Great deals look even better in a new year

Looking back at some of the best and worst deals I discovered in 2010, I wondered which ones might get even better (or worse) in 2011.

Score some savings on foodIn 2010, prices were more volatile for flour, sugar, eggs and butter than for gasoline, said Danny McGleno, CEO of St. Agnes Baking Co. in St. Paul. All the more reason to head to one of the Twin Cities' many excellent bakery outlets to save some dough.

One of my old favorites is the Lofthouse (7350 Commerce Lane, Fridley, 763-586-6241), where four or five varieties of artisan breads are only about $1 a loaf. In 2010, the outlet added Saturday hours, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to its regular weekday hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A small freezer selection of biscuits, blueberry pancakes and other frozen baked goods also is new.

But my new favorite in 2010 was Mainstreet Bakery (6947 Washington Av. S., Edina, 952-943-8008, www.backstreetkitchen.com). The bread prices aren't as low as at Lofthouse, but they're still a bargain at $1.50 to $4. Mainstreet bests Lofthouse's selection with more than 25 varieties of breads, from French to artisan loaves such as raspberry chocolate and gorgonzola/olive.

Don't miss the refrigerated section, where a 60-ounce tray of meat lasagna costs $16, beef tenderloin stew is $14 for 32 ounces (or $8 for 16 ounces), and lobster ravioli goes for $22 for 32 ounces. Smaller portions of enchiladas, lasagna, chicken parmesan and pasta rossa have been added recently. All items are made on the premises. Open from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

Forecast: "There's no reason to believe that prices will go down again anytime soon," said McGleno, whose bakery is open 10 a.m. to noon on the first Saturday of each month (644 Olive St., St. Paul, 651-290-7633, www.saintagnesbaking.com).

Think big - like mortgagesSmall savings can add up, but too many bargain hunters sweat the details (coupons, for example) and forget the big picture. If you're wading into the housing market this year or considering refinancing, shop around for mortgage rates.

In their search for the lowest rates, many consumers don't act in their best interest, said Ben Olson of Mortgages Unlimited. "They sit on the sidelines when interest rates are going down, waiting for a lower rate, but when rates are going up, they pull the trigger," he said.

Forecast for 2011: Thirty-year fixed mortgage interest rates are expected to be in the mid to high 4 percent range, Olson said. They might go as high as the low 5 percent range, but they're not expected to hit 6 percent, he added.

Good time to go for the goldI took a few pieces of gold jewelry around to various gold sellers last year and then followed up three more times by asking for the price per pennyweight by phone. The good news is that Enviro-Chem (763-428-4002, www.enviro-chem.bz), Independent Precious Metals (Spring Lake Park, 763-300-1003) and W.E. Mowrey (1435 W. University Av., St. Paul, 651-646-1895) pay the highest prices. The Gold Guys, on the other hand, consistently paid less. Although they advertise that they pay the highest prices, guaranteed, that's only if you bring them a better offer in writing. And they won't quote prices by phone, unlike the three companies listed.

Forecast: Expect volatility, but we will see higher prices for sellers in 2011, said Doug Rooney, owner of Independent Precious Metals. Gold rose in value about 30 percent in 2010.

See a show on the cheapPeople in Chicago and New York love half-price ticket outlets. Twin Cities ticket outlets have been inconsistent, at best. We gained and then lost TCticketinsider last year, but Goldstar (www.goldstar.com) took its place with an even wider range of discounted offerings at pro sporting events, small and large theaters, comedy clubs, classical concerts and operas. Small service fees are added to each ticket, but tickets may be purchased a week or so in advance.

Take care of your teethPeople lucky enough to have dental insurance practice good preventive care by getting free checkups once or twice a year. But those without insurance might find themselves waiting to see a dentist until a problem arises. That usually costs more in the end.

Instead, try one of the six dental assistant/hygienist schools in the Twin Cities (listed at www.startribune.com/a122). Prices on services for adults and kids are lower than at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and include cleaning, X-rays, fluoride treatments, whitening, sealants, scaling and planing. Many schools are not taking appointments until February or early spring.

Forecast: Prices fell on many dental services at the university in the latter part of 2010. Expect stable prices for most services at dental schools.