Saving While Spending

As students, many of us are constantly delegating our money to meet our basic needs. Between bills, textbooks, groceries, tuition, etc., there isn’t always any money in the budget for new clothing or decorating your space. Sometimes you have a little extra money and you’d like to get yourself something new. This is an opportunity to practice your smart shopping and get the most out of your money. 

Here are three things I do to save money when I’m shopping for clothing, food, or household goods:

 

  • Check clearance sections
    • Items can be on clearance for a million different reasons. When seasons change, so do the types of clothing, food, and household items at stores. Oregon is rainy nine months of the year, so take advantage of the clearance fall clothing and jackets that could be marked down as much as 80% in some places. These items could be useful for months to come in Oregon weather. I have also scored some of my favorite foods on clearance for a fraction of the price because they were approaching their sell-by date. Remember that many foods that have passed their date are still safe to consume!

The best clearance sections I have found in the Corvallis area are: TJ Maxx, Ross, Tuesday Morning, Safeway (specifically the Philomath Blvd location), and Fred Meyer.

  •  Shop Second Hand
    • Thrift stores are a great place to check, and second hand items are often heavily discounted. Goodwill has discounts on a different colors of tags each week! However, it is important to be mindful of what the rough retail price of items before you can be sure you got a good deal. Specialty thrift stores, such as ones that sell primarily vintage clothing, aren’t always as affordable as those that sell everything.

Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are both great resources for finding deals and also an opportunity to put your bargaining skills to work. In my experience, most sellers are willing to accept the best offers on their items. These are also great places to check for free items- especially during move out season (particularly the end of Winter and Spring terms) when folks are leaving Corvallis and get rid of things they no longer need. 

  • Compare prices
    • A mistake I made when I first began shopping on my own was buying the first item I saw on sale without checking the quality and quantity of the products to make sure I was actually getting a good deal.
      • When shopping for food, check the price per unit to ensure you’re shopping smart. For example: A box of 10 pudding cups for $2 may seem like a good deal, but you checked the prices and they’re 6 for $1 individually. By checking the price per unit, you’ve not only saved money but ended up getting 12 pudding cups for $2! That’s two for free and you saved some pocket change.
      • If you’re looking for something simple, like a black T-Shirt, check a thrift store for something that could work before heading to a department store. You may find what you need and save some money.

I hope these tips serve you well and allow you to save a few bucks the next time you’re out shopping!

Get To Know Our Staff: Salena

Website, Social Media, and Marketing Organizer

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Major/minor: B.A. Sociology w/ Crime & Justice option

Career Aspirations: My ultimate goal is to be an attorney for youth and/or pave the way for major reform within the Justice System, but I think I would be happy in any position where I am able to help and be a viable resource for those seeking assistance.  

Why did you want to work at the HSRC? I wanted to work at the HSRC because of the amazing work that is being done here to help ease the stress of financial barriers that keep students and community members from reaching their full potential. Because I have been on the receiving end of similar services, it is truly rewarding to be able to provide the same assistance and resources to others.

What will you be working on? Over the summer, I have been working on maintaining the Textbook Lending Program. During the academic year, my role is keeping our all of our social media platforms and website up to date with current information, creating fliers and posters for events,  and posting regularly to keep everyone informed about the happenings and events within the HSRC.

What do you like to do in your free time? I am an adventurer at heart. In my free time, I really enjoy taking long drives through the mountains and finding neat places to explore and hike. My absolute favorite place to explore is anywhere along the Oregon coast. When I’m not out and about exploring, I enjoy cuddling up with my pups, Mochi and Buster, and sneaking naps in whenever possible.

What’s your favorite yummy and cheap meal that you like to make? My favorite meal when food and money are low would have to be a hearty pot of soup with whatever I can find in my cupboards! I use whatever meat I have, any kind of canned beans, broth/bullion (or cans of soup), any pasta (usually broken into small pieces), potatoes, and any canned (or fresh!) veggies I have on hand. With a little bit of seasoning, it tastes great regardless of the ingredients! This soup usually makes a huge portion that I’m able to eat daily for a week or freeze and easily eat at another time.

Do you have any tips for students on how to save money? Some of the things I do are: *ALWAYS* comparing prices when shopping. This is a huge one because oftentimes generic items are cheaper, but there are times when the name brands go on sale for even less than the generic. Always get the free membership cards at stores you shop at to save more money. For example, I don’t regularly shop at Safeway, but when I do, I use my club card so that I can earn points for $ off at the Safeway gas station. Students can also save a ton of money by utilizing the Textbook Lending Program, where they can check out their textbooks for FREE for the entire term.

What are you favorite things to do in Corvallis? Corvallis is the perfect place to get outside and connect with nature. I really enjoy exploring McDonald-Dunn forest and all of the great natural areas and parks in the area. There are so many hidden gems and great places to wander.

If you had one wish or chance to use a magic wand, what would you do? If I had a chance to use a magic wand, I definitely would turn myself magical! I’d love to use magic to explore the universe and to help humankind love one another.

What is your favorite movie/band/artist/book/TV show (choose one) and why? My favorite TV show would have to be Game of Thrones or That 70’s Show… They’re completely different ends of the spectrum but they’re great in their own ways. GOT is really nice when I feel like I want to watch something really intense and sort of confusing to keep myself on the edge of my seat, but T70S is just hilarious and I always have a good time watching it.

 

Food Recall: Nutritional Yeast

URGENT FOOD RECALL

Oregon Food Bank voluntarily recalls nutritional yeast

March 16, 2018 – Oregon Food Bank is voluntarily recalling 1,219 pounds of nutritional yeast, which was donated to the food bank. No illness has been reported but it was donated at the same time as two other recalled products – chia and pumpkin seeds.

The nutritional yeast was distributed in Oregon and Clark County, Washington through the Oregon Food Bank Network of regional food banks and participating food pantries. The product was distributed in one pound plastic poly film bags with a twist-type closure or a re-sealable pouch. All nutritional yeast was distributed between November 1, 2017 and March 16, 2018. See attached product label for ease of identification.

Individuals should dispose of the product immediately. Any questions should be directed to Oregon Food Bank’s Facilities and Regulatory Compliance Manager Ryan Wist at 503-419-4160.

 

About Oregon Food Bank

Oregon Food Bank works to eliminate hunger and its root causes… because no one should be hungry. Oregon Food Bank believes that hunger starves the human spirit, that communities thrive when people are nourished, and that everyone deserves healthy and fresh food. Oregon Food Bank helps feed the human spirit of 740,000 people through a food distribution network of 21 regional food banks serving Oregon and Clark County, Washington. Oregon Food Bank also leads statewide efforts to increase resources for hungry families and to eliminate the root causes of hunger through public policy, local food systems work, nutrition and garden education, health care screening and innovative programming. Find out how to feed the human spirit at oregonfoodbank.org.

Food Recall: Pumpkin Seeds

URGENT FOOD RECALL

Oregon Food Bank voluntarily recalls pumpkin seeds

March 16, 2018 – As a result of the ongoing recall of donated chia seeds that began on March 12, 2018, Oregon Food Bank has initiated a voluntary recall of 63,825 pounds of pumpkin seeds received on the same donation. These donated pumpkin seeds have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria species. While no illnesses have been reported we are recalling this product out of an abundance of caution.

The pumpkin seeds were distributed in Oregon and Clark County, Washington through the Oregon Food Bank Network of regional food banks and participating food pantries. The product was distributed in one pound plastic poly film bags with a twist-type closure or a re-sealable pouch or a KALE JOY plastic bag. All pumpkin seeds were distributed between November 1, 2017 and March 16, 2018. See attached images for ease of identification.

Listeria species can include Listeria monocytogenes an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Anyone who has consumed these pumpkin seeds and is experiencing symptoms of food borne illness should consult with their primary physician or county health department.

Individuals should dispose of the product immediately. Any questions should be directed to Oregon Food Bank’s Facilities and Regulatory Compliance Manager Ryan Wist at 503-419-4160.

About Oregon Food Bank

Oregon Food Bank works to eliminate hunger and its root causes… because no one should be hungry. Oregon Food Bank believes that hunger starves the human spirit, that communities thrive when people are nourished, and that everyone deserves healthy and fresh food. Oregon Food Bank helps feed the human spirit of 740,000 people through a food distribution network of 21 regional food banks serving Oregon and Clark County, Washington. Oregon Food Bank also leads statewide efforts to increase resources for hungry families and to eliminate the root causes of hunger through public policy, local food systems work, nutrition and garden education, health care screening and innovative programming. Find out how to feed the human spirit atoregonfoodbank.org.