Discounts Abound If You Play Your Card Right in Santa Clarita

There is one way that more than 25,000 shoppers in the Santa Clarita area realize bargains every day. They use the Twenty-Five Score card, which offers discounts from 5% to 50% at more than 400 local businesses.

Retail stores and restaurants participate as well as many service businesses including carwashes, dry cleaners, moving companies and even legal services.

The one-membership-per-family-rule caused a touchy situation recently when the husband and wife in a divorce action each sought to benefit from the “$100 off on $500 or more” deal at a law firm by using their Twenty-Five Score card. “Sorry, we can only represent one party in a divorce,” they were told.

It would be hard to live or do business in Newhall, Saugus, Valencia or Canyon Country without realizing a saving of well over the $25 investment with this discount membership card.

The teen crowd likes the deals at fast-food restaurants such as Pizza Man, McDonald’s, Del Taco, Carl’s Jr. and Arby’s. For instance, Arby’s gives cardholders 20% off all regular prices.

Mom and Dad can see some results at TGIF, where they get $5 off a $20-plus bill, or at Farrow’s, where the savings are 10% of the total.

Retailers big and small participate in this business that was launched in 1989 by Eric Shulman, a local Realtor--which may explain why some real estate agents give the cards to new homeowners.

Sears offers 10% off in 11 departments, and Carriage Trade, an independent dry cleaner, deducts 25% from a bill over $12. One local car dealer offers $500 off sticker price.

This certainly is a lot easier than clipping coupons, which I never seem to have with me when I need them.

Besides, coupons usually have a short life, whereas the membership for Twenty-Five Score card is good for one year, so cardholders can realize the same bargain many times over.

This discount membership is simple and covers a wide range of stores. It would be nice to see more cards like this in every community. For information, call (805) 257-2673.

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WEEKEND SUPER SALE: Starting Friday and continuing through May 10, the outlet room at Homemakers will be devoted to a clearance of Ashley furniture. Sofas start as low as $369, cocktail tables begin at $89 and wing chairs are $139 instead of $239. These are good-quality pieces, and the prices are never better. Homemakers is a member of Twenty-Five Score and offers cardholders free delivery. Homemakers, 18901 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country. (805) 252-6052.