Introduction
Christmas is finally on the offing, and people are thronging to Melbourne Central Shopping Centre to make the best out of year-end deals. And why not! Not always do we get the opportunity to tick off our desired products from shopping lists while staying well within budget.
But does that mean you have to compromise on the quality at other times? Of course not! Value for money is the basic principle of shopping. If you are buying a cheap product, chances are you will end up paying more in repairing and replacing in the end. Definitely, not an ideal situation!
So, what is a money-saving purchase decision?
Saving while shopping entails flexibility with purchase decisions. If a product is priced at a bit higher than your budget, there might be a better deal down the road later. Instead of making a hasty purchase, take time to research the product, its utility and substitutes. We must point out that making a prudent purchase decision does not need any special training. You need to keep a few things in mind. Want to know more? Keep reading-
- Control your impulse: –
How many times have you gone to a store planning to buy one product and came home with a large shopping bag with items you didn’t need? At least once or twice, right? This is why you should make a shopping list and stick to it. You can use any shopping list app available at Appstore for this purpose.
In addition to that, check if the product is available for borrowing at any store. If it is not, and you have to buy it, check Craigslist for a second-hand or refurbished product. Yes, we all like the sheen of a new product. However, as far as utility is concerned, the older ones are often as good as newer ones.
- Compare prices: –
Once you have decided, you will buy a new product; the next step is price comparison. For instance, two different websites can have different price ranges on the same product. Use apps and browser extensions to compare the price of the same product from different e-commerce websites.
Additionally, don’t forget to check the price at your local store. Oftentimes, they have a better product at a lower cost. Furthermore, you can use the price history as proof in retail stores that offer price match guarantees.
- Use discounts: –
Another key point to consider is to time your purchase. In all probability, if you are buying at regular times, you will have to pay the sticker price. So, why not plan ahead and avail of the discounts offered on holidays?
Most e-commerce sites offer huge discounts on products on Christmas, New Years’ Eve and other major festivals. If you plan to buy from local stores, wait for flash sales on local holidays.
As a matter of fact, credit or debit card companies, too, offer cashback to buyers purchasing via their cards. Keep this in mind, while buying Christmas gifts this year.
- Coupons and cashback: –
Combine discount offers with coupons, and you will save a large chunk of your budget for the next purchase. Online retailers offer both coupons and cashback on bulk buying. Take time to look for coupons before buying a product.
You can find websites that offer a range of coupons for different products. Browsing the internet for 10-15 minutes each weekend is enough to find the best coupons. A word of caution- it is easy to get carried away while browsing the coupons. Again, to go back to what we said earlier- stick to your shopping list and control your impulse.
Key takeaways: –
To sum it up, saving money means making wise decisions and wise decisions are not always the easy ones. Sometimes, you need to wait a little longer to find the best deals. Be an informed buyer- do detailed research online before buying the product. It might seem time-consuming and pointless, but saving little at every purchase decision adds up in the end. These were our top tips for shopping and saving. Do let us know what other ways you found useful.