Frugal Family: Local Deals to Save You Time and Cash

We’re in a seasonal no-man’s land: Winter is getting closer to the end, but not quite there, and it’s too soon to drag out the patio furniture. Monday’s storm reminded us of that. Merchants and service providers are in the same boat. Maybe they’re motivated to offer some extra-good deals while we wait out spring’s arrival.

• Norbrook Building and Restoration, 3869 Motz Dr., Akron; 330-352-7913. The ice dams melted, then wintry weather returned. Each winter a few roofs start leaking in these freeze-thaw cycles. Sometimes the frugal thing to do is spend a few bucks now to prevent more expensive repairs later. And if the repair job is more than you can handle, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and call a pro. Norbrook specializes in water and fire damage and works with insurance claims. The company has been around for 20 years and earned a BBB rating of A+.

 • Gionino’s Pizzeria, 3571 Brookwall Dr., Fairlawn; 330-670-0900. Gionino’s has more than three dozen pizzerias around Northeast Ohio, including the Montrose location on Brookwall Drive. Daily specials include medium cheese pizza, $6.95 on Thursday. Gionino’s has subs, salads, Italiano fried chicken and Buffalo wings. Printable coupons get a discount any day. 

• Ivan’s Deli & Catering, 2927 W. Market St., Fairlawn; 330-836-3553. Ivan’s has sandwiches, soups and salads priced right for the frugal family or office mates. If you can’t escape from the office, Ivan’s delivers. You can print off a downloadable menu and fax (330-836-3554) in your order ahead of time. Prices start at $5.50 for wraps, $6.25 to $7.50 for sandwiches, soup ($2.95 pint, $5.25 quart) and salads are $6.25-to $6.50. Seniors get a 10 percent discount every day. Ivan’s caters to weddings, parties and corporate events. Open at 10:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Closes at 3 except Friday, when it stays open until 8 p.m. The deli is closed Sunday, although catering is available every day. 

• Stitch, Piece ’n Purl, 2018 State Rd., Cuyahoga Falls; 330-928-9097. Recent economic conditions have people searching for ways to cut costs. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to learn to sew or to start a project, now might be the time.  Stitch, Piece ’n Purl has a sale on quilting fabrics, up to 60 percent off, depending on how much material you buy. Owner Ileen Rissmiller said you can get a big discount with a few yards of material until the end of February, and books are also 30 percent off. The store has classrooms and welcomes guilds. Open Tuesday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Goodwill retail store, 1725 State Rd., Cuyahoga Falls; 330-475-7952. Operated by Goodwill Industries of Akron, the Goodwill retail store is a true frugal family outlet. Men’s and women’s shirts are $3.99; slacks are $3.50 and jeans are $5. Children’s clothes are $4 for a set. Footwear and furniture are also available at deep discounts. Open Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.