My Recent Scratch and Dent Store Shops

I think one of the most beneficial frugal strategies I have is to become a regular, become known as someone who likes good deals and will appreciate offers they get. That's how I got gifted with people's hand me down games, and that's how I regularly got extra good deals from the reduced rack type stores at the open air market, and that's how I learned about the clothes and houseware share.

So last time I was at the scratch and dent store, (and I paid a visit, because friends who know about my love of good bargains and my love of that store, told me that they had some great things) the people that worked there already went out of their way to help me, and offered me even better prices than what was listed on the package, found cases of packaged stuff to make it easier, and told me they just had a shipment that they were unpacking so I should come back in a few days for even greater goodies.

So here's what I got. (And Rose was so excited about the shop that she insisted on being in the picture.)


From one shop I got a bunch of packages of gluten free cookies. There were a whole bunch of different flavors, from raspberry filled to chocolate chip to chocolate to chocolate filled. They were all 95 cents each, and usually go for over $4 a package. I basically took as many as I could carry, including 3 cases of the chocolate cookies.

Leechees are some of my and my kids' favorite fruits. They were selling canned ones for $1.14 if you bought them in multiples of 3, so I bought 6 of them.

They had curry paste, both green and red, plus something called Thai massaman curry paste. Though I can and have made my own curry paste I'm all about convenience these days, and these were being sold for 95 cents each when bought in multiples of 3, so I bought 6.

I bought vacuum packed gluten free spinach gnocchi, 3 packs for $1.90 each.

I also bought toasted sesame oil and sriracha sauce and barbecue sauce for $1.90 each.

And lastly, they had this thing called "Chicken and liver cat sticks" which are meant to be cat treats. They were 70 cents a package. No, I don't have a cat, but I looked at the ingredients and they were made with chicken, beef, and liver, and they had the addition of taurine. There was nothing in there that would remotely be detrimental to dogs, only beneficial. So I bought a few packages of those to have on hand for treats for Snickers.

Then I went to my other scratch and dent store to see what they had on hand, and their selection of gluten free stuff was much smaller, but still exciting for me. One of the things I've missed since moving abroad has been Chex, and occasionally I buy it imported, but it's so extremely expensive (usually over $7 a box). This store had imitation Chex (which honestly I don't mind, I'm not one for name brand pickiness) for $2.15 a box, so I bought 8. It's a good price for gluten free cereal period, especially one that is a treat for me, but I do plan on making gluten free Chex mix, something I've missed even more.

They also had jarred ratatouille for $1.40 which is something I can easily make on my own but figured it might be nice to have a quick veggie on hand at times, so I bought 2 jars.

They had these delicious chips called Way Better chips, made from sprouted corn, chia, and flax seeds, for $2.15 a package, which is less than packs that size of potato chips cost, and these are so much better, so I bought a few packages.

Totally a splurge but they had cream soda, 95 cents a can, so I bought 6.

And lastly, they had white chocolate Reese's cups and giant Reese's cups, 71 cents a package, so I bought 12.

I plan on going back to the scratch and dent stores next week to see what other goodies I can find. I love these stores because it means getting great products for a fraction of what they'd cost anywhere else.

Do you have scratch and dent stores locally? Bought anything good from them recently?