them listed in the magazine, however, I can’t list them all, but here are some of examples of very impressive savings:

Clairol Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo
      WalMart:  $2.79       vs.        Drug Store:  $4.18

Colgate Optic White Toothpaste
     WalMart:  $3.97       vs.        Drug Store:  $5.60

Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash
     Target:  $5.18          vs.        Drug Store:  $9.02
 
ShopSmart also reported that websites are the place to go for higher-end brands.  If you are looking for Aveeno instead of Vaseline, or a natural brand like Burt’s Bees, you might find the best deals online (Amazon, Drugstore.com, harmondiscount.com).  Just don’t forget to take shipping costs into consideration.  They also reported that supermarket prices are pretty competitive, which I found to be pretty surprising.