This slightly strange assortment of goods is the end result of a shopping trip that I took this week. From left to right: 10 boxes of 100 mini lights purchased from Bed Bath and Beyond ($1.49 each), 2 boxes of Trader Joe’s English Breakfast Tea ($1.99 each) and one box of Trader Joe’s Green Tea (just over $2.00)- each box has 48 tea begs, and finally, an “end of days” or “I live in Jersey City” water supply- 4, 3 liter Poland Springs water bottles ($1.69 each with Duane Reade’s Dollar Rewards Club card). This is the way I shop. The Xmas lights I use all year round- and when big stores unload out of season inventory, I bring my largest backpack. Trader Joe’s tea is quite good and it’s dirt cheap. The water wasn’t that big of a steal, but the bottles have handles and can be stacked. I hope you take advantage of bargains whenever they come your way- let me know if you find anything interesting out there (cheap chain saws, dynamite, Super Soaker Water Guns, etc.) and I’ll spread the word. Got to go now, I’m off to plug in the 1,000 lights I bought.

If you head out to the beaches of Coney Island this summer, and you are relying on public transit, I suggest that you visit Coney Island Buffet on Mermaid Avenue, one block from the F train’s final stop. I do not, however, suggest a prolonged stay because you will miss out on the last bastion of freakishness left in NYC. But, the two fine, cold Modelos pictured above were obtained for a paltry $5.00- where else in pricey NYC can you match, let alone beat that? By the way, the beaches at Coney Island are wide and clean, and the water free of rank odors- so I suggest that you brave the F train and enjoy!