It’s safe to assume that most people like getting their money’s worth when making a purchase and discounts can make even the least attractive products, suddenly the opposite. It’s funny how our brains work and businesses have learnt to manipulate and take advantage of this, so be careful not to take everything at face value. For example, some stores highlight discounted prices in yellow to attract the customers attention, but in reality the discount may not be more than a few cents. Here we will look at some ways to truly save money while shopping!
Compare
If you are purchasing something where the price could vary wildly, it certainly makes sense to shop around and compare prices. For example, Google Shopping allows the user to search for products between different vendors and sell the price. This is a simple and quick way of comparing anything from a raincoat for men to even a car, and a short two minute search could help you save a lot. Personally, I have saved up to 50% off items just by doing a quick search, and in fact it has even saved me time going out and physically finding products. If you shop using websites such as Amazon or eBay, it is very easy to compare not only prices, but also the vendors themselves. Sometimes lower prices are not always the most attractive, especially if the seller has bad reviews.
Wait for sales
Big sales usually happen around 4-5 times a year, so if you can hold out until the next one, it could save you a big amount. The items on sale will usually be those that are no longer in season, and the choice can be pretty hit or miss, however, there are many hidden gems to be found. The best sales tend to be after a season has ended and the retailers are trying to get rid of old stock and make space for the new.
Sales may not always mean out of season, however, as some products such as electronics may be ex-display items or refurbished but work perfectly fine, and if you are ok with this, they can be bought at a significant discount!
Use discount codes
Another thing – especially when online shopping – that only takes a few minutes, is to look for discount codes. Many websites have discount codes for whatever reason or occasion, floating around the internet, and a searching for “(name of store) discount code” can often give you anything from free delivery to a percentage off the total. Not bad for minimal effort and you have nothing to lose!
Use cashback companies
There are many cashback companies out there that will refund you a certain amount for every purchase you make through their website. While it may not be a large amount every time, it builds up and is also a great way of having money refunded for little or no effort.
