Mostly Eastern Iowa based business that I like doing business with. Even though I did create a page on Non-commercial values if I have to buy something these are the places I would. another
page for getting started in life on the right foot
Page I setup for where to Donate Things but also could be a good place to get things Free or cheap :)
Page I added for Student Discount
Page for Low Income Resources
I based the below list off of this the list on this website moneyforpoet.com
and also http://www.johntreed.com/shoppinglist.html
"The number of options are simply overwhelming. Even if you somehow have money for all them, you don’t have the time. Here’s a sample:"
Vision: Klauer Optical Co. — (319) 378-0066 (Vision insurance / ~$150 cash per year)
Preferred Hospital: Mercy Medical Center — (319) 398-6011 | 701 10th St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
Preferred Pharmacy: Hy-Vee Drugstore — (319) 393-0561 | 2001 Blairs Ferry Road, Cedar Rapids, IA
CPAP Supplies: CarePro Cedar Rapids
Healthcare Resources & Insurance:
Apply for coverage: Healthcare.gov
Health Insurance Subsidy Calculator: KFF Subsidy Calculator
have a page all about this called get health get food.
Bauman & Co.
Info: Small independent shop operating since 1909. High quality clothes with a great Big & Tall section (fits over 6'5" / Large).
Phone: (319) 895-8692
Address: 124 1st Street SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314
Link: Bauman & Co. Big & Tall
Theisen's
Info: Durable workwear for men and women.
Link: Theisen's Home Page
Kieck's
Info: Great selection of tactical pants.
Phone: (319) 363-3503
Address: 222 3rd Ave SW #1, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
JCPenney
Phone: (319) 396-0777
Address: 2400 Edgewood Rd SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Link: JCPenney Home Page
Kohl's (Eastside)
Phone: (319) 393-9234
Address: 361 Collins Rd NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Link: Kohl's Home Page
Walmart (Eastside)
Phone: (319) 393-0444
Address: 2645 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
KingSize (Online)
Link: KingSize Direct
Casual Male DXL
Khakis (Flat Front):
JCPenney: Foundry or Levi’s New Freedom Big & Tall Men
Kohl’s: Croft & Barrow Big & Tall Men
Jeans & Work Pants:
Walmart: Wrangler Big & Tall Men (flat front, indigo or medium wash)
Theisen's: Full Blue carpenter jeans, relaxed fit, sits at waist (Size: 48x32, Item #902090S - LW)
First Tactical / Kieck's: Tactical pants (primary pair since Spring 2026)
Lee: Total Freedom
Jackets:
Carhartt: Jackets (via Theisen's)
Polos:
JCPenney (3XLT): U.S. Polo Assn. & The Foundry (Note: Some 2XL run big, 3XLT run small)
T-Shirts & Sweats:
T-Shirts: 3XL or 3XLT (when available)
Walmart: Sweats in 3XL
Suits / Sportcoats:
Kohl’s: Croft & Barrow — Suitcoat 52 Long (try on), Suit Pant W48 x L32
Casual Male: Suitcoat 52 Long, Suit Pant W48 x L32
Underwear & Sleepwear:
JCPenney: Stafford cotton knit boxers XL (max size available)
JCPenney: Stafford cotton white V-neck t-shirts (2XLT)
Walmart: Fruit of the Loom cotton t-shirts 3X in gray (used as nightshirts)
Socks:
Gold Toe: White quarter socks, size 12–15 (also black & crew options) — Gold Toe Sport Quarter
Accessories & Extras:
Belts: Braided belts
Ring Size: 14.5
Anti-Chafing: Gold Bond Friction Defense
Work / Main Shoes: Red Wing steel toe shoe (Model 6702 in black or brown) | Phone: (319) 447-9649
Sneakers: New Balance 990 | Location: 5200 Fountains Dr NE Suite 104, Cedar Rapids, IA 52411
Dress Shoes: Johnston & Murphy XC4® Stanton 2.0 Moc Venetian Loafer (Primary dress shoes — very comfortable slip-ons)
Bowling Shoes: Dexter 14 WS | Pro Shop: Revolutions Pro Shop (Scott) — (319) 538-8321 (Inside Cedar Rapids Bowling Center, 265 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402)
Slippers: Walmart — Size 13 Extra-Wide (XW)
Boots: Amazon — Propet 14 Extra Extra Wide (XXW) (Avoid high-top options as they run too tight at the calf)
New Balance 990 Made in USA 990v6 they are about $200 https://www.newbalance.com/990/ Reddit with more INFO HERE
Superfeet run support low arch (carbon) https://www.superfeet.com/products/run-support-low-arch-new Size Men 13.5 - 15
Haircuts & Custom Body Wash: Barbers Etc. (Tracy) — (319) 393-7981 | 408 N Center Point Rd, Hiawatha, IA 52233
Bar Soap: Dr. Squatch Natural Bar Soap (Variety Pack, 5 oz, 6 pk) — Sam's Club Listing | Dr. Squatch Official
Deodorant / Antiperspirant: AXE Phoenix (Crushed Mint & Rosemary)
Hair & Body Cleanser: STMNT Grooming Goods All-In-One Cleanser
Hair Conditioner: Awapuhi Wild Ginger Hydrate HydraSoft Conditioner
Tech Cleaning: WHOOSH! Screen Shine (Specialized screen cleaner for phones, tablets, and monitors)
Haircuts Barbers Etc. great prices, great people, have been going for years By Appointment Only (319) 393-7981 https://www.barbersetc.net/ I also built this website. If you would like a website like the barbershop reach out to me :)
Sheets: Kohl’s — 100% cotton sheets (Best choice; avoid microfiber)
Quilt: 100% cotton quilt (Cool and breathable; avoid polyester)
Throws: Cotton throws (Lighter and more breathable than polyester)
High-Yield Savings:
Discover Bank Online HYSA
Corda Credit Union (6% Emergency Savings Account) — Corda Emergency Savings
Credit Card: Discover it® | Customer Service: 1-800-347-2683
Retirement / Investing: Fidelity (Roth IRA & Solo 401k) — Fidelity Freelancer Resources
Financial Community: Bogleheads
Electricity: Alliant Energy — 1 (800) 255-4268
Gas: MidAmerican Energy — 1 (888) 427-5632
Trash Pickup: ABC Disposal Systems, Inc. — (319) 395-0904 (Set out Tuesday nights; pickup on Wednesdays)
Pest Control: WDI Pest Control (Steve Hartwig) — $80/year
Tree Care: Arbor Advantage (Dan Griffin) — (319) 936-9337 | $100 every 2 years
Garage Door Maintenance: Overhead Door Company — (319) 363-9976 | 6515 4th St SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Plumbing: Affordable Plumbing And Remodeling — (319) 364-3868 | 1251 Rockford Rd SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Heating & AC / Main List Link: Shopping List Page
Inspired to sew has a good mending class lots of resources in Cedar Rapids.
I have an old Husqvarna Viking model 5000 I went to some meetings of the local chapter of the American Sewing Guild https://www.asg.org/ they all spoke highly of the Vinton Sewing center for low cost and helpfulness.
Inspired to sew
Phone: (319) 373-0334
Vinton Sewing Center
(319) 472-2660
Midwest Computer Brokers Link http://mcbia.com/
for used computer & accessories you can get a good used laptop for $100 I tend to get top tier ones for around $300
Located in Walford you can call them at (319) 845-2075
Darrel's Video City
Specializes in used & New TVs along with repair they closed :(
They are in Marion you can call them at (319) 377-5621
TV I have Samsung 40" TV is UN40H5003AFXAZ This is the only TV I have ever bought and its in my living room hopefully it will last a long time.
Kirkwood Eagle Tech http://bookstore.kirkwood.edu/eagletech
a great place to buy a New Apple product or other new tech thing with a warranty & discounts
"You'll get them tax-free and at the same academic pricing we offer our full-time staff, faculty and credit students."
I have ta Free Google Voice number I mostly use Google Voice because it integrates with my web broswers and can have one voicemail that I never need to empty out and get emails of voicemails sent to me along with emails of text people send etc..
Top 3 phone options
1) AT&T
I like the annual 16GB of data a month and unlimited talk and text plan from AT&T Prepaid.
its $327 upfront for a year of AT&T Cellphone service it gets me on their network so its not on T-moblie.
https://www.att.com/prepaid/multi-month-plans/
https://www.reddit.com/r/NoContract/comments/e5yn2l/att_prepaid_300_for_12_months_promo_advice_when/
Why would I pick AT&T I like their network and to have them as a backup to my T-mobile hotspot
2) Redpocket
The cheapest plan for a year of service by far and why I would say ... Always have 2 phones esccapically if you have a side hustle or something
Your 1st phone line is considered your personal line so for that option you would want to get the Redpocket $30 a year plan.. So you could get phone service for just $32 a year with all taxes and fees this would be a good backup line and the idea line to use for your personal line. $2.50/Mo Red Pocket Prepaid Plan: 200 Talk 1000 Text 200MB you can get it only on eBay Link
I also think the above is a good option for someone who doesnt like to talk or text much and would perfer email or socail media as a way to reach them or just wants to be mostly left alone. This along with Google Voice i think could be doable for people on a low income or low contact level.
3) US Moblie
This looks like the cheapest price for unlimited talk and text at a gross price of $96 a year when paid in full for a year of service.
The best deal out there spend $750 get Join the Calyx Institute after the 1st year its $500 each additional year for unlimited 5G internet. On the back end it runs on T-Mobile network
Two Independent service providers
South Slope Cooperative Communications A member owned co-op that offers fiber to the home. https://www.southslope.com/
ImOn has Fiber to The Home (FTTH) http://www.imon.net/
FCC Rate Cards
https://www.southslope.com/residential-broadband-labels/
https://www.imon.net/broadbandlabels/fiber
backup of above data
https://web.archive.org/web/20250425110458/https://www.imon.net/broadbandlabels/fiber
https://web.archive.org/web/20250320081007/https://www.southslope.com/residential-broadband-labels/
Otherwise see if your town has a co-op.
Other main providers in Iowa would be Mediacom they used a hybrid fiber coax or (HFC) built plant. A lot of times their network sucks because the last mile of connection is on a shared bandwidth pool and when little Johnny is playing world of Warcraft or some such game good luck watching Youtube etc..
CenturyLink was Northwest Bell back in the Ma Bell days in pre 1980's divestiture era. The staff was union and they were the only choice for phone service there was no cellphones. They offer DSL service and if you are close enough to a CO or central office you can get some good speeds but if you are far away then good luck.
Over the Air TV is a great way to get free content after a cheap setup. If you can get a roof antenna your picture quality will greatly improve.
https://www.channelmaster.com/ FLATenna 35 I bought a few of them for $20 each and give them out to people in town who could use them. I like my room top one but I think for most people that cant put one on their roof this would be the best option its good to have it for weather or when the internet goes out so you have some form of live media I mostly watch live weather https://www.kcrg.com/weather/ sometimes I will watch PBS or some other Live show but I only watch maybe 10 hours a month wroth of OTA TV.
getting some sort of DVR could be good. I used the one below but I don't really DVR much.
Simple and cheap offline DVR setup that can be setup for under $100
WH 150 Homeworx DVR
https://www.amazon.com/Mediasonic-HomeWorx-Converter-Recording-HW-150PVR/dp/B00I2ZBD1U
misc. free TV and data
free to air international channels FTA via a Ku band dish
Dreamcatcher satellite data radio on L band https://othernet.is/
If its at a restaurant or grocery store etc. here is a link to the page I did on getting food and getting health
Bus Service
I cover this a lot more in the Student Discounts page.
Cedar Rapids City Bus Website
info about times rates etc...
After Hours bus services
NTS (Neighborhood Transportation Service) operates a curb-to-curb van service, and provides affordable night and weekend transportation to work, school, or life skill classes during times when the fixed route city buses do not operate. http://www.horizonsfamily.org/how-we-help/transportation/
Gray hound Used to be (in 2021 even) $30 each way for a trip from Iowa City to Chicago now it closer to $100 each way.
Megabus to Chicago or most other major Hubs around the Midwest Website
Cedar Rapids Allegiant Air is a low-cost airline that fly's out of
Hotels Service
Super 8
Its interesting on how the pricing and deals work out with out with different hotels
Senior Citizen Service Providers
I am a life member of the Elderly Consortium of Cedar Rapids they have monthly meetings plus networking events. With my business being senior citzen tech support this has been a really good group and able to meet a lot of the other providers in the area no one else does the work that I do tho. https://www.crelderly.org/
Landlords of Linn County and Iowa
I am a vendor for this group it has paid for itself with being able to talk at the start of each meeting and plug my services. If anyone wants to get started in real estate in the Cedar Rapids metro area being a service provider for this group doing power washing painting etc is a way to get your foot in the door and yearly fees are $100 https://landlordsoflinncounty.org/
Speed dating
I have gone to a few speed dating events they cost $50 and have been a way to meet new people https://scottsdalematchmaker.com/
Alter Ego Comics
http://alteregoia.blogspot.com/
Independent comic book shop in Marion
Mindbridge Game Library
a nonprofit group that promotes gaming website
https://www.cardsagainsthumanity.com/
https://store.tesacollective.com/products/co-opoly-the-game-of-co-operatives
Philosophy:Focus on the utilitarian value received per dollar and buy used whenever possible. Beds, desks, and office chairs warrant investing in quality (or buying new) due to the sheer number of hours spent in them. Aside from a bed, recliner, and Cosco tables, nearly everything else can be found second-hand for next to nothing.
Lebeda Mattress
Info: Marion, Iowa-based mattress manufacturer producing high-quality beds locally.
Link: Lebeda Mattress
Welter Storage Equipment Co. Inc.
Info: Iowa-based supplier with great deals on new and used commercial-grade office equipment, shelving, and desks.
Link: Welter Storage Equipment
Slumberland Furniture (Recliners)
Featured Item: La-Z-Boy Joshua Rocker Recliner
Walmart (Utility Tables)
Featured Item: Cosco 20" x 48" Vinyl Upholstered Steel Frame Folding Table (Black) — Versatile staple used for multiple desk and utility table surfaces.
Iowa City Futons (Permanently Closed)
Note: Formerly supplied full-size house special futon mattresses; included for historical personal preference reference.
Garage Sales & Local Estate Sales
Stuff Etc. (Local consignment centers)
The Salvation Army Family Store
the company that is great for putting https://tricounty-iowa.com/
The best type of roofing materials malarkey class 4 shingles they are well built and get you an insurance discount after the derecho of 2020 I paid an extra 2k over what insurance was going to pay to get them upgraded
I bought a bowling ball & shoes some years ago from a Bowling Shop in the area the shoes have paid for themselves with not having to pay shoe rental fees.
other low cost sports to play. http://www.budgetsaresexy.com/2013/01/9-cheap-sports-of-the-un-rich/
Philosophy: While a home gym is a "one-and-done" buy, commercial gyms offer social aspects and a dedicated reason to leave the house. For consistency and habit-building, leaving the basement and going to an outside facility often leads to significantly higher usage than relying on home equipment.
YMCA of Greater Cedar Rapids
Info: Excellent community-focused facility. Income-based pricing is available for lower-income households (under $20k/year starts at around $26.60/month or ~$300/year).
The MAC (Athletic Club)
Info: Widely considered the top facility in the Cedar Rapids area with comprehensive equipment and amenities.
Link: The MAC Official Site
Discount Eligibility: Check for membership discounts through organizations like the Iowa Farm Bureau to access the Active&Fit Direct Program.
Pricing Structure:
Base Active&Fit Rate: ~$28/month (covers standard access / weekend-only access depending on tier).
MAC Upgrade Fee: Adding full-week / non-weekend access requires an extra ~$10 bi-weekly fee ($10 x 26 payments = $260/year).
Total Estimated Cost: ~$28/month ($336/yr) + $260/yr upgrade = ~$596/year (plus applicable taxes/fees) for full daily access to the MAC.
I love the Public library network in the area great books lots of education to be had :)
Overall, I avoid magazines or most other types of monthly subscriptions. I stick to free email subscriptions instead. I would say my membership at the MAC gym is something I have gotten a ton of value out of over the last 10+ years.
I do pay for Neocities because I really like the work that they do, and I pay for ProtonVPN a few years upfront by taking advantage of their Black Friday sales. While I hold yearly memberships in a number of groups, when it comes to just subscribing to streaming services or paying other recurring monthly fees, I tend to hold off on that.
Iowa Public Radio is a great nonprofit, noncommercial radio station (iowapublicradio.org). YouTube also has some of the best music, and it is free and easy to download the videos as MP3 files so you can listen anywhere.
KMRY (1450 AM and 93.1 FM) is another great local station. They play classic hits most of the time, but I highly recommend tuning in for their Sunday Morning Polka Show, which airs every Sunday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
Dance places around CR
https://www.tcdanceclubcedarrapids.com/ (Phone: 319-365-1275)
I would not say I boycott but I tend to go to other places if the option is there. I added this after black Friday 2023.
Target*
Target has higher prices and a smaller selection than Walmart. They posture like they are a superior place to shop, but their corporate practices are still exploitative and leave a lot to be desired. They also try to be "woke," but then they are weak, back down instantly, and just end up annoying everyone. 😉
*Oral-B iO Series 7 Electric Toothbrush If you are looking to get an electric toothbrush, the Oral-B iO Series 7 is the best overall value. You can usually find it at Target (often on sale for around $150). While the iO5 model is slightly cheaper, the iO7 is well worth the $30 upgrade. It features a built-in interactive color display on the handle that makes it incredibly easy to use, and it comes with a premium travel case and two brush heads instead of one (an extra replacement head usually costs $10 to $15 on its own). I highly recommend skipping the budget iO2 model, as you lose all the smart features and the helpful pressure-sensing interface.
Temu I bought a few hundred dollars worth of things from them between Super Bowl 2023 and the summer of 2023. The more I learned about their business practices, the poor quality of the products, and the spyware in their app, the faster I stopped buying from them. I bought some hats, glasses, electric toys, and some tools, but I think I mostly bought it all just because it was so cheap. They weren't things I was actually looking for, so it mostly just added more junk to my house. I am not sure what the value in that is.
*Costco I really wanted to like this place. I have only been here two times in my life and only ever bought one thing from them. I think they stock good quality stuff and pay their employees living wages, but I had a huge problem with my membership. I ordered the generator below, and my Discover Card flagged and canceled that order. I called Discover up and had them allow the order to go through, but Costco still had my membership canceled, which I did not know at the time.
I went into a Costco a few months later to get my physical member card printed. It was there that I found out I was never actually billed and did not have an active membership. I am closer to Cedar Rapids than I am to Iowa City, so it is just easier for me to go to Sam's Club, and that is what I do. I have a lot of information on this page about getting the most out of Sam's Club, including how I get free memberships.
*Firman 7500W Running / 9400W Peak Tri Fuel Generator link
Walmart*
I only go 1 or 2 times a year on site to Walmart in Cedar Rapids or one of the "Big Cities" in Iowa. I still order things online and have them dropped off at my house about once a month or so. I will go to some of the small town ones when I am out and about in those areas but I don't make a special trip for them. *so online only and small towns.
I will add more to this list as I think of stores or businesses I will not do business with.
A program that can save you money on LED light bulbs.
Save even more with Be Bright: Iowa utilities’ lighting discount program Be Bright is a program sponsored by participating utilities. http://iowabebright.com/whatisbebright
I have a page all about this topic.
I have a number of pages that can help with this
When money is tight checkout my Free page and my Low Income page
I am working on a Cremation and Celebration of life page on the site for setting something like that up.
Death and celebration of life of life planning page
Donate your body to U of Iowa
https://medicine.uiowa.edu/acb/dbphowtodonate
prepaid burial plan from Iowa cremation
for under $2,500 you can get this paid off and taken care of.
https://www.iowacremation.com/
l setup a page about the above topic too.