SHOPTALK : Compare Tags to Get Best Buy on a Load of Seaside Accessories : Here’s the lowdown on prices for an array of beach ‘essentials,’ except the truck in which to haul them.
Remember when all you needed for a great day at the beach was a towel and a buspass? Those days have long since passed. Now we find ourselves lugging tons of “essential” stuff. And burning our feet on scorching sand. Worst of all, eating sandy hard-boiled eggs and hot peaches. Why does anyone like going to the beach anyway?
Well, there are the kids. And a Significant Other who owns a dizzying array of Boogie boards. Need we say more?
If we could just get organized! Flip-flops on everyone’s feet. Sun block. Sunglasses. Sand toys for the kids. What else do we need for the perfect day at the beach and where do we get this stuff for the best price?
We questioned a few beachcombing moms and dads, and we found most families also take a couple of sand chairs, a beach umbrella and a cooler for a day’s outing. A quick trip to Thrifty, Savon or Target will help you collect what you need. Unfortunately, no one store was best for all items. Here’s a rundown of what’s available:
* Sand chairs: Thrifty’s sand chairs were priced lowest at $8.99. They are high-back, single-position chairs and they come in a variety of bright colors. The same chairs are $1 more at Target and $2 more at Savon.
* Umbrellas: Clamp-on umbrellas that attach to a sand chair were $4.99 at Thrifty and Savon. A 46-inch clip-on at Target was $9.99. Thrifty had a standard beach umbrella for $12.99, but we didn’t see one at Savon. Target had a couple to choose from, one at $14.99 and another for $19.99. The best sun protection for your money was the Beach Chair Canopy at Target. The canopy fits any 20- to 21 1/2-inch sand chair and has a sun-protection rating of 465! (The label claims that this is total sun block.) All this for $7, reduced from $16.99.
* Coolers: to keep that fruit fresh and your drinks drinkable. Igloo’s Little Playmate is $9.89 at Target, $11.99 at Savon and $12.99 at Thrifty.
* Towels: A big, old sheet is a great home base at the beach. Light-colored ones stay coolest. You can bring smaller ones just for drying off. We do love big, plush beach towels, though. Don’t look for great towels at any of these stores. The ones we saw were thin and skimpy. Target had character towels for $8.99 and striped towels for $7.99. Savon’s towels were priced at $12.99 for stripes and $14.99 for the privilege of advertising Looney Toons characters. Thrifty’s beach towels were least expensive, ranging in price from $6.99 to $11.99.
For good towels, try Strouds or department stores. Best buy for beach towels is the Price Club. Its towels were priced from $8.99 to $11.99. They were gorgeous and substantially thicker and bigger than those at the other stores.
* Sandals: Thrifty does the best job on flip-flops. It also had the widest selection: only 89 cents for children’s sandals and $1.99 for the thicker-soled thongs in all sizes. Savon had only a few pairs of sandals. However, it did have some nifty fake Birkenstocks for $5.99.
* Sand toys: If you’re not taking kids, this item is optional. You might not want to rule it out entirely, though, especially if you’ve always wanted your own castle. A three-piece castle maker with molds for different turrets and towers was only $2.49 at Savon. Target has the biggest selection of sand toys.
* Sunscreen: If you take nothing else, take sun block! The choice is daunting but don’t be confused. Just pick one with a high protection rating and use it! We like Banana Boat’s Children’s Sun Block. It has a rating of 30 and is waterproof. At Thrifty and Target, it’s priced at $5.99 for three ounces. The best price is at Savon: $7.99 for six ounces.
Hopefully, this list will help you enjoy your trip to the beach. If only we could keep the sand off your lunch!
