The Good Life For Less: The Awesomeness Of Outlets

On the road of bargain hunting there is the road frequently traveled -- clearance, coupons and sales -- and then there is the road a little further down the path (literally) that may take even more of an effort to get -- the outlet malls.

When venturing out of the Twin Cities, I seem to always find an excuse to make a pit stop at outlet malls. They are the special places where bargains go to mingle with closeouts all in the collective hope that you, the consumer, will snatch them up.

I recently took a trip to Hinckley, Minn. and on my way back down Interstate 35W made a stop at the North Branch Outlet Mall (formally Tanger Outlet Mall). It has all the brand names stores you expect to find at a normal mall (Nike, Gap, Wilson's Leather, Bath & Body Works, Levi's, Zales, and Ashley Furniture just to name a few), but 25 to 65 percent off the prices.

Many people have the misconception that outlet malls just sell irregular merchandise, but that's not the case in today's shopping world. Many times it's just a brick and mortar place for manufacturers to sell their stock directly to the public. They do include closeouts, overruns, and overstocked stuff too.

My best excuses ... err ... reasons for shopping at an outlet:

1) Stocking up on the stuff I need anyway (T-shirts from Gap, soaps and lotions from Bath & Body Works)

2) Making a bigger purchase where I want to save the most money but still get high quality (Winter coats from Wilson's, a bed set from Ashley Furniture)

I big reason why I personally made a stop there this time was to check out Wilson's Leather Outlet (which sells more than just leather). I got myself a new winter coat that normally goes for $299 for just $78.

On top of the deals, many stores offer the same promotions as the normal stores, giving you an even bigger discount.

At North Branch, you can sign up for a monthly email blast that sends you promotions and coupons and you get a $5 gift card that you can use on your next visit just for signing up.

They also have specials that change every month. For example on Tuesdays in December, seniors receive an extra 10% at select stores and kids get free photos with Santa a free North Branch Cinema ticket.

Of course, there are many outlet malls around Minnesota that offer so many great deals. Check out this list I put together of some of the Best Outlet Malls in the Twin Cities.

Know of any other places to snag a deal? Email them to me or post them in our comment section to share them with other 'Good Lifers!'

-Alison Lorge is a web producer and consumer blogger at WCCO.