Yes, we know – Ocean State Job Lot is “beneath” a lot of people. They sell a wide array of general merchandise, yet many folks we speak with either never heard of them, or feel that the store may be sub-standard for their tastes in some way.
Sure, some brands are not the highest quality. We certainly wouldn’t make OSJL our primary store for every need we have – but who does that anyway?
It just takes some observational skills to get an understanding of what they sell – and how you can incorporate them into your life (and save money in the process).
Find your core list of okay products first
The initial step for properly shopping at Ocean State Job Lot is to scour the store over time, and determine what are the top five or top 10 items that you deem satisfactory and meet your standards for regular purchases.
For us – we have a fairly short list of “goto” items that we are frequently in need of, such as:
Tea bags
Cleaning supplies
Dog treats
Kitchen supplies
As well as other sections we check out to see if anything good pops in, like:
Men’s clothing (shirts, shorts)
Seasonal items
Random household necessities
Some food products
Next: Observe the “Crazy Deals” each week
Once or twice a week, OSJL offers sales and specials (it helps if you’re an “insider” – like a shopping card at a supermarket).
Usually, it’s a deal where you often get a gift card close to, or equal to what you’re buying.
This only “works” if the item you’re buying has a use. Buying something to get a gift card for “free” is pointless if you have no purpose for that item. But if it’s something you use…
For instance – about one of the only “snacks” we really ever eat – are sliced almonds. We love toasting till crispy and salting them. A perfect quick bite.
They have those on crazy deal – where if I buy 2 bags for $11.98 – I get another $11.98 gift card for free.
So I got almonds I like – plus almost $12 to spend on things I also want or need, like my tea bags and spray cleaners, etc.
In the end – it’s equivalent to a “50% off” deal – but still worth it, because their prices are great to begin with.
It’s really a no-brainer if you know how to make it practical instead of emotional.
There have been some INSANE deals – where like if you bought a $4,000 massage chair – you’d get a $4,000 gift card. But who wants or needs a massage chair? And how long would it take you to spend four grand at Ocean State? Years? And who has four grand to throw around. You get my point.
Smart shopping can save you lots of money.
