Your Tips for Reducing the Cost of Living in Paradise (San Diego: best cities, for sale)

[mini_cute]

Hey San Diegans, I am sure you have your own little secrets, tips or tricks (legal ones please!) to save money in San Diego. Let's share some of them with newcomers or people wishing to relocate here, and each other.

Here's a couple of mine:

- Grocery shop at 99 Ranch Market in Kearny Mesa. The prices area cheaper there for produce and meat than at Vons or Ralphs. it's an Asian supermarket, but I regularly see many non-Asians shopping there.

- Buy water from the filter machines outside of supermarkets instead of new gallons from the store for just 25 cents a gallon. (Recently it went up to 50 cents a gallon but that still beats paying $1 + for a gallon.) This is good for the environment too since it saves plastic.

[ubringliten]

With nice weather all year round,

1. Biking to work
2. Scootering to work

3. Use cell phones as your home phone

[sdtips]

Dear Mini_Cute,

My #1 Tip to you is walk to your errands if you can. If you can't, combine your errands into one segment of the day so that you use your car only once.
My #2 Tip is to look for coupons and specials for markets, restaurants, clubs, and more. A great source for coupons is the San Diego Reader (free) and the San Diego City Beat (free).
My #3 Tip is to go to San Diego Bargain Mama - Helping Busy Moms Save Money for really great tips on how to save big and where. Lots of good links to coupon deals and special sales.

Cheers!
Alex San Diego Travel Tips | Local Travel Guide | Find Out What To Do and See In San Diego > Visitor and

[j760]

This thread pretty much covers the same thing, hope it helps a little as well.

Affordability Tips

[RD5050]

1. Buy and Sell used stuff on San Diego Craigslist.
San Diego is one of the best cities for using Craigslist. They get thousands of new ads every day. You will find lots of very nice used items for very cheap prices, and sometimes people even give items away for free. Check the free section under Items For Sale. If you no longer need something, put it up for sale on Craiglist. There are thousands of people who view Craigslist every day. The ads are free to post.

2. Kobey's Swapmeet
Arrive early for the best deals. Sunday has the most vendors.
You can find lots of great bargains here, if you don't mind purchasing used merchandise. I've purchased many high quality used items (small appliances, household items, furniture, bikes, sports equipment, electronics, etc.) in great condition for next to nothing at Kobey's. Don't be afraid to bargain (offer less money). People do it all the time. If you buy used electronics, there are outlets inside the Sports Arena and around Kobey's where you can test them.


3. 99 Cents Only Store.
They have great prices on food, produce, and lots of assorted household items.
The one I go to is at Clairemont Town Square

4. Big Lots
Lots of good prices on food and household items

5. Food4Less
Great prices on food. Usually cheaper than Vons, Albertsons, and Ralphs.

6. Garage Sales
San Diego has garage sales nearly everywhere on Saturday mornings. Most start at around 7am. Craigslist has lots of them listed under it's Garage Sales section. Otherwise just look for handmade roadside signs pointing them out.

7. Borrow DVDs for free from Public Libraries

8. Tuesday Specials at lots of Restaurants
Tuesday is generally one of the slowest days for most restaurants, so you'll often find them offering very good deals on Tuesdays.

[bloom]

Originally Posted by RD5050

1. Buy and Sell used stuff on San Diego Craigslist.
San Diego is one of the best cities for using Craigslist. They get thousands of new ads every day. You will find lots of very nice used items for very cheap prices, and sometimes people even give items away for free. Check the free section under Items For Sale. If you no longer need something, put it up for sale on Craiglist. There are thousands of people who view Craigslist every day. The ads are free to post.

2. Kobey's Swapmeet
Arrive early for the best deals. Sunday has the most vendors.
You can find lots of great bargains here, if you don't mind purchasing used merchandise. I've purchased many high quality used items (small appliances, household items, furniture, bikes, sports equipment, electronics, etc.) in great condition for next to nothing at Kobey's. Don't be afraid to bargain (offer less money). People do it all the time. If you buy used electronics, there are outlets inside the Sports Arena and around Kobey's where you can test them.


3. 99 Cents Only Store.
They have great prices on food, produce, and lots of assorted household items.
The one I go to is at Clairemont Town Square

4. Big Lots
Lots of good prices on food and household items

5. Food4Less
Great prices on food. Usually cheaper than Vons, Albertsons, and Ralphs.

6. Garage Sales
San Diego has garage sales nearly everywhere on Saturday mornings. Most start at around 7am. Craigslist has lots of them listed under it's Garage Sales section. Otherwise just look for handmade roadside signs pointing them out.

7. Borrow DVDs for free from Public Libraries

8. Tuesday Specials at lots of Restaurants
Tuesday is generally one of the slowest days for most restaurants, so you'll often find them offering very good deals on Tuesdays.

good ones

[bloom]

Originally Posted by ubringliten

With nice weather all year round,

1. Biking to work
2. Scootering to work

3. Use cell phones as your home phone

Are cell phones cheaper than a land home phone + cable + internet package versus just cable + internet? Also do not buy that scooter.

[ubringliten]

Originally Posted by bloom

Are cell phones cheaper than a land home phone + cable + internet package versus just cable + internet? Also do not buy that scooter.

Bloom,

I was just thinking since everyone has a cell phone which is a basic necessity these days, they can use that as a home phone. When I was in NYC, most people have cell phones as home phones.

LOL at the scooter comment. Thanks for caring.

[BRinSM]

there is nothing wrong with scooters, i spend $20/month on gas. it's almost comical how risk averse people are here in CA and the whole US. in every other country i've been to (which is quite a few on multiple different continents), cars and 2 wheelers are nearly a 1:1 ratio.

[Kasey77]

farmers markets