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What does a "Bargain" Mean to You?

by San Diego Bargain Mama

What was the last bargain that you found?  The more moms I meet and get to know, the more I realize that a "bargain" can be interpreted in different ways.  In layman’s terms it usually connotes a "good deal", a "great buy", or even so much as a "steal".  Being true to my love of the hunt, I searched online in the Free Dictionary, by Farlex, and chose to look up "bargain hunter": "In the context of general equities, [a] purchaser who is extremely selective in the price sought on a transaction."

To prioritize finding the best deal leaves out one very important factor that I wish for all "Bargain Mamas" to yearn for when bargain hunting, and that is "quality first".  What good is a bargain, if your find needs to be discarded of in just a few weeks?  The best bargains to me are products that are long-lasting and well made.  Sometimes the bargain status is arrived at not because of the extra savings, specifically, but rather due to the product’s longevity or the integrity of the service.

Another thing that I have come to take into consideration while catering to "moms who love to find deals" is that moms’ lives and lifestyles are different.  Some value their free time so much that spending $300 for a superior kiddy birthday party is well worth the convenience and peace of mind.  I know moms who typically earn $300 in just a couple of hours, and to boot, doing the work that they love and have become an expert at, so buying and catering a prepackaged event for their kiddos is their bargain.  Other moms with a tighter budget might throw a party and spend 1/3 the money, but devote their labor of love to personalize something special, and their time and creativity is what has enabled their homespun bargain!  We moms have various talents, budgets, desires, and traditions, therefor the best common denominator in the bargain hunting equation should, perhaps, more be the integrity of the product, than the price.  And for the sakes of Bargain Mamas, both camps discussed most definitely benefit from a vast selection to choose from!

Hunters can encounter some traps, but perhaps that’s just part of the hunt!  The price and quality might be stellar, but shipping and handling costs might wipe a great e-Bay auction, for example, so taking other things into consideration is important, too.  If you have located some great deals but have to drive 20 miles round trip (yes, that gas thing, again), perhaps you’ll not have scored a deal after all.  Say you buy paper towels in bulk and they sit collecting dust for three years; perhaps considering a "big box shopping partner" would fit the bill.  If you score denture cream for 90% off, but still have your own teeth, perhaps that bargain isn’t so valuable after all! Keeping tabs on our wants vs. needs can also be a helpful tool in the savings department.

All said and done, if you, as the buyer, conclude that a service, product, or event that you chose was of quality and well worth the price or even exceeded its monetary value, then YOU scored a bargain.  San Diego Bargain Mama aspires to attract value-conscious consumers, specifically moms and caretakers, that want to offer their families products from luxurious to practical, and as well find loads of kid-friendly opportunities in San Diego.  Happy hunting!