A More Beautiful Way to Save

Like many women, discount shopping is in my DNA. Some of my earliest memories are trailing my mother around Loehmann's in search of a fabulous find at a fraction of retail.

But Loehmann's ain't what it used to be. And my pressed-for-time life (OK, OK, laziness) often trumps my coupon-clipping intentions. Before long I'm back to paying premium prices.

So I was delighted to learn about an incentive program rewarding Port Washingtonians for shopping locally. Civic group Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington now offers all 2010 members a card offering markdowns at participating retailers.

Shopping discounts for supporting a great grassroots group that beautifies my town? Buh-bam! I'm in! My membership card arrived within days after signing up on Residents' Web site. I was ready to go.

A quick scan of the participating retailers (34 at last count, with more being added weekly) showed me that many of my favorite stores offered Tuesday-only discounts. Perfect! My standing-Tuesday babysitter meant my Dennis the Menace look-and-act-alike toddler wouldn't be in tow.

First up, Painting with Flowers, in search of a rug and window treatments for my son's room. Fabulous candy striped rugs by Dash & Albert line the back wall of the store. Picking just one from the tempting choices was hard, but handing over my card for a 15 percent discount was easy. Four Pine Cone Hill window panels completed the haul. Just let two-year-old Willie say the room is too bright for naps now! Total savings with the card? $99.

Next, I dashed across the street to home décor mecca White Plus One. I love this store's romance meets modern mojo. It is my go-to spot for wedding and shower gifts and I was waaaay overdue on my cousin Beth's wedding gift. No longer. Fifteen percent off and a graceful white tray and two serving tools were mine. Or more accurately, Beth's. 

A bonus: the store exquisitely wraps each gift, no matter the price point. Clouds of tissue, starchy cardboard boxes, yards of grosgrain ribbon, often accented with fresh lemon or eucalyptus leaves, the presentation says you are special. Total savings? $16.35.

Time for a lunch break. La P'Tite Framboise is one of the newest participants in the discount program, offering 10 percent off for lunch, again, Tuesdays only. My friend Tracy joined me for crêpes and salads. Total savings on the lunch bill? $2.95.  A meal with an adult while my husband is out-of-town all week? Priceless!

The clock ticks down the school bus arrival, time to dash to The Dolphin Bookshop for a christening gift (and 15 percent off on Tuesdays). Knowledgeable staff and a thoughtfully curated selection of children's books and toys makes selecting gifts easy breezy. Baby Jackson can now drool over a half a dozen wonderful books including the classic "Corduroy" and a new favorite, the colorful board-book "My First Book of Sushi." Again, complementary gift wrap, in the store's signature stripped paper, is a bonus. Savings with my card? $10.46.

Later in the week, I broke the card out again at Gail's Stride Rite with my middle child whose ever-growing feet needed new sneakers and Easter shoes. Ten percent off, any day of the week. Total savings, $11.20.

Birthday gifts are another ongoing expense. Bluetique bags and tees are the gift du jour for the tween set. My daughter picked a "Monkey Business" T-shirt for a birthday sleepover gift and sweet-talked her way to a bedazzled sweatshirt only a 10-year-old could love. Ten percent off, any day of the week. Total savings, $7.11.

Now I know. I know. Shopping in these recession-weary times seems heretical. But people get married, feet grow, and gifts and shoes need to be bought. Sometimes you just need to shop. And when I need to whip out my wallet, I want to do it in my town. Who needs empty store fronts?

We need to support our retailers if we want them to stick around. My discount card makes pulling out the plastic that much easier. Just do the math. A 2010 membership in Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington costs $60; my savings with their membership discount card over just one week totaled $147.07.

Now that's beautiful!