How to save even more money at the sales: 6 top tips to keeping your cash
With the January 2015 sales approaching – as well as the usual and seemingly constant promotions – we’ve put together a list of top secret tips to saving even more cash if you plan on hitting the high street.
Eat and sleep
This first one may sound bizarre but eating helps you to control will power and studies have shown that those with fuller bellies make less hasty decisions and fewer impulse buys.
Similarly, the more tired you are the more likely you are to be taken in by marketing gimmicks.
Take your time
Don’t rush and impulse buy, ask yourself if you really need what you want to purchase and if the deal REALLY is worth it. If you end up running around like a headless chicken you’re more likely to end up getting ripped off.
Pay in cash
Another psychological trick here; if you make sure to leave debit and credit cards behind and instead just take cash out with you there are two pros: First of all, you cannot spend more than you planned (obvs) and secondly, it’s also been proven that we are less willing to part with crisp new bank notes compared to plastic.
Shop on your own
Yet another brain trick: When we shop with friends peer pressure can get to us and make us buy things we feel we should or that will impress our pals. Go alone and you won’t have to worry about what others think.
It’s not just friends either, with research even showing that shoppers will tend to pick more expensive brands when a shelf is being crowded around by other customers as opposed to it being free to browse.
Compare online
A shop may have knocked down the price of a product but it doesn’t mean you can’t get it cheaper elsewhere. Arm yourself with your phone and do look ups online for any potential bargains to see if you can get them cheaper elsewhere (but be sure to remember to include delivery costs into the comparison).
Just don’t go!
Of course the easiest way to save ALL of your money is not to be bother with the sales at all. If you don’t need or want anything then there’s no need to leave the house in the first place, even if you just go ‘for a look’ you may be tempted to part with your cash.
