When the year end approaches, without a doubt there will be a surge in discounts and sales being offered in stores physically as well as online.
Malls will be congested with sale items and some of us immediately become compulsive shoppers, grabbing anything and everything that your eyes lay on and hands can hold, especially from the unbelievable 70 to 90 percent deals!
During this indefinite period of time, doing some planning can save you a lot of money and irreversible regrets. All you need is a shopping guide to help you shop better during your shopping spree this time of the year and we’ve prepared one just for you!
Your wardrobe list
It’s a common habit to buy a plethora of clothes, especially when your favourite store or online site announces a sale. To avoid compulsive purchases, it’s important to be a smart shopper.
It is time to brush up your shopping skills and master the art of shopping smartly. It all begins with the pre-sale preparation. To avoid feelings of regret after the sale, you will need to be familiar with your current wardrobe inside and out.
Next, come up with a list of outfits you already have in your wardrobe. Here’s a guide to help you out:
- What do you wear often?
- Clothes that you don’t have, but would like to own?
- What are the items that you definitely don’t need another version of?
Creating this list helps you to stay focused on the task at hand which is to buy only items that are needed instead of purchasing every outfit that’s on sale. This doesn’t apply only to wardrobes. Make a list of the things you need before you walk through the doors of a mall or enter an online shopping site.
Get what you need, not what you want!
Shopping during the sale season can be extremely chaotic especially when everyone is rushing to grab the items with the highest discounts. However, the truth needs to be revealed! A deal isn’t a good buy anymore when you buy things that you don’t utilise.
When you’re on a shopping spree, walk around and grab the items you like and place it in a shopping cart but do not purchase it just yet! Once you have all the items, find a spot away from the crowd and filter through the items that you’ve chosen.
To help you get the absolute best from your shopping, here are a few things to do before purchasing all the items in your shopping cart or basket:
- Try and reason out the purpose of the product.
- How will the product benefit you in your daily life?
- How often will you be using it?
Only get the items that you won’t regret spending your money on.
Add to your wishlist
Online shopping may seem convenient. There’s no pressure as you definitely do not need to squeeze through endless streams of shoppers in stores. However, things can get tricky when it comes to purchasing items online. Issues that may occur include shipping problems and delays, risk of fraud, stressing on the many varieties and options without knowing if it will turn out as shown and spending too much time online that it may interfere with work or your daily tasks.
A simple trick to smart online shopping is to keep the items you like in your wishlist instead of adding everything to your online shopping cart. You’ll receive alerts in your email or in your online shopping app when the price has dropped and you can consider if you should purchase the item then.
During the online sales like 12/12 which is a huge shopping event where popular SALE add the items you online shopping sites 12.12 offer very attractive discounts, you can like to your wishlist prior to the sale and then choose only the items you really want before proceeding to checkout. This way, you have more control over the items you want to buy.
Stock up time!
A good sale is hard to come by but when it does, many often purchase unnecessary items like fashion accessories that wouldn’t last you a year or the many mugs that you’ve bought and stored in the kitchen cabinet. This year, let’s make a change!
In order to help you shop smarter, consider buying items for a purpose such as:
- Christmas gifts for your friends, family and colleagues as well as Christmas decorations.
- Shop for back-to-school deals like calculators, stationery, paint supplies or even backpacks.
- Chinese New Year items like ang paos (red envelopes), gift hampers, cookies and more.
- Birthday gifts are another thing you could add to your list.
So, before you go forth and shop, do be reminded to never let the price tag fool you! Here’s something you should know every time you flip the price tag.
Avoid buying things just because it has a steep drop in the price. Even though the price is reasonable, you don’t need to buy everything that is on sale unless you have been saving up to buy the item and is something you really need. Otherwise, you will be wasting your money over an item that will not be useful to you at all.
Sources: Time, Moneycrasher, Real Simple
