How To Save Money While Shopping!

How To Save While Shopping

I love to shop! I have loved to shop since I was a little girl! I don't mean groceries. I mean makeup, skincare, clothes, thing-a-ma-bobs, and doo-dads. It has been a real problem for me, in the past, and has slowed down my savings plan. As I've grown older, I have realized retirement isn't really that far away and time moves too quickly. We need to save our nickels and dimes wherever we can and I'm going to share some tips on how to save while shopping. After all, we all need toilet paper, bread, and something to drink, don't we? 😃

As we grow older, from youth to adult, your money may have moved from a porcelain piggy to a bank account, but the importance of saving it hasn't changed. Whether saving for a new toy or bike, or for a new car or retirement, the discipline of saving money hasn't changed. Everybody has to go shopping. Although many people hate it, it is still a necessary inconvenience that must be done. In order to shop to save money, you just have to learn to be a smart shopper.

Differentiate wants from needs

The former can wait while the latter cannot. A lot of people have financial problems due to their incapability to separate what is necessary from what they just drool about (face masks for me). Prioritizing is a key to successfully saving money. Can that beauty sheet mask that looks amazing wait until next week? Something for our lunch sack tomorrow may be more important.

Check prices

The Internet is a great invention that you should take advantage of. Before buying a new pair of Prada shoes or the latest generation of iPad, I usually look up prices from stores online. I know what brand and store have the cheapest finds before I leave my house. Ebates is also an excellent option for getting money back just for buying what you were going to buy anyway. No hassles. Groupon is another great way to buy services or gifts at a big discount. Coupons.com and ibotta.com are two online sources as well. I know that many grocery stores also now have their own coupon websites where you can download the app, scan the barcode of your item from the shelf, and check in store for an online coupon.

Set a limit

 Fine, so you already organized your list and decided which are on the top. Unfortunately, you still have a limited budget to spend and there is no chance of you winning the lottery anytime soon. Set a limit of what you want to spend and don't go over that, no matter what. It might be easy to say, “I'll just charge it”, but when next month comes and that credit card bill can't be paid off in full, you're paying wayyyy too much for your purchase. Save up for a few months, if need be, and you'll be surprised at how much better and less stressed you feel when you know you've researched and saved and gotten the best deal AND paid for it in full, at time of purchase.

Buy in bulk

You don't know how much money you can save when you buy items in bulk. Not only are you stocking up, but you are also saving money because most times the store will discount bulk items. When you go this route, be careful. I have found that some stores take advantage of the need to buy in bulk and will raise their prices accordingly so compare the costs to buying singular. Of course, Costco is a loved and familiar face for many of us and for good reason. Whole Foods is another great choice.
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The above tips are just some of the numerous ways to save money, but there are many other ways. Just be frugal and prepare ahead of time before you venture forth to the store. Think ahead (I just bought a stocking stuffer for next Christmas), make a list, and plan to save for a few months for those big purchases.

Until next time...😃💕💜

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