Most people in a financial crunch fear shopping expeditions the most. These are often the times when money simply flows out of your pockets without your even realizing it. However, it is impossible to eliminate shopping completely. After all, you do need the groceries, staples, consumables and other essentials. These tips will help you shop wisely so that your spending is limited well within your budget.
Build Loyalty
Shopping with one specific store often pays off. All big stores generally have ‘loyal customer’ cards on which points accumulate every time you make purchases there. These points can be exchanged for other goods or in some cases, discounts. If you have a reasonably priced store nearby, then make a conscious decision to complete all your shopping when you visit it. Ask the store personnel for a Loyalty card or a frequent shopper card and make sure every purchase gets recorded against it.
Discount Coupons
Discount coupons are another marketing idea that many stores use to make their outlets more attractive to potential buyers. These coupons are good news for you too. Start collecting coupons of local shops from newspapers, magazines or even online sources. Put them aside carefully in one specific place so that they are within easy reach when you need to go shopping. Remember to look through your collection of coupons before every shopping visit so that you can avail discount on the to-be-purchased products without fail. These discounts will add up over the year to significant savings.
Stick to the List
Always make a list of things you need, before you go shopping. It is, in fact, a good idea to make list-making a habit. Just put up a small pad and pencil in a place where you catch sight of it frequently. Keep adding items to this list as and when you run out of them. This way you’ll have a comprehensive list and you can limit yourself to these items alone when you go shopping. Also, just take enough cash with you to cover these items and no more.
Stock in Bulk
There are some items you can stock in bulk when a sale rolls by. Keep an eye on your favorite store’s regular sale dates and buy items that are not perishable during the sale. Get as much as you will need to cover usage until the next sale. Items like tissue rolls, soap, nuts and bolts, even clothes, are good candidates for bulk purchasing.
These tips will help you restrict your shopping expenses to essentials and cut back total monthly expenditure to a manageable amount.
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