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DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O.
Budget living in the big city
T.O.
toy story Please your kids and your wallet this holiday season
exhaust-ed Your run-down car could be costing you hundreds
secret’s out How to get nice hotels for an even nicer price
FREE
December 2010 Issue
Feature on pg 15:Meet Toronto "Save-iours"
10 great
staycation tips
PREMIERE ISSUE
Meet this month’s Fru-GALLearn how she is saving
this holiday season
Staycation this w
inter
Contents
Feature15 Toronto “Save-iours”
Vintage vs. Second-hand
DECEMBER
2010
ISSUE
2423
Trends5 Daily Deals6 Secret Hotels
Lifestyle20
Success22
26Kids don’t have to be costly
Staycation this w
inter
Finance10 Counterfeit
11 Bundling
12 SPC Cards13 Samko-Miko14 Evolution of Coupons
Market
Shopping
Services
Contents
8
Car Care
Dress for
Impulse
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
Welcome to our premiere issue of FrugalT.O. Chock full of investigative pieces and helpful advice on living fru-gally in Toronto’s concrete jungle.
Now we need to make ourselves clear in that being frugal does not mean being cheap.
Frugal means being smart with how you spend your money, and we all know it’s not hard to spend money in Toronto.Frugal is a declaration of financial comfort and still being able to maintain the lifestyle that you want.Frugal is a movement that every student, every parent, every new-comer lives every day.Frugal is a movement that any and every Torontonian can be a part of.
FrugalT.O. is your one-stop shop for how to live life on a budget, and believe us, we know a thing or two. You don’t get much more frugal than four university students living in this big city. Tempta-tion is everywhere, but have no fear fru-guys and fru-gals, we’re here to help. It’s the time of year when sale signs seem to engulf shopping malls, and retailers are pulling out all the stops in order to make the holiday season profitable.
No longer should you have to suffer from buyer’s remorse, frugal-ity is more than the new black — it’s the new way to live.
Consider our featured “save-iours,” they know frugality because they do it for a living,
The guys at DealTicker consider daily deals “affordable luxuries” and Gillian Downes, founder of Frugal Fashion Week, actually do-nated her entire closet to Goodwill and started from the ground up…frugally of course.
Speaking of which, check out page 24 for a great vintage haven we uncovered and why it pays to buy used.
From car maintenance to money saving tips for families with lots of kids, this issue’s got something for everyone.
At FrugalT.O., we trust that there’s a bargain to be found in ev-erything. We hope you’ll join us on this journey of discovering what this city has to offer…at a fraction of the price.
Sincerely,
Budget living in the big city
T.O.
Patrycja Klucznik
Kimberlee Nancekivell
Kirsten Parucha
Fiona Persaud
wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | [email protected]
Editorial & Art Department
Fru-GAL of the month:
Carolyn LyAs a University of Toronto student who
pays her own tuition, Carolyn Ly does not
have change to spare for this holiday season.
Ly, 21, organized a secret santa with her co-
workers at the pool she works at. The group
of two guys and three girls decided that a $50
gift for one person is friendlier to their bud-
gets than buying a gift for everyone.
For their holiday party, the group de-
cided to go skating at the Harbour Front
Centre on Dec. 18 when skating is free
during the DJ Skate Night.
Last year, the
same group plus
two other guests
went to a high-
end restaurant
downtown for their holiday party, and drastically over spent.
This year, the group was planning to do a potluck dinner before skating
until one of Ly’s co-worker bought a daily deal from DealFind for $70 worth
of food at Toko Bistro & Bar, a Japanese restaurant on Yonge and Wellesley.
The voucher only cost $40.
“We all love sushi, so that deal was a real steal,” laughed Ly after her
rhyme. “I’m really relieved it’ll cost us about $60 altogether for the party.”
Editorial
4
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
Patrycja Klucznik
Kimberlee Nancekivell
Kirsten Parucha
Fiona Persaud
Editorial & Art Department
Daily deal sites have virally made their mark in the city over the past year, but more importantly, in the wallets of Torontonians.
As their popularity increases, more and more consumers are subscribing to these sites. So the question is: are they actually sav-ing people money, or enticing them to spend more?
How they work
By signing up at no charge, subscribers receive a free daily email that offers a deal on a product or service in their city at a discount-ed price. The subscriber usually has 24 hours to purchase the deal before it expires. These websites include Groupon, Steal the Deal, DealFind and DealTicker.
Avoid impulse shopping
The majority of these deals are offered from restaurants, salons, spas and local city attractions. One deal was $100 worth of spa ser-vices at Rhythm Spa for only $25. Since these places can be costly, discounted prices are aimed to attract consumers who are willing to spend money on these services but at affordable prices.
“Today’s pressed economy is likely to lead people to look for sav-ings, especially online,” said David Foot, professor emeritus of eco-nomics at the University of Toronto and co-author of two bestsell-ing economic books.
However, their combination of advertisements and marketing can easily lure impulse shopping rather than saving.
“If it’s someone who’s been looking for a product and they’re get-ting it for cheap, then the deals are a great investment,” said Avi Goldfarb, associate professor of marketing at the University of To-ronto. “But if it’s someone who’s just susceptible to buying because it looks like a great deal and wouldn’t buy it otherwise, then it’s not a good investment.”
Spending versus saving
Nabila Islam, 21, is a subscriber to two daily deal sites, Groupon and DealFind. She admits she has been susceptible to buying what appeared to be a great deal and wasn’t as cautious upon purchas-ing.
“There were times when I hadn’t read the fine print as well as I should have and then I ended up disappointed with my purchase,” Islam said.
Islam refers to a Groupon she bought this past June for five one-hour classes at DivaGirl Fitness, a women’s only fitness gym. After
purchasing the Groupon, she learned the classes weren’t offered in Toronto, but rather in various locations just outside the city, which aren’t easily accessible for her. The voucher cost Islam $30 (a sav-ings of $45), and it expires on June 10, 2011. She is yet to attend a single class, and does not intend to.
Smart shopping
“Whenever you’re buying anything, you should assess whether it’s worth it relative to your other options in order to help save money,” Goldfarb said. “Ask yourself if the purchase is worthwhile, or if the money can be spent on something more necessary or if it can be saved.”
Since her purchase in June, Islam has bought more deals, but with more caution.
“Now I read the fine print more closely,” Islam said. “With Grou-pon, you have a full day to purchase so it gives me enough time to find out how the Groupon works, if it can be used hassle-free and if its location is accessible. Before I make a purchase, I call the actual retailer with any inquiries I may have just to be safe.”
Some daily deal sites allow a full-money refund after a certain number of days after the purchase.
Permanent trend
“Group buying and these online coupons are a trend, but bigger,” Goldfarb said. “If people are willing to spend the effort to find these coupons and companies are willing to take part, then they won’t become obsolete.”
Foot on the other hand suggests that these sites are only popular amongst the younger generation (specifically people under 35) and will become obsolete once these customers become older and new technology arrives.
Trends
STORY BY: KIRSTEN PARUCHA
The savoir faire for getting deal-ightful experiences
5
6
The Secret is
in the HotelIt’s Friday morning and the last day of a nine-to-five work week. Before the weekend even begins, Janine Devine already knows she’s in need of an immediate getaway for some rest and relaxation.
BY: KIRSTEN PARUCHA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: FIONA PERSAUD
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
7
Since booking a weekend vacation to the Bahamas is unrealistic on her budget, Devine opts for the next best thing: booking a secret hotel in the city and
spending the weekend away from her family’s over-crowded home in Scarborough.
The “secret’”of the secret hotel comes from the fact that the name and location remains unknown until it has been booked and paid for online. Devine uses websites that of-fer discounted rates on some of the best hotels in the city. These websites include Hotwire and Travelocity and are partnered with a variety of hotels in cities all over the globe.
“It’s exciting because where you’ll end up is a surprise un-til the very end,” Devine said. “I think that using online sites like Hotwire to book hotels is a great way to save money and utilize time. It’s quick and convenient and these websites are always looking to offer the best deal.”
According to Joe Blazik, vice-president of Travel College Canada, secret hotels have been a growing trend for trav-elers in the last two years. In his opinion, as travelers get more experience with these websites, secret hotels will evolve from a trend to a staple in discount travelling.
Blazik and Devine have both used Hotwire on several oc-casions. Blazik advises to book at least two to three days prior to get the best rates, whereas Devine usually books the day of her stay.
Devine’s most recent stay was at the One King West Hotel & Residences in Toronto. She paid $99 plus HST for her one-night stay with her boyfriend in the lavish hotel located in the Financial District, normally a $159 room per night for one bed.
“The best services I’ve ever gotten were at One King West,” Devine said. “Upon arrival, we were upgraded to a room that had more amenities than the one we originally booked. The new room had a stovetop, fridge, washer, dryer and an office space, all with amazing views. I was blown away.”
Lindsay Olender of Brooklin, Ontario has also used Hot-wire to book hotels for her getaways. She has stayed in se-cret hotels in cities such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Olender, 28, said that a downfall to booking secret hotels is the inability to specify the exact location of the hotel in the city you’re visiting.
“Sometimes it’s difficult knowing exactly where you’re go-ing to end up, so it could be risky,” Olender said. “The ho-tel may not be close to the city’s tourist attractions, which wouldn’t be convenient.”
To get a particular location in the city, Blazik says to in-clude the postal code in the search criterion to narrow down the options and the location of the hotel.
“If the city has major attractions or if you have a specific location where you want to stay, research the hotels in that area and use the postal code to narrow your search. Other-wise it’s too general, the outcome of the hotel is too broad,” Blazik said.
Secret hotels are targeted to travelers who are looking to stay at four-star hotels without having to pay four-star prices, something to keep in mind as the holiday approach-es and budgets get tighter. For those who have family or friends coming to visit over the holidays, or for those ex-pecting to book a last minute vacation, secret hotels are the best way to get discounted rates, said Blazik.
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010 8
Wish you were here?
Well you already are...STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY: FIONA PERSAUD
As shoppers scurry about the malls amid the consumer chaos and gloomy
December weather, it’s no wonder an average of 1.5 million Canadians head
south every winter, but a large number are opting to stay local.
A 2010 survey commissioned by Frito Lay Canada revealed that more
than half of Canadians say they cannot afford a vacation, while a recent
BMO spending study found that Canadians
are more than twice as likely to spend mon-
ey on a vacation close to home (43 per cent)
than take a trip abroad (17 per cent).
The local choice has become so prevalent
that the term “staycation”, vacationing in
one’s own city, was included in the latest
edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.
According to Matt Wixon, author of The
Great American Staycation: How to make
vacation at home fun for the whole family (and your wallet), vacationing at
home can be just as enjoyable as a conventional holiday if it is approached
the right way.
“You have to create the space,” said Wixon, in an interview. He explained
that in order to have a worthwhile local holiday, there needs to be a start
and end date, much like a vacation abroad.
Wixon, who is writer and columnist for the Dallas Morning News, has
three sons ages two, five and eight. He said since having children he and his
wife have made most of their vacations a staycation.
“It can be so difficult traveling with kids,” said Wixon describing the
laser-like stares passengers would give when
he boarded a plane with his children. He said
it was as if they were telepathically trying to
deter him from sitting in the adjoining seat.
In his book, Wixon said cleaning the house
and taking care of minor tasks before a stayca-
tion begins is crucial to making sure there is no
distraction from the daily planned activities.
Although planning may seem contradictory
to what is meant to be a relaxing time, Wixon
said it is important to do so.
“If you’re going to Paris you would do the same thing,” Wixon said. “If you
don’t plan, you take the risk of things like tickets being sold out or attrac-
tions being closed.”
For Toronto blogger and small business owner Karyn Valino, having a
“The city has more swagger, more of a sense of its own self
and more confidence”
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010 9
10 Staycation Tips1Spend a night away from the homestead. Book
a night at a secret hotel and enjoy having someone else make your bed.
2 Take a mini road trip to an unfamiliar mall and splurge on a “souvenir.”
3Use the daily deal voucher you’ve had for so long. If you don’t have one yet, then purchase
one!
4Have a meal at a restaurant you’ve always wanted, either by yourself or with company.
5Take advantage of a Toronto Public Library MAP pass. Most are free and good for two
adults and two children.
6Turn off your cell phone, laptop and anything else electronic. Disconnect, and enjoy some
“me” time.
7Have a girls or boys night in, and make BYOB for each guest mandatory.
8Snap staycation photos and post them on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc. (but not for the
last two tips).
9Play “adult” games with your significant other. Don’t be shy, it’s staycation time.
10 For a “natural” staycation, send the kids to grandma’s place, and spend your entire
vacation naked.
Frugal Vocab
staycation means doing things she normally would not do all in one week.
Valino, who writes a do-it-yourself blog where she displays her projects
and ideas, explained having recently made the decision to have a local vaca-
tion with her boyfriend.
“There is something relaxing about being at home on staycation and be-
ing in your own space and your own bed,” said Valino, who owns a sewing
workshop in Parkdale.
She said vacationing at home is great because there is less pressure to
see and do everything, mainly because there is less money invested in the
experience.
During her time off, Valino said she dined at various restaurants she had
not yet tried. She even treated herself to a little shopping, something she
does not do often since she makes her own clothing.
“One of the big things for me as a small business owner is supporting the
local economy,” Valino said. “I feel good about doing that. I know the com-
munity I am supporting.”
According to Andrew Weir, vice-president of communications for Tour-
ism Toronto, support for the local economy this time of year is important
because tourist visits in the city are not as high. He said businesses offer
a lot during the holiday season to help staycationers rediscover their city.
“We are fortunate to have such a depth of urban experiences here,” Weir
said.
He said people are aware of the concept of staycations now more than
ever because of the economic downturn and that many are likely to stay
home and save money for a more ambitious trip in the future.
Staying local also tends to have a hassle-free bonus as well.
“Rather than go through the trouble of airports, packing and customs, it’s
much easier to hop on the subway and stay at a great city hotel and indulge
in the various local activities,” Weir said.
According to Weir, Toronto also seems to have found itself. Residents
have taken note of the tourists that visit and they are starting to ask what
the appeal is.
“The city has more swagger, more of a sense of its own self, and more
confidence of its place in the world,” Weir said.
Staycation:
A holiday spent in one’s home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions.
Origin early 21st century: blend of stay and vacation -Oxford English Dictionary
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
Saving money is something that is met with few objections, but is
there a point where cheap is too cheap?
As it turns out, Toronto has a market that has average citizens
breaking the law to save a few dollars, and it’s far from underground.
“It’s against the law to have in your possession any kind of counterfeit
good,” said Det. Robert Whalen who was involved in 55 Division’s latest
counterfeit bust in October. “Counterfeits are very prevalent in Toronto
though. You can probably purchase a counterfeit product at almost any
store in the GTA.”
Whalen says flea markets and “mom and pop stores” in general are
known for counterfeit goods, but some particular locations have gained
notoriety over the years.
“Pacific Mall has been a counterfeit hotspot for 10 or 15 years,” Whalen
said.
Jatique Martins, 22, is a regular
at the large Asian mall, visiting it
about once a week.
“Why wouldn’t you go there?”
said Martins, who openly admits
that, laws or not, the savings from
buying counterfeit are too good to
stop.
“It’s 80 per cent cheaper than going anywhere else for phone parts and
electronics, and they can fix anything for about 20 bucks,” Martins said.
He also visits the mall to buy DVDs, Toronto’s most popular counterfeit
good according to Whalen, but the selection has gone down in the wake of
a series of raids.
“They sort of move locations, depending,” Whalen said. “Right now
if you were to go to the Oriental Centre, they’re out readily on display
there.”
According to Whalen, Toronto police do not have the resources to enforce
counterfeiting laws as aggressively as the RCMP. Enforcement in Toronto
relies on tips, and the divisions involved decide if they have the resources
to take on the case.
“Where would the public rather the officers be - out fighting gun crime,
or DVDs?” Whalen said.
Brian Isaac, chair of the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN)
and a lawyer at the Toronto office of Canada’s biggest intellectual property
firm, Smart and Biggar, says even if the enforcement of counterfeiting laws
was of a higher priority in Toronto, the laws themselves are lacking.
“The laws that we have are very much outdated,” said Isaac, pointing out
that many of them were made before the Internet existed.
According to Isaac, Canada’s current counterfeiting laws allow for peo-
ple to get away with something he calls contributory infringement. A flea
market owner, for example, could receive
money from vendors selling counterfeit
goods without facing any consequences.
Parliament is taking a step toward ad-
dressing the implications of the Internet
as well as contributory infringement
with Bill C-32, but Isaac recommends
that penalties be adjusted as well. He
says they are too lenient and contribute to the growing demand for the
goods, which in turn encourages the suppliers.
“We tend to have a society that doesn’t view this as a particularly bad of-
fence or bad thing to do,” Isaac said. “You’re fostering a black market situa-
tion and you’re talking about manufacturers who are manufacturing things
in atrocious conditions for their employees, and who don’t care about the
consumers.”
Isaac says buying counterfeit goods takes billions of dollars away from
the legitimate economy each year.
“This is not a victimless crime,” he said.
Knock it offToronto’s counterfeit market:
who it hurts and why it’s thriving anyway
“Where would the public rather the officers be — out
fighting gun crime, or DVDs?”
12
3
“Fake” facts about DVDs
The cover artwork is photocopied or low-quality
The movie is usually on a recordable DVD
They’re sold at a major discount at unofficial retailers
10
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KIMBERLEE NANCEKIVELL
Finance
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010 11
To bundle or not to bundle? That is the question. The answer, by
popular demand, seems to be yes. Even the dark under belly of
being caught in a contract doesn’t eliminate the money saving
benefits of this tricky marketing phenomenon.
Bundling is the act of combining services such as a landline phone, Inter-
net, cable and cell phone into one bill. In this case, the consumer buys and
uses several of these services from one company, thus combining not only
the bill but the customer service experience.
Dilip Soman, professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of
Management and expert in consumer behaviour, shared insight into the
phenomenon of the one-stop shopping bill that constitutes bundling and
praises the simplicity.
“Bundling does get people to buy things that they otherwise wouldn’t,”
he said. “From a consumer psychology perspective, I think the story is dif-
ferent. Bundling makes it a lot simpler for people, so all of the hassle, deal-
ing with five different service providers, that’s gone. Psychologists gener-
ally agree that bundling works.”
George Zapalac, a 44-year-old construction worker and home owner
who’s been bundling his services with Rogers for three years, agrees with
the simplicity of bundling. However, money plays a larger role for him.
“If I can save a dollar, I will save a dollar,” Zapalac said. “If I can pick up a
phone and save a dollar, I will.”
Zapalac has bounced around from other service providers but said that
the Rogers bundle he currently subscribes to offers him the biggest bang
for his buck. His average bill comes to about $300, with what he says con-
tains an average savings of 15 per cent.
Zapalac’s mindset goes against some of the consumer behaviour that
Soman explained. Although consumer laziness plays a role in the success
of bundling, Zapalac is not one of those lazy consumers. He said that he
would switch providers if they offered him a better deal, and he refuses to
pay for something he doesn’t really use.
Although Soman sees bundling as a sort of marketing ploy, he also
doesn’t consider it a disadvantage from the consumer end.
“At the end of the day, it’s not just short-term simplicity. It’s long-term
simplicity in terms of paying bills,” Soman said.
Rogers’ bundling strategies are called “Better Choice Bundles.” The web-
site offers a neat little calculator that shows you savings in real time as you
pick and choose which components to include in a bundle. Rogers claims
that bundling two services with them will save 5 per cent, bundling three
services will save 10 per cent, and bundling four, the way Zapalac is do-
ing, will save up to 15 per cent. However, Rogers’ terms and conditions for
the bundling deals include locking yourself into a two-year contract and
include an early cancellation fee if you choose to cancel one of the qualified
services.
All bundled upExperts and consumers weigh in on tying the knot with your service provider
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY: PATRYCJA KLUCZNIK
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010 12
Aiden Haw wasn’t a loyal Swiss Chalet customer until she learned her
quarter chicken dinner could be accompanied by a free side of six
perogies just by showing her Student Price Card.
“I like Swiss Chalet, but I didn’t go very often,” said Haw, 23, a Lakehead
University student. “Now I do because I can get a starter with my meal. It’s
an incentive, it’s like two for the price of one.”
A choice of a free side of perogies, soup or salad with any entrée at Swiss
Chalet is only one of the many deals available with the SPC Card, a Cana-
dian student discount card that offers a 10 to 15 per cent discount or more
at various retailers across the country.
The 2010-2011 card, became valid on Aug. 1, added over a dozen new re-
tailers including American Eagle Outfitters, Costa Blanca, Danier and The
Body Shop.
The card is a valuable asset for students because it allows them to save
money at stores they already shop at, said Nicholas Bianchi, director of
sales & loyalty marketing for SPC Ltd.
The card can be purchased online or in stores for $9 and must be reg-
istered before use. It expires every year on July 31 and is usable by any
student, regardless of age, as long as they have a valid student ID.
Students who frequently use the card save an average of $100 to $200 per
year – a sound investment for a small price, according to Bianchi.
There are currently over 935,000 SPC Card members in Canada, a 30 per
cent increase over last year.
“Last year, we only had 700,000 members and we were hoping for only a
10 per cent increase with this year’s card,” Bianchi said. “The high increase
is because of the additional number of retailers offering discounts and the
additional number of stores who sell the card.”
There are currently 120,000 members in Toronto, SPC’s first and largest
market.
Eden Spodek of Toronto has used the discount card on several occasions
to save money on clothes for her sons, ages 12 and 15. She agrees the price
of the card is worth it.
“It easily paid for itself three or four times over,” Spodek said.
Spodek bought the card for her eldest son while she was buying items for
him at Sport Chek and when he needed a suit from Tip Top Tailors. He also
uses it at various fast food restaurants.
“If you’re going to frequent the stores often, then it’s a good deal,” Spodek
said. “To buy it because you may use it, but not often, isn’t a good idea be-
cause it can be easily forgotten at the time of purchasing.”
According to Bianchi, the SPC card has no direct competitors, and follow-
ing its success this year, the company is optimistic for the 2011-2012 card.
“I don’t think we have a main competition, at least not one that’s on a na-
tional level with a program exactly like ours and that functions like ours,”
Bianchi said. “There are various local programs, but realistically we don’t
have a direct competition.”
By next year, SPC Ltd. hopes to expand by increasing the number of re-
tailers offering discounts, the number of locations selling the card, increas-
ing promotion of the SPC BMO MasterCard and by releasing new products
that are not yet allowed to be discussed.
SPC Cards: the golden
ticket for student savings
Most popular SPC stores:
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KIRSTEN PARUCHA
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
SPC Cards: the golden
ticket for student savings
13
In the land of Samko-MikoMinimal selection at Canada’s largest toy warehouse,
as it re-opens just in time for the holiday season
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KIRSTEN PARUCHA
In the west-end of Toronto is a warehouse filled with toys for boys and
girls of all ages. Inside are busy workers arranging large piles of toys
into tall towers, ready for easy grabbing. As soon as the warehouse doors
open, big red bags are eagerly filled until they’re almost bursting at the
seams.
But those red bags don’t belong to Santa Claus, and they aren’t being
filled by his elves. They belong to bargain hunters shopping at Samko-Miko
Toy Warehouse.
Located in Etobicoke, the large toy store claims to house “thousands of
brand name toys and books at the lowest prices in Canada,” as indicated on
their website. The warehouse is only opened three times a year, and for this
holiday season, they’ll be opened until Dec. 24.
“Christmas is very expensive, so I’m here now to do my shopping before
it gets too late,” said Kim Neller, a Samko-Miko customer and mother of two
children. “There’s a lot in one place and it’s cheaper. I save at least half of
what I’d spend anywhere else.”
The warehouse is divided into three main sections: crafts, books and toys
The toy section is divided by age and gender.
While visiting the warehouse, I asked shoppers what they thought about
the giant toy warehouse. The general consensus was that it saves them
money, but they might not find the latest and most popular items on their
kids’ wish lists.
“The selection is limited unless you know what you’re looking for,” said
Tracey B., a Samko-Miko customer and mother of a four-year-old son as
she shopped amongst the books section of the warehouse. “But compared
to Toys “R” Us, or even Walmart, the prices are better.”
“It’s more geared toward younger kids, as opposed to a store like Walmart,
so we’re mostly shopping for my three-year-old child,” said Martin Bass, a
Samko-Miko customer and father of two who held a bag half-full of toys.
“The selection is a little less, it’s a little limited,” said Neller. “But for the
prices that you’re going to get, you’re still getting a great deal. If you’re
looking for something specific, you’re probably not going to find it.”
Samko-Miko has been in business for 35 years, and the customers I spoke
to are all Samko-Miko veteran shoppers, and already know that whatever is
available during their visit won’t be the newest toys on the market.
“If there’s leftover inventory at Mattel, and they want to get rid of it, then
they give us a call and we’ll try and put it on our shelves,” said Brad Dit-
tmere, sales manager and buyer for Samko-Miko. “We’re in the closeout
business, so we never offer the latest. The toys are usually a year or two
old. The Barbie doll that came out last year will most likely be the Barbie
doll we’ll be selling.”
The company, which has four other locations in Ontario, doesn’t adver-
tise that they offer the newest toys, but instead, that they have low prices
on quality toys.
“We’re honest,” said Dittmere. “We only sell brand names. We supply our
customers with very good service, and good products at terrific prices.”
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O.
Marcy Berg has just run out of dish soap.
Perfect timing, since she’s on her way to the store to pick
up some paper towel that’s on sale for $2.99. She rummages through
a drawer until she finds what she’s looking for: 50 cents disguised as a
square piece of paper that will add to the $15 to $25 a month she usu-
ally saves using coupons.
Berg, a 52-year-old mortgage broker, is an avid coupon user and has
been since she was a stay-at-home mom to her two kids.
“I just started to shop for deals, and I clip coupons to try to save ev-
ery penny that we can because I have a household budget,” Berg said.
“The more I can save, the more I can spend on myself.”
Berg sounds like a marketer’s dream, and that’s exactly the way the
direct marketing industry is heading now. According to Janice Drown,
a 30-year veteran in this industry, the consumer wants and expects
the best value when they make buying decisions, and many look for
incentives to help them decide where to shop.
Frank Turner, vice-president of sales for Valassis Canada, a com-
pany that deals with distribution of coupons for consumer-packaged
goods, as well as president of the Coupon Industry Association of
Canada, had promising insight to the growth of coupons.
“There’s more of a couponing mentality [in the U.S.],” Turner said.
“It’s almost like a culture, whereby they are so used to looking for
coupons, like in their Sunday newspapers, that it’s sort of engrained
in them.”
As of the end of 2008, 4.7 billion coupons were distributed in Canada
and the U.S., most of which are called “free-standing inserts,” such as
the ones you tear out of the newspaper.
Although it seems that everything is digitized now, coupons are
slow to take that approach.
“In Canada, three-quarters of coupons being distributed by con-
sumer-packaged goods companies are through free-standing inserts,”
Turner said. “Up until the end of 2008, the ‘other’ segment, which
would include Internet-based couponing, is only 4 per cent.”
“Coupons are really mini billboards,” Drown said. “They create
awareness. Many offer incentives, and some just information, but they
do connect consumers with advertisers.”
“Historically, when the economy is poor, that’s when consumers are
most interested in coupons,” Berg said. “People’s relationship with
money is weird, and that’s what it comes down to. Spending habits are
out of control; people are living with so much debt, it’s crazy.”
“SAVE $15 A MONTH”
STORY BY: PATRYCJA KLUCZNIK
READ HOW COUPONS HAVE EVOLVED FROM NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS TO SMARTPHONE APPS
14
Where to find the best coupons:
FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY:
wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010 15
16
Budget living in the big city
T.O.
It’s time for a deal...
Three seconds go by. Tick tick tick. There are 23 hours, 59 minutes and 57
seconds left to buy the daily deal. Tick tick tick… Three more seconds.
After an hour has elapsed, 10 customers have purchased the deal reaching
its needed quota. The deal is on.
As the clock races down, Daniel Abramov and Julian Gleizer are in their of-
fices in uptown Toronto managing their staff who are supervising the increas-
ing number of deals being bought from their website, DealTicker.ca.
Founded this year, DealTicker is one of this city’s most popular and growing
daily deal sites.
Each day, 365 days of the year, DealTicker offers their customers a pro-
motional deal at an exceptionally discounted price. Example: $29.95 for a
one-year subscription to The Hockey News magazine, a discount of 79% and
a savings of $109.39.
The Toronto-based company spoke with FrugalT.O. about why it is a grow-
ing resource for Torontonians looking to save money on “affordable luxuries”
in the city.
“People are always going to go out and spend money, but with these deals
they’re saving instead of actually spending,” said Gleizer, co-founder and
CEO of DealTicker.
Gleizer suggests that people who spend a lot of money on a common ser-
vice such as getting a hair cut, wash and style can buy a deal that offers the
same package at a much cheaper rate from a reputable hair salon.
“The deals we offer are luxuries that are now affordable, so now they’re
affordable luxuries,” said Abramov, co-founder and president of DealTicker.
The establishment of DealTicker was a mutual decision by the friends of
eight years, in hopes to create a company that provides service to both the
partnered businesses and their customers. They currently offer deals in 15
other cities/regions in Canada.
“Daniel and I came to the conclusion that it would be better to bring custom-
ers to the business and not have the business borrow from a financial institu-
tion in order to have money to spend on marketing campaigns,” Gleizer said.
“Instead, we promote the businesses with DealTicker free of charge and they
receive a large amount of new customers.”
This method of business is what Abramov calls the “reverse model.” By
being the middle man, DealTicker is allowing the businesses partnered with
them to promote themselves by offering customers a customized deal that
can be bought within 24 hours. By having a time restriction, it creates an
STORY AND PHOTGRAPHY BY: KIRSTEN PARUCHA
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
17
It’s time for a deal...U of T students can
receive five DealTicker
dollars by emailing
[email protected], and
registering with DealTicker.
Students can use the money
to purchase any daily deal.
All students need is a valid
utoronto email.
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O.
incentive for the customer to purchase the deal immediately, allowing a large
volume of clientele for the business in a short amount of time. In return, Deal-
Ticker receives a certain percentage from each deal made.
One of DealTicker’s most successful daily deals was a $22 package that
included a manicure, pedicure and a choice of a 60-minute facial or a 60-min-
ute massage at one of three Canadian Aesthetics Academy locations. That
Nov. 3 deal secured over 2,100 purchases.
“Our deals are irresistible to the customer,” Gleizer said. “Our terms and
conditions are more favourable and our customer service is next to none. We
strive to keep our customers satisfied. At the end of the day, the bottom line
is our deals are better than the rest.”
Both Abramov, 29, and Gleizer, 35, said that the founding of DealTicker
came at a prime time because of the growing trend of online consumerism.
“We believe right now the market is ripe for e-commerce which is con-
tinually growing,” Abramov said. “The online market is always accepting new
ventures and new companies, so more people are willing to shop online than
in stores.”
“Recession plays a vital role,” Gleizer added. “When there’s a recession it
affects both parties: the consumer and the business. So by partnering with
us, we’re typically saving the customer on the service or product that they’re
purchasing as well as helping the business increase their clientele at the
same time.”
When considering making a deal, specifically in terms of Toronto, Deal-
Ticker seeks to target areas all over the city and the GTA in order to ensure
that people from all corners of the city are included. As they grow more popu-
lar, businesses approach them in hopes to be featured in a daily deal. At the
time of the interview, DealTicker had secured a daily deal for the upcoming
three months.
“We have had an overwhelming result of feedback from customers and
businesses telling us that we have an excellent service,” Gleizer said. “Most
typically the customers are students who have to save money for living ex-
penses and tuition; they are able to afford our deals which they wouldn’t typi-
cally be able to afford otherwise.”
As the city and country recover from recession, DealTicker claims that sav-
ing money is still a valuable lifestyle choice, no matter who you are.
“Daily deals opens a whole new avenue for the consumer,” Abramov said.
“Toronto is very segmented in terms of class statutes, so with these daily
deals, everyone from each level of income is able to afford whatever the deal
is. At the same time we cater to the individuals who have disposable income
and want to try something new. People always says there’s a hidden gem in
every area, we try to take the hidden away.”
DealTicker currently caters to Toronto and the GTA. They are currently
working to expand the company to the United States by early 2011.
wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
18
The baby of the Toronto fashion festivals, Frugal Fashion Week
is turning three next year, and founder Gillian Downes is
already busy organizing the 2011 festivities. Although FFW
a week-long event in July, it actually begins in January with “Icon,” a
fundraiser highlighting the top female fashion designers in Toronto.
It then continues with one fundraiser a month held in different stores
across the city, as part of the “Who, What, Wear, When, Why” portion of
the festival.
Catching up a bit with Downes wasn’t easy, but the former publicist
and journalist, turned full-time frugalista took time to share why frugal
may be here to stay and why frugal fashion is important.
“Frugal Fashion Week was started to encourage people to support
their local retailers,” Downes explained.
“We started during a down economy and saw a lot of businesses clos-
ing.. I just thought it would be nice if someone would encourage Toronto-
nians to just stay in the city and stop heading to the States when there’s
a sale or the dollar’s on par, and actually support their local retailers.”
FFW encourages support of local designers and retailers by combining
shopping with things such as fashion shows and art installations. This
past year, FFW teamed up with the Bata Shoe Museum and held a gala
and fashion show there. Gillian explained that it encourages Toronto-
nians to come out and check out cultural spots along with a great shop-
ping experience. The last day of FFW is traditionally a shopping party
held at a boutique that FFW chooses.
“It’s the wind-down. Everyone’s been partying for the last three days
so the fourth day we just say ‘you know, this is the day you’ve got to
come out, you’ve got to bring your wallets and you have to shop at this
store. We choose the store without any reason, sometimes the stores
find us,” Downes explained.
More than just a fun way to show off local talent, FFW has a phil-
anthropic side as well. It’s a not-for-profit organization that relies
completely on its ticket sales, which, according to Gillian, makes every
guest a part of their family. FFW accepts product sponsorships as well,
so guests may expect goodies handed out at various frugal events. One
ticket to FFW 2010 cost $35 and gave red-carpet access to every major
event held on each of the four days of the festival.
Furthermore, FFW has partnered with fashion charities to raise
awareness and funds, last year a portion of the profits when to a charity
called Windfall. This year, FFW is partnering with Goodwill.
“Windfall to me was until recently one of the only fashion charities; I
say fashion because they actually provide clothing to people at risk and
its only new clothing, which is key. Windfall accepts donations of brand
new clothing and they will distribute it the same way,” Downes said.
She praised the charity for their great endeavours and the fact that
they ahve filled the niche of being a fashion charity
“[Windfall] understood that frugal is not about poverty per say. When
the recession hit, things just went way downhill and people still wanted
to shop and they wanted to afford things, and that’s exactly what Wind-
fall was about,” Downes said.
Is the frugal fashion founder frugal herself? She is, but Downes said
she didn’t become so on purpose. Due to the not-for-profit nature of
FFW, initially Downes was paying for a lot of it out of her own pocket.
Strapped for cash, she also conducted her own experiment whereby
she donated her entire wardrobe to Goodwill, and decided to rebuild it
frugally. Downes said it taught her how to watch her spending knowing
she only had a certain dollar amount to spend.
As for the future of FFW, Downes is taking it one year at a time.
“Our team [at FFW] would more likely read the business papers
rather than the fashion magazines. We might pull it if there’s no need for
us, if the economy starts ballooning and doing amazing. But so far we’re
seeing that maybe Canadians really are frugal people,” Downes said.
Frugal Fashion Week 2011 will be held from July 21-24.
Frugal Fashionista
Gillian Downes, founder of Toronto’s Frugal Fashion Week talked with FrugalT.O. about why saving money is fashionable
BY: PATRYCJA KLUCZNIK
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
19
Bridezillas rejoice. The most stressful day of your life has become
a little easier.
Enter the Frugal Bride team: Judy Cormier and Darsi Pizzolato.
Frugal Bride is a Canadian online magazine dedicated to saving money
while planning a wedding.
“Frugal doesn’t mean cheap,” Pizzolato explained. “Cheap means cheap.
Frugal means not being frivolous with money.”
The duo, who have been friends for 33 years, are experts in the wedding
industry. Cormier is a wedding photographer and Pizzolato is a former
wedding co-ordinator. Both consider Frugal Bride a full-time job.
“Our thing is that if you do everything on
the frugal side, then it becomes a cheap wed-
ding,” Pizzolato said. “Take what’s not impor-
tant to you, like maybe you don’t care about
the cake or the flowers, go less on that,”
Cormier explained that a lot of the content
on the site over the years has been contrib-
uted by vendors that offer helpful advice for
a frugal wedding. The brides themselves are
also big contributors in an online forum called Babbling Brides,
“Our site gives the brides the information they need and a place to start,”
said Pizzolato. “Because you’re getting married and likely it’s the only time
you’ve ever done it, and you really have no clue.”
Cormier suggested that it helps brides interact with people who are in
the same frame of mind as them when it comes to the importance of their
weddings.
The ladies are also adamant on attending weddings regularly
“We always believed, even from the beginning, that in order to run a wed-
ding website, you have to be in the trenches and be there and know what’s
going on in the industry,” Cormier explained.
Pizzolato, a single mom of two, says frugality is a big part of her daily life
as well.
Ironically, Cormier doesn’t practise frugality and said she isn’t very good
at it.
“Let me reword that; I attempt to, and sometimes I’m successful and oth-
er times I’m not,” Cormier giggled.
Pizzolato also expressed the importance of the time of year in terms of
the duo’s frugality in their daily lives. Winters are tough for the wedding
industry, whereas summer time business is usually booming.
“When the money’s not there, you get
frugal,” Cormier explained. “In this econ-
omy, like right now, I have to be careful
how I spend my money.”
With over 200,000 unique visitors a
month to their site and a facelift come
January, the two friends aren’t leaving
the Canadian wedding scene anytime
soon.
On the brink of their 11th anniversary, Pizzolato and Cormier are re-
vamping their site as well as their logo in January by hiring a designer to
change up their online image.
Pizzolato jokingly gave a guarantee to future frugal brides.
“Just in case it doesn’t work, I’m going to save you some money.”
BY: PATRYCJA KLUCZNIK
Judy Cormier (top) and Darsi Pizzolato (bottom) are the creators of Frugal Bride, a Canadian online wedding magazine dedicated to getting value out of every wedding expense
Here comesthe frugal bride
“Frugal means not being frivolous with money”
Check out a video of the Frugal Bride
ladies by visiting us online
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010 20
There are big things brewing for the fashion godmothers of Canadian
women looking to begin their career.
On a quiet residential street, a little ways away from the lights and traffic
of the busy intersection of Bloor Street West and Spadina Avenue, lies The
Walmer Centre, headquarters for Dress For Success. Hesitantly, I opened
up the door and gingerly stepped inside. A friendly voice, later to be dis-
covered a potential volunteer Jay-Jay Realin, asked, “Are you here for the
Dress for Success volunteer session?” With a smile and nod, I climbed the
three flights of stairs to be met by a woman with black curly hair wearing
four-inch black platform pumps.
Shahira Wahba, the volunteer program manager for the Toronto chap-
ter of Dress for Success, invited me in. Inside stood racks and racks of
dresses from labels such as Zara and Jacob, rows and rows of shelves filled
with high heels, displays of scarves and handbags and a tower of shelves
crammed with cosmetics.
As the volunteer orientation session began, Wahba described the history
and foundation of Dress for Success, a charity organization that provides
second-hand suits for women seeking professional attire for job interviews
and new employment. Clients are referred to Dress for Success by employ-
ment agencies and come in to pick out two full outfits for job interviews.
Once the client is hired for a job, they come back and pick out five more
complete outfits to start them off on their new career. The Toronto chapter
is one of three in Canada, and is over a year-and-a-half old.
“We’re getting more clients, which if you really think about it, is an unfor-
tunate thing because there are more people who are struggling to find em-
ployment,” Wahba said. “But the great thing about the program developing
Fashion GodmothersProgram helps jump start women into the career world
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY: PATRYCJA KLUCZNIK
Lifestyle
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010 21
is that we can do more for them.”
Dress For Sucess is improving on several features in the program in the
new year, including streamlining the way clients are taken care of. Instead
of drop-in times, clients will be seen on an appointment basis. This ensures
that the clients receive the attention they deserve and that there are enough
volunteers on hand to help out. Further expansions include the Dress Re-
hearsal program, which acts as preparation for job interviews. Clients wear
their new suits and meet with industry professionals who perform mock
interviews with them and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
Sitting in a room full of volunteer hopefuls, with styles ranging from
casual hipster-chic college kids to dressy office
attire-clad 30-something year olds, to retirees
snuggled up in sweaters and coats, the hour-long
presentation flew by.
Wahba explained how the program worked, in-
cluding the golden “Five steps to success.” She
also talked about the original charity organiza-
tion created by founder Jessica Roelink called
Dress Your Best, which still runs as a men’s and
children’s charity. Dress For Success is strictly
for women.
“As the program developed, we’ve really learned what our clients need.
Giving people clothes is not enough, we need to do more,” Wabba said. She
also said that every client helped is another working professional contrib-
uting to a healthier economy and stronger community.
In terms of clothing, Wahba is always amazed at the number of donations
coming in weekly to the program. Although Dress for Success holds annual
corporate clothing drives, Wahba said that most of the donations still come
from the public.
“I’ve had people come from out of town, two to three hours away because
they really wanted to help a cause they knew would be beneficial; they
didn’t just want to toss their donations into the Goodwill box,” Wahba ex-
plained.
Dress for Success not only helps clients through tough unemployment
periods, they also act as a form of therapy.
“Sadly, but a lot of the time, people come in who had a loved one pass
away, who had a beautiful wardrobe with professional attire and they just
weren’t ready to part with it,” Wahba said. “So they donate their loved one’s
clothes to us, and it’s really more than clothes, it’s someone wanting those
clothes to live on and to benefit someone else.”
Realin, a fashion marketing graduate who’s
currently working towards a community ser-
vice certificate at George Brown College, de-
scribed why he was also attending the volun-
teer session.
“I just want to volunteer my time and help
the community,” Realin said.
Realin explained that he was most interested
in the men’s aspect of the program, Dress Your
Best, which Wahba explained is in desperate
need of volunteers.
Long-time volunteer, Alexis Dobranowski, described her volunteer expe-
rience as a family affair. Although Dobranowski wasn’t at the meeting, she
said she is a regular there.
“My sister, Michelle was going through a bit of a rough time and we both
thought that volunteering may take her mind off things,” said Dobranowski
about why she and her sister first started volunteering. “We loved it so
much that our little sister Sarah started coming with us too.”
“I just want to volunteer my time and help
the community”
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O.22
At the ritzy designer label stores in Yorkdale Mall, there is a
new ambiance in the air, one with the tone of frugality.
“It’s not that I’m cheap, it’s that I work too hard for my mon-
ey to blow it away,” said John Rizzo. “I’d rather put in a little bit more
effort and find myself a good deal.”
A study released earlier this year by advertising agency Bensimon
Byrne suggests that Rizzo, 34, is not the only one who will take an extra
step to save. The report said that although many Canadians believe the
recession is over, it has left a lasting impact on their spending habits. It
said that 90 per cent of Canadians say that they are doing more bargain
hunting and less impulse shopping than they were a year ago.
“People are shopping less because they don’t want to take unneces-
sary risks at this time,” said Rizzo, a self-proclaimed bargain hunter and
body shop manager in Toronto’s West end.
The global economic downturn raised unemployment rates and cut
down disposable income, which forced many Canadians to reassess the
way they shop. According to the study, people of all demographics and
levels of economic security, with the exception of those earning above
$150,000 annually, report eating at home more and buying fewer brand
name products.
“This is 1993 and 1994 all over again,” said John Wright, senior vice-
president of public affairs at market research company Ipsos Reid.
He said that in the early ‘90s, consumers also buckled down on their
spending during unsteady economic times. Wright did however, take
note of a major difference this time around.
“This time consumers have a leg up. Now that they have the Internet,
they can search for deals,” said Wright noting the growing use of online
last minute flight deals and daily discount websites that offer one-day
sales on various products and services.
A study by Ipsos Reid on the Great Recession showed that by mid-
2009, 70 per cent of all consumers had cut household spending and con-
sequently began to save.
According to Wright, frugality is not only trendy, it is also smart.
“If I’m going to save a few bucks just by going to the movies on a Tues-
day night compared to a Wednesday night, why wouldn’t I?” said Rizzo
who admitted he enjoys the feeling of accomplishment he gets when he
pays less for something.
Lydia Zorn of Insignia Marketing Research Inc. said people have be-
come more open to talking about getting things done for less.
“There are more and more people saying, ‘I am cheap’ or ‘I am frugal,’
and really feeling good about it,” said Zorn who noted that these types of
consumers are sticking to their shopping lists. “People will not go down
certain aisles,” Zorn said. “They are very disciplined.”
It appears, however, that consumers, while spending less, are not sac-
rificing quality in the name of savings.
“Consumers won’t pay full price unless there is an enormous amount
of quality,” said Wright explaining that it is not uncommon for a con-
sumer to spend a lot of money on a new pair of shoes, but chances are
they will be the only pair they purchase that season.
According to Zorn, shoppers will still sometimes shop on impulse for
smaller goods but will wait to save on big ticket items.
“The recession made people open their eyes a little bit and realize that
we can’t just keep spending money we don’t have,” Rizzo said. “It’s safer
to wait until the money is actually there, rather than reaching into your
wallet for the credit card all the time.”
The end of impulse shoppingSTORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY: FIONA PERSAUD
wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. 23
Cost of raising children Moms of many share their money-saving tips and tricksSTORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KIMBERLEE NANCEKIVELL
You’re holding a receipt in your hand
for a little over $180, 000. It’s not for
a luxury car, a condo downtown, or
a nice little yacht to show off at Harbourfront.
That receipt in your hand is for your 18-year-old
child.
According to the Canadian Finance Blog, the
average cost for raising a child in Canada from
birth to age 18 in 2009 was $182,190. While you’d
never regret this purchase, you may be regret-
ting some of the spending that went along with
it.
“A lot of people today live beyond their
means,” said Lianne Castelino, co-founder of
WhereParentsTalk.com and mother of three.
Castelino says the first step to raising chil-
dren for less and managing your money better
is to teach them the value of a dollar.
“Take them to the store and say we have $20
and we’re going to get a Halloween costume,”
Castelino said. “Then they can see what they
can and can’t get.”
But while teaching children to appreciate
money can give parents a break from keeping
up with the Jones, a growing trend is tacking on
extra expenses that are a little harder to man-
age .
Last year, the World Health Organization de-
clared infertility a disease and the Canadian
Fertility and Andrology Society reported 30 per
cent of the births resulting from in vitro fertil-
izations in 2007 were multiples.
Toronto alone is home to an association of
roughly 550 families of multiple births, the To-
ronto Parents of Multiple Births Association.
“There’s online things where you can figure
out if it’s worth it for you to go back to work, and
I figured out I’d be making minus $400 a month
if we put them in daycare as one-year-olds,”
said Heather Corbin, a TPOMBA member.
Corbin and her husband Paul have twin three-
year-old boys, Jonah and Theo.
“I could have maybe tried to get a better job or
done more, but it just wasn’t worth it,” she said.
Corbin worked as a graphic designer before
the birth of her boys, but the family now relies
on her husband’s income padded by the odd
freelance job she does.
“We’ve been really lucky with getting hand-
me-down clothing and things like that, so we’ve
really bought next to nothing as far as clothes,”
Corbin said.
The family cut down on the cost of other ne-
cessities by using cloth diapers and choosing to
breastfeed and make their own baby food.
“Using a diaper service is about half the price
of disposable diapers, and then to do our own
cloth diapers is about a quarter of the price,”
Corbin said.
And while Corbin mainly relies on her own
money-saving tricks, TPOMBA president Cath-
erine Hewlett takes advantage of the associa-
tion’s resources to deal with the financial strain
of her own set of three-year-old twin boys and
one-year-old girl.
“Joining TPOMBA gave us access to a lot of
discounts,” Hewlett said. “I have used my mem-
bership card to get discounts on a stroller, a
baby carrier and some other things.”
And for families who aren’t eligible for special
discounts, Hewlett recommends purchasing
memberships like the one at the Toronto Zoo.
She has started RESPs for all of her children.
“Putting two kids through college or univer-
sity at the same time will be hard,” Hewlett said.
According to walletpopcanada.com, a four-
year undergraduate degree is expected to cost
$100, 000 in 2025, which is around the time
Hewlett’s twins will be enrolling.
So whether you’re 12 years or two years away
from that receipt in your hand, some simple ad-
justments could save you a lot of money.
Tips to save on your tots
1. Don’t buy what you can make2. Ask around for second-hand items from friends and family3. Take advantage of family dis-counts and memberships4. Plan for future expenses like post-secondary school5. Teach your kids the value of a dollar
wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010 24
Inside a warmly lit boutique, amid the chaos of Kensington Market is a
handpicked selection of perfectly colour co-ordinated trends display-
ing the many decades of fashion.
Ilus Malaya, or Pretty Freedom as it is more commonly known, is one of
Toronto’s newest shops for vintage clothing. The store, now in its seventh
month of operation, was named after the favourite words of the owners’ two
native languages, Estonian and Tagalog.
According to Pretty Freedom owners Hel-
ena Brown and Jodee Aguillon, merchandise
from most vintage stores are often purchases
from various thrift and second-hand stores.
The difference is that it has been curated.
“With the Goodwills and the Value Villages
it’s hit and miss,” said Brown who explained
that the difference between rummaging
through a second-hand clothing store and go-
ing to a vintage store is that they have already
filtered through the quality items so the client does not have to.
“Sometimes you’ll spend an hour and you won’t find anything and some-
times you’ll find a bunch of [items],” Brown said.
Vintage stores are at times criticized for marking up prices of items
which the owners purchased for much cheaper at second-hand, thrift and
consignment stores but, according to Brown, vintage merchandisers are
often involved in the deconstruction, reconstruction and repurposing of the
pre-owned clothing.
“Here we’ve kind of removed all of the excess,” she said.
Removal of excess is prevalent in the store’s layout. The selection is rea-
sonably small but is nostalgic of the classic stylings of days gone by. Wom-
en’s blouses are perfectly pressed, spaced and hung along one side of the
store and a low chandelier-like hat rack is hung from above.
The philosophy of reuse is present in
the vintage boutique which Brown and
Aguillon have decorated with items found
around the city. Aguillon came across the
store’s cash desk, which is now used to
display local jewellery, just as it was about
to be thrown out by renovators.
“A lot of the vintage stores’ collections
are a reflection of the owner’s personal
style too,” Aguillon said.
Aguillon explained that he and Brown left the corporate life working as
merchandisers for American Apparel to play by their own rules. He says in
doing so they encountered a little bit of their own pretty freedom.
Their experience with the chain enabled them to travel to a number of
locations in Canada where they sought out local vintage and thrift stores
in their spare time.
BY: Fiona Persaud | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Fiona Persaud
“A lot of the vintage stores’ collections are a reflection of the owner’s
personal style too”
Taking the stress outof the quest
Clothing experts say the difference between vintage and second-hand stores is the curation
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY: FIONA PERSAUD
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O. wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010 25
“That’s kind of the point of having the vintage stores, because we pick all
the time,” Brown said. “You don’t have time to go once a week or
a few times a week to source all around the province, so
that’s kind of what we do and that’s what other vintage
stores do.”
Brian Kellow, spokesperson for Goodwill, has no doubt
that vintage merchants are shopping at Goodwill stores.
“We have an enormous volume,” Kellow said.
Last year in Toronto alone one million donations were
made to Goodwill, a number that represents individuals
who donated, not the number of items they provided.
“We are a social enterprise,” said Kellow explaining
the difference between his organization and vintage
stores. “When you shop here, you are not just buying
and selling, you are participating.”
Both sides of the spectrum agree the environmental
benefit alone make shopping second-hand worthwhile.
“I think we complement each other,” said Kellow
noting that shoppers visit Goodwill on a daily basis
searching for vintage items.
Tess Castillo, a head sorter for Value Village, goes
through items that are sent to her store and trains
others on pricing. She said her store has a special sec-
tion for vintage with about one hundred items stationed
there. According to Castillo most of the items often have a
‘50s and ‘60s style but are not priced any more than the regu-
lar items in the store.
Paulette Kelly, professor and program director of fashion design at Ry-
erson University said it is only after the items are purchased by vintage
merchants and placed in the store that the value
goes up.
According to Kelly, vintage boutiques may be
more expensive, but it is often a happy medium for
quality and price.
“Vintage store owners know what they are looking
for,” said Kelly referring to vintage merchandisers as
professional shoppers. “They check things and know
what is good and get it right away.”
According to Kelly, vintage shoppers would benefit
from shopping at both types of stores but should con-
sider the amount of time they have when doing so.
She said vintage is about wanting to be different and
more interesting and since “every decade has its own
personality” it can be done through vintage clothing.
Aguillon and Brown said one thing the second-hand
shopper and the vintage shopper have in common is
that both like the hunt, whether it’s for the timeless
elegance of ‘60s fashion or the simple bargain
bin sweatshirt.
“Clothing made back then that’s last-
ed this long is likely going to last lon-
ger than the [department store] thing
you bought a week ago,” Aguillon said. “Everything deserves a
second chance, especially clothes.”
Pretty Freedom owners Helena Brown and Jodee Aguillon
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O.
Toronto driver Stefanie Hurd probably
doesn’t know it, but she’s the voice of an
entire nation.
“I don’t know a lot about my car, and money’s
tight because of school, so I don’t like to do things
how I probably should,” Hurd said.
J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 Canadian Cus-
tomer Commitment Index survey shows Hurd is
not alone in this sentiment. While Canadians are
still paying the same amount for repairs, they’ve
cut back on regular maintenance.
Data for Toronto is unavail-
able but Ryan Rob-
inson, director of
the Canadian au-
t o m o -
t i v e
practice at J.D. Power and Associates, says the
trend holds steady at the provincial level.
“Ontarians are paying $305 per visit for mainte-
nance, which is down from $376 in 2009,” Robinson
said.
Car Care Canada also found the majority of
Canadians’ car maintenance habits inadequate
during their annual car care clinics, but a sum-
mer study found Hurd’s age group to be the worst.
Canadians 18 to 24 years of age are most likely to
only take their cars to a garage when they break
down, least likely to put air in their tires and least
likely to get an oil change.
“I was supposed to put air in my tires probably
two weeks ago and then two days later I had a flat
tire because I took too long,” said Hurd, adding
that her car is prone to expensive repairs because
she always takes it to a garage after a major prob-
lem comes up.
“I’ve had to replace one of the tubes
in my transmission which cost me
about 400 bucks,” Hurd said.
She also admits she ignores
the advice of her mechanic.
Paul Graham, a me-
chanic for 15 years, said
most of his clients do the same.
“These days people don’t take very good care of
their cars,” Graham said. “It’s important because
it cuts down on exhaust gas emissions and it saves
you money down the road.”
Graham estimates drivers could save up to $500
a year by properly maintaining their cars. He said
the most important checkups to have if you’re in-
terested in saving that money are tire pressure,
oil changes and a tune up.
“If you don’t get your tires checked, they’ll wear
out prematurely and you’ll burn extra fuel,” Gra-
ham said.
Graham also recommends drivers take a look
at their manufacturer’s maintenance schedule,
though he cautions against following it blindly.
“A manufacturer may suggest that you might
not change your spark plugs for 160,000 kilome-
tres, which is fine, but by the time 160,000 kilome-
tres rolls around, it’s usually a major problem,”
Graham said. “Either you can’t get the spark
plugs out or they’re completely worn out to the
point where you’re just going through fuel like
crazy.”
J.D. Power and Associates’ study suggests that
a possible cause for fewer maintenance visits
is manufacturers extending the recommended
lengths of time between checkups to build confi-
dence in their cars and make them appear more
durable.
“People are starting to believe that their ve-
hicles are of higher quality and higher durability,
but in doing so, they’re actually relying on those
higher quality vehicles to get them through the
lean times and to skip or put off a maintenance
visit,” Robinson said.
Even though repair costs remained consistent
from 2009 to 2010, Robinson believes it could be
a different story in the future if drivers’ main-
tenance habits don’t improve.
“It’s like going to the doctor. You can
catch things before they become a prob-
lem,” he said.
Tune up your maintenance habitsSmall checkups now prevent big repairs later
26
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KIMBERLEE NANCEKIVELL
DECEMBER 2010 | FrugalT.O.
wix.com/frugalto/onlinemagazine | DECEMBER 2010