It was midafternoon when I left for Bargain Hunt with Life Editor Monday Sanderson. My goal was to buy as many items as I could for $20.

Bargain Hunt won 50.9 percent of reader votes for best bargain store in the Shoals. It competed against Salvation Army (38.6 percent) and Mike’s Hidden Treasures (7 percent) for this win.

The store gets its items from other retail stores by purchasing damaged items or ones having outlived their shelf life. These items go on sale for a discount, which prevents them from ending up in the trash. Over time, the prices drop through discounting.

Our first stop in the store was the clothing area. The store boasts a significant amount of clothing with women, men, children, and shoe sections. In the women’s section, I found mostly XS shirts. My first purchase was an XL Merona tank top for $3. It was a surprising find considering how quickly larger clothing sells.

I wanted each item I bought to be from a different section, so my next stop was the household products. I found Woolite dryer balls in dented plastic packaging and a three-pack of Woolite lint rollers for $7.

The next aisle was full of bed packaging, far outside of my price range, but next came the toy aisle. I found a $3 Fisher-Price dog plush between action figures and boxes of puzzles.

For electronics and movies, we went to the back of the store. Individual DVDs sold for $3 or five for $10. I found a beginner’s yoga video and added it to my items.

Sanderson and I found the office supplies and considered getting rid of the price limit to buy a packet of nine Post-it stacks for $8. Instead, I found a package of tape for $2.

In the small decor aisle full of candles, I found a $2 sign of the letters “XO,” then I went to check out.

However, at the checkout, my total came out to $16.90 before tax. Two items sold at a discount price because of their time in the store. After tax, my total came to $18.34. My receipt stated, “Your Savings” and below that listed a total savings of $13.10, 44 percent of my purchase before tax.

It was a satisfying experience to buy practical items I would otherwise be too frugal to buy.

To learn about new arrivals and special sales, sign up for Bargain Hunt’s email list.