Learn to be a Savvy Shopper

Introduction

We all know that shopping can be expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. With a little planning and forethought, you can go out and get everything you need for your home and family at a price that won’t break the bank. Here are some ways you can enjoy the benefits of being a savvy shopper:

Shop on sale days.

As many of you know, the best time to shop at a clothing store is on the first day of sales. Not only will you get the best deals, but there are also more people around who can help you choose what looks best on your body type. In addition to this, if you’re in a hurry and have an event coming up (like an interview or wedding), it’s best if you go shopping in the afternoon because that’s when most people are leaving work and heading out for their weekend activities.

If you’ve had some success with shopping during this time period but want even more savings (and don’t mind having less help from other customers), then consider going late at night when most people have left for good! This way, any remaining employees will be able to give all their attention just to YOU!

Do your research.

Research is key to saving money. The best way to save money is to research the products you’re going to buy, and then wait for the best deal.

Before you go shopping:

• Research the best deals online before buying anything in-store (for example, use Google Shopping).
• Look up coupons online before going into a store (example sites include RetailMeNot and CouponSherpa).

After you’ve done your research:

Compare prices at a variety of stores.

You don’t have to be a professional shopper to get the best deal. You just need good information. The first step is comparing prices at a variety of stores, not just one. That way you can see what’s available in your area and what is most convenient for you to get to.

Another thing about comparing prices is that it’s important that you do it at different times of the year so that you’re not paying more than necessary for something just because it’s popular right now (or vice versa). To make this easier on yourself, keep track of when things are on sale or clearance so that when they come around again, they won’t be as expensive as they were before!

Buy in bulk when it makes sense.

Buy in bulk when it makes sense, but don’t buy in bulk if it doesn’t. There are plenty of times when buying in bulk is not the most sensible option. For example, you probably don’t need a year’s supply of toothpaste or toilet paper. As much as your wallet may be tempted by those crazy-low prices at Costco (or Sam’s Club, or BJ’s), they’re usually not going to make up for the regular purchases you’ll have to make overtime to finish the product—it can end up costing more than paying full price at a local grocery store!

Don’t buy something just because it’s on sale either; consider whether or not you’ll actually use an item before buying it and weighing its value against its cost (more on this later).

If you do want to take advantage of bulk deals, here are some tips: Try looking for items that are nonperishable and nonbreakable so that they make sense for storing long-term; look for products where one size fits all (like pasta); check expiration dates on any dairy products; consider purchasing generic brands instead of name brands; check out online retailers like Amazon Prime Pantry were many items ship from local warehouses rather than requiring delivery from another state like other online retailers do; avoid impulse buys by sticking with items that are already stocked at home or are easily found elsewhere around town such as coffee filters vs single-serve cups used daily rather than weekly supplies like coffee itself which goes stale quickly once open due its high oil content

Go to discount stores.

Before you head out to the mall, check out your local discount store. In addition to having a ton of awesome deals on clothing, home decor, and other items that make up most people’s shopping budgets, discount stores are also a great place to buy things like cleaning supplies and paper products at an affordable price. So if you’re looking for an inexpensive way to stock up on dish soap or toilet paper without having to buy in bulk (which can save money in the long run), then it’s worth checking out your local dollar or discount store.

With the rise of Amazon Prime Pantry—a service that allows members free two-day shipping on all nonperishable grocery items—you may think grocery shopping is no longer feasible at conventional supermarkets and big box stores like Walmart and Target anymore…but that simply isn’t true! While there are certainly some items where Amazon Prime Pantry beats other retailers hands down (I’ll get into those later), there are still plenty of foods sold at conventional grocers and big box stores that will beat their online counterparts’ prices when purchased in bulk quantities—and these bulk-buying opportunities don’t end after graduation day!

Ask if they have a lower price.

Ask if they have a lower price. If you’re shopping online, never assume that the prices are set in stone. Many sites offer discounts for new customers, free shipping, and other perks to get you to buy from them. So if you want to get the best deal possible (and who doesn’t?), don’t be afraid to ask!

You can also try asking your local store if there’s any way they can honor a lower price advertised by an online retailer—you never know what they’ll say!

Bring your own bags, and skip the bag fees at the grocery store.

• Bring your own bags.
• Don’t buy plastic or paper bags at the grocery store. The cost of these bags is added directly to the price of an item, so if you don’t want to pay for a bag, bring your own!
• Skip the bag fees at the grocery store. Instead of paying a fee for each bag, you use while shopping (which only encourages people to overbuy and waste) bring your own reusable bags whenever possible instead. You’ll save money in the long run and help reduce waste by not using disposable materials like plastic or paper!

Pay with cash and avoid credit card interest.

Paying with cash is the best way to avoid paying interest. Credit cards have been a part of our culture for so long that it may seem difficult to remember what life was like before they were widely available. The truth is, though, you’re probably paying more than you need to on your purchases because of credit cards and their high-interest rates.

There are two major costs associated with using a credit card:

• Interest on your balance – this cost can add up quickly if you carry a balance from one month to the next (and many people do). If all goes well and you don’t carry any debt from one month’s end until the next, then there’s no real cost here…but how often does that happen?
• The hidden tax on purchases – This refers not just to the fees associated with each purchase but also those imposed by stores themselves when they accept your card as payment rather than cash or check (hence why I like using my debit card instead!).

If you do use a credit card, pay it off each month.

One of the most common ways to build your credit history is through a credit card. But before you sign up for one, make sure you can pay it off each month.

If that sounds scary, don’t worry! There are plenty of rewards cards out there where your bill will be paid in full every month—and many of them come with no annual fee or interest rate.*

The reason why this is so important? Credit card debt can be deadly to your financial health because it’s expensive: The average APR on a new card is 15 percent (source). That means if you have $10,000 in debt on a credit card with an APR of 15 percent and only pay the minimum payment every month, it’ll take over 40 years to pay down what you owe (and add nearly $30k more). That’s not even including interest charges!

Learn to say no to that candy bar or magazine as you check out at the store.

Learning to say no can be a tough lesson, but it’s one you have to master if you want to save money.

Don’t buy something because it’s in the sale. This is one of the biggest mistakes people make when shopping and trying to save money. It’s okay if you want or need something, but don’t buy something just because it is discounted from its original price. Be especially careful about buying things that are free or only cost pennies–you’ll end up with too many unnecessary things in your house!

Don’t shop hungry, angry, or bored (or tired).

The best time to shop is when you are not hungry, angry, or bored. If you’re starving and in a bad mood because of it, then it’s going to be hard for you to think about anything else but food. This will make it difficult for you to concentrate on what’s in front of your eyes as well as harder for you to decide if something is worth purchasing.

Being tired can also lead to bad decisions when shopping because it makes our judgment cloudier than usual. You may end up buying things that aren’t necessary just because they seem like a good idea at the time (and before long, those purchases add up). Or maybe it’ll result in spending more money than necessary on an item because the salesperson told lies about its quality—something that happens more often than people think!

And finally: don’t shop when angry either! It’s easy enough to say but sometimes difficult done—especially if someone close has made us angry recently (like by making fun of our shoes).

Make a shopping list and stick to it – or shop online with a list instead of going to the store for a spur-of-the-moment trip.

If you don’t have a shopping list, you will waste money. If you don’t have a shopping list, you will buy things that are not on your “must-have” list and then throw them away because they end up in the back of the fridge.

If you shop with a list and stick to that list, however, there’s no way for impulse purchases from getting into your cart unless it is something on your list (and even then, if it’s not something important enough to replace something else off the bottom of your priority list). For example: if there are two different types of ketchup at Costco but one is organic and one isn’t—and neither one is expired—you should absolutely take home both kinds! But if there are two different kinds of bread at Whole Foods but only one kind meets all criteria on your top four priorities (ease of use; nutritional value; cost per loaf) while being gluten-free? Then buy only what’ll fit into your baggie with room left over for other stuff!

Check expiration dates before you buy things like holiday decorations, paper towels, and batteries — if it’s not going to be used by next year, you may not need it on sale this year, either.

• To check expiration dates, you’ll need to know how to read them.
• You’ve probably heard of printed expiration dates on food products, but did you know that manufacturers use a different type of code for other items? It’s true: sometimes the “Sell by” date or even the “Best if Used By” date isn’t enough to tell whether an item has gone bad. In some cases, these terms don’t apply at all; in others, they refer only to quality rather than safety. The best way to find out what they mean is simply by looking up the product online or checking it against its packaging (if it still has its original packaging).
• Batteries can be tricky because they don’t have expiration dates like fresh produce does—but buying new ones every year isn’t necessary either! In many cases (like AA and AAA batteries), older ones will work just fine after sitting around for awhile—so don’t feel like you have to buy new ones every time your old ones run out. As long as they’re not leaking fluid or bulging out of their casing when squeezed between your fingers, chances are good that they’ll do just fine in whatever gadget needs them most!

There are many ways to save money as a consumer

The first step to getting the best deals is to shop on sale days, and do research. You can get a lot of information about sales by checking websites like [Walmart], [Amazon] or even just Google. If you have an idea of what you want and where it’s most likely to be sold at a discount, then you can find those items easily if they’re on sale (and avoid paying full price).

If there are no coupons available for whatever it is that you’re buying, check out other stores in your area. Many times they will have better prices than what’s being offered at one store because they are competing with each other for business. Another option is buying in bulk when it makes sense—for example if there are several people who need milk in your household but only a one-gallon jug will fit in the fridge at once anyway!

Conclusion

We hope that these tips will help you to be a savvy shopper. If you follow them, you’ll be able to save money on all kinds of things!