Blanco said her husband, Diego, who is a construction worker, could not believe the prices when he recently accompanied her to the store.

At the 99 Cents & Discount Mall, manager John Nguyen said he began seeing a visible increase in shoppers last month. "I expect more people as Christmas nears," Nguyen predicted.

Items at the discount store start below 99 cents and climb up to $75 for an electric guitar, which is the highest-priced item, Nguyen said.

Last week, Elias De La Cruz accompanied his mother, Sara, to the store to shop for paper products, including plates and napkins, for holiday meals.

"I plan to come back for Christmas ornaments," said De La Cruz, 37, while eyeing gold-and-silver packaged decorations priced at 99 cents. "They look really nice and you can't beat the price.

"I think consumers are being conscientious right now because of our economy. You just don't know when you might lose your job," said De La Cruz, who is on disability because of a back injury.

Shopper Sandra Esquer, 43, said she likes to shop for soaps, laundry supplies and canned goods. On average she saves about $15 each time she shops at discount stores when compared with buying at chain supermarkets, she says.

"Retailers in discount items are doing well because working or not, shoppers are just really careful on how they are spending their money," said Laraine Rodgers, a University of Arizona adjunct professor in the retail and consumer sciences division of Lundgren Center for Retailing.

"People are buying basics, and they are giving food again as gifts," she said. "The pendulum has swung a ways back. We don't want to get in more debt or in debt.

"Most definitely people are changing their behaviors. Before, more shoppers may have turned their noses up at discount stores, but not anymore. People have to eat, so why not go to the dollar stores?"

For some consumers, shopping at bargain stores may be a temporary choice, but for others it may become a new way of life as they realize they need to save money and earn security as they move forward, Rodgers said. "People are going outside of their comfort zones in shopping," she said.

Bargain hunters come in all ranges of annual earnings, said Rodgers. In an Internet search of discount stores in California, Rodgers found numerous locations near communities where families earned annual incomes in six digits.

Larger stores, such as WalMart and Target, have started to discount more and are placing more dollar items on their shelves, said Rodgers. "They need to stay competitive."

DID YOU KNOW

There are more than 30 $1-and-under discount stores in the Tucson area, the phone book shows.

HOLIDAY SPENDING TIPS

--Make a list before you go shopping.

--Plastic is not free, so use a debit card for most purchases if possible. If you use credit cards, transfer balances to no-interest balance-transfer offers and cancel the original credit card.

--Shop early so you can have the first shot at super-saver items, shop late to avoid crowds because it is easier to navigate the stores, and shop often to find larger discounts.

--Shopping online offers great bargains and there is free shipping.

--Be imaginative. Gift baskets can be created for under $10.

Source: Laraine Rodgers, a UA adjunct professor in retail and consumer sciences

--Contact reporter Carmen Duarte at 573-4104 or at cduarte@azstarnet.com.

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