Let’s face it: We’ve all been in that situation where we go to a mall or an e-commerce store and feel like buying what we never budgeted for. And when we don’t control the urge, we give in to impulse buying. But if things continue like this, you’ll end up splurging unnecessarily when you can easily use some shopping hacks and save that extra dime you’d have given to the cashier.
Whether you’re shopping from a brick-and-mortar store or you’re simply surfing through Amazon, Jumia, Boohoo, Shein, or Asos, these shopping hacks will ensure you stick to your budget. And if you use them, you’ll also never make mistakes when buying clothes online.
That’s how effective these shopping hacks are. So, if you’re ready to implement them, let’s get started.
Shopping Hacks to Ensure You Spend Less
There are no two ways about it. If you want to know how to save money when shopping, keep these tips at the back of your mind.
1. Make a Budget and Stick to It
Don’t go shopping without having a budget. You should know how much you want to spend and try not to exceed it.
Once you have a budget, you’ll know immediately when you’re going overboard and put yourself in check immediately.
Furthermore, while creating your budget, make it a bit flexible. This is very important because there may be a price hike you don’t know about. So, to avoid getting shocked, let your budget accommodate extra fees.
2. Create a List in Line with Your Budget
You shouldn’t go shopping without having an idea of what you want to buy. The same applies when buying clothes online. You shouldn’t visit an e-commerce store or an Instagram page to shop without deciding on what you want to buy.
If you do that, you’ll wind up binge-shopping and splurging on things you don’t need, thereby exceeding your budget.
In addition, your list should only consist of items you need and maybe a few items you want. The goal is to save money while shopping and not burn your hard-earned money on fashion items or stuff that’ll become furniture in your house.
3. Pay with Cash
After creating a list, if you really want to stick to your budget, don’t pay with your debit or credit card. Instead, withdraw the exact amount on your budget and pay with cash.
It’ll be better if you don’t even go to the store with your credit card. This way, when you pick something that exceeds your budget, you leave it behind or come back after adding it to your next shopping list.
4. Ask Yourself Important Questions
If you come across fanciful items while perusing the store, stop to ask yourself two questions:
- Will I wear this if I buy it?
- Where will I wear it to?
If you can answer yes to the first question without flinching, go ahead and buy it. Other than that, forget about it unless you want to turn the item into a piece of furniture.
The same applies when you come across items that are on sale online. Just because the vendor wants to give it off at a very cheap price doesn’t mean you should get it. If you won’t wear it at all, don’t buy it even if it costs $1.
5. Stalk the Brand Before Buying
Before adding to your cart or even checking out, do your homework on the brand you’re about to buy from. Check their social media activities. Check for reviews to know what their customers say about them.
Even if the brand says they are the best that can be, don’t fall for it. You can visit Amazon or other sites with reviews to know what customers like you think about such a brand. This will ensure you don’t regret your buying decisions in the end.
You can also subscribe to their newsletter to keep in touch with the brand and know when they offer discount sales.
6. Read Product Descriptions
Most brick-and-mortar stores now have an online presence. This makes it more convenient for you the buyer to purchase anything you want.
But that convenience comes with a drawback: any little mistake can make you buy what you’ll regret.
So, how do you avoid that? By simply reading every detail about the products.
Thankfully, brands include in their product descriptions details like colors, how to care, how to style, fabric, size guide, etc. Read them all to ensure you buy your correct size and give appropriate care to the dress.
For instance, you may buy a dress only to find out it bleeds color not knowing the manufacturer already showed you how to stop color bleeding on the product description.
Reading product descriptions is also one of the ways to buy clothes online without regrets. Even if you don’t like reading, make it a habit to read anything a clothing manufacturer has to say about their products.
Once you read the details and you see that it’s not something you like, drop it and save that money that would have gone into buying what you’ll eventually regret.
7. Don’t Check Out Until You’re Sure
If you find a product you’re not certain you want, don’t buy it yet. Just leave it in your cart and give yourself some days to think it through.
If you still want it afterward, check out. If otherwise, don’t buy it. Just move on.
8. When Buying for the First Time, Register on the Site
If you’re buying with a brand for the first time, you should register on the website. This is because some brands offer discounts for first-time purchases. And to get it, you may be asked to register on the site or subscribe to their newsletter.
Do this to get a discount and save your money. You can always unsubscribe later.
9. Try it on First, If You’re Buying Offline
If you’re buying offline from a boutique or clothing store, try the cloth on first before taking it to the counter.
No better way to know if it fits or suits you unless you try it on. You may look at it and think it’ll suit you but when you try it on, you’ll be disappointed.
So, to avoid wasting money on something that won’t fit perfectly, try it on in the store.
Unfortunately, you can’t test clothes when shopping online. But checking the product descriptions and size guides will give you an overview of what to expect especially if the brand is precise.
Apart from that, few vendors offer pay-on-delivery purchases. If you’re lucky to meet them, then you have the chance to try the item on before paying for it.
10. Don’t Carry a Shopping Cart
If you’re shopping offline with a limited budget, don’t carry a shopping basket especially if you’re wont to impulse buying.
Carrying a shopping cart will make you feel comfortable to keep adding in the items that catch your fancy. Instead, stick to the items you want and place them in your hand.
If the items on your list are many and you’re sure a shopping basket won’t tempt you to add other fanciful things that aren’t on your list, go ahead and use a basket.
11. Don’t Be Scared to Ask for Discounts
You just may never know if the store is running a discount when you’re about to pay for the full price. So, ask for it.
If there’s no discount sale and you’re a first-time or regular customer, the brand may offer other sales promos such as free delivery, free consultation, or a slash in price.
12. Know When Promos Run
There are certain months when retailers and brands alike run sales promos. For instance, in November, there’s Black Friday. There are also Independence day sales, Christmas bonuses, Easter sales promo, etc.
If you want to save money when buying, monitor these months and follow up when brands run sales promos. You just may be lucky to get a 50% discount, who knows?
13. Only go Shopping When in a Good Mood
Never go shopping when you don’t feel like it. You may end up buying things you won’t like at the end of the day— all thanks to your bad mood.
14. Better to Shop Alone
Don’t go shopping with a partner. Tell you why: if you aren’t self-willed, your shopping partner can convince you to buy something you never planned for just because “it’ll look good on you.”
Some may even want you to buy for them not minding if it’s an inconvenience or not. Hence, if you know you can easily be persuaded, do your shopping alone.
And that’s all about the shopping hacks that’ll help you save money. Don’t leave without saving this page. It’ll come in handy whenever you want to shop online or offline. And if you’re ready to do that now…
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