When you are out buying something you are usually looking for a good price, for a deal, for something cheap, right? I know I am. Well, today I have a whole bunch of English vocabulary you can use to talk about things that are cheap or priced right. Let’s start with a look at the names of stores where you can go to find items that are reasonably priced or priced very low.

Names for stores where you can buy cheap items:
dollar store – a store where traditionally everything is sold for  $1
five & dime – a store that sells a large variety of discounted items for a cheap price
warehouse store – this is usually a very big store where items are often sold in large quantity and they are cheaper because they are sold in bulk
outlet – a store where discounted items are sold cheaper because the manufacturer is selling directly to the customer, i.e. there is no middle man

Words you can use to describe items that are low cost and a good to buy :
a bargain
dirt-cheap
a steal
a deal

Examples:
I got a great deal on my new TV. I bought it dirt-cheap at a going out of business sale. It was such a bargain, because the same model sold at another store would have been at least $500 more! It was a real steal I tell you.

Words you can use to describe an item that is low cost, but not well-made or of poor quality:
rinky-dink
second-rate
hinky
cut-rate
two-bit

Examples:
Where did you get that rinky-dink new TV?  It looks like a second-rate model that you bought from a cut-rate store or two-bit manufacturer. I can tell just by looking at it that it is a second-rate product.

Names for people who are often looking to buy items for the cheapest amount of money possible:
cheap skate (This word has a negative association.)
economical  (This word has a positive association.)
frugal  (This word has a neutral to positive association.)
penny pincher  (This word has a negative association.)
thrifty  (This is a neutral word.)
tightwad  (This word has a very negative association.)

Examples:
I am a thrifty shopper; I try never to buy items at full-price. I try to be economical with my purchases, but sometimes I will splurge and buy something special for myself at full-price. I am frugal, but I am not a cheap skate. If I have to pay full-price, I will. I don’t want to be a tightwad with money.