How to Bargain Shop
Familiarize yourself with retail prices., Bargain hunt online., Use coupons., Check weekly ads., Shop on Tuesday nights., Be on the lookout for special discounts., Follow your favorite stores on social media., Learn sales cycles.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Familiarize yourself with retail prices.
If you want to be able to find bargains, you should be able to recognize a good deal.
Therefore, before you go out shopping for an item, spend some time learning the usual retail prices.
You can easily use the internet to do some research before going out shopping.
For example, if you're looking for a coffee table for your living room, browse furniture store websites for products with the size and design you want.
Try to get a sense of how much this item normally goes for.
If coffee tables seem to cost $125 on average, a store offering a table for a discount rate of $115 isn't saving you all that much.
If you find a coffee table on sale for $70, you know that's a good deal. -
Step 2: Bargain hunt online.
Browse sites like eBay or Craigslist.
See if anyone's offering a used table for a discount rate.
However, you should take some precautions when using sites like this.
Assess the condition of the product before making a purchase and always meet people you contact online in public first. , Coupons are a classic means of bargain shopping.
You can use traditional coupon cutting.
Scan your local newspaper for coupons relevant to your shopping needs.
Pocket any coupons you get at the register and use them later.
You can also find somewhat nontraditional ways to enhance coupon discounts.
Stack coupons on top of in store sales.
If a coupon does not say something like "whole price only," aim to use it when the item in question goes on sale.
This way, you can double the savings.You can potentially stack coupons as well.
You can use coupons from the store in addition to coupons issued by a specific company.
Just check store policy first.
Some stores may have rules against coupon stacking.Some stores match competitor's coupons.
It may be to your advantage to ask.
This can save you a trip when shopping.If a store is out of a sales item, you may be able to get a rain check.
You can show a cashier you had the coupon for an item that's out of stock.
The store can reserve the item for you and sell it to you when they restock at the discount price, even after your coupon has expired., If you subscribe to a local newspaper, ads usually come certain days of the week.
These may contain coupons for food and other products.
Make a habit of clipping coupons relevant to your shopping needs and then bringing them with you when you run to the store.
For example, may you could always make a point of checking ads the day before you're going shopping. , It's fairly common for stores to mark down items on a Tuesday night.
If you're looking to score sales, consider shopping in the late evening Tuesday.
Sales items will be recently marked down and less likely to have sold out., Many people don't realize how many specialized discounts stores offer.
There may be discounts for those in the military, as well as college students and the elderly.
There are also occupational discounts.
For example, some stores may offer a 10% discount for teachers.
Ask about special discounts when checking out.
You may be surprised to find some apply to you., Stores often post about upcoming sales and discounts on social media accounts.
Following a variety of your favorite stores on Twitter and Facebook can help you spot sales early on., While Tuesdays are common to mark down items, stores do have independent sales cycles.
If possible, it's best to learn the specific sales cycles for your favorite stores.
This way, you can plan to shop during times when you'll find the most discounts.
You might have to do some trial and error to figure out sales cycles.
Try to take note of when sales items appear.
If you notice your local Gap seems to suddenly have marked down items Thursday afternoons, they may transfer items to discount prices on Wednesday nights.
This may be the optimal time to shop.
If you have a friend that works in a store you frequent, try asking him if he knows the sales cycle.There are some general rules that can guide you as well.
For example, many retailers move certain items to clearance or sale after six months.
If you can hold out on buying that new set of curtains for a few months, it might be worth waiting to see if it moves to clearance.If you search for discounts at thrift stores, shop early in the week.
Most people who donate to such stores do so on the weekend.
Therefore, Mondays and Tuesdays are your best options for heading to thrift stores as there will be the most variety. -
Step 3: Use coupons.
-
Step 4: Check weekly ads.
-
Step 5: Shop on Tuesday nights.
-
Step 6: Be on the lookout for special discounts.
-
Step 7: Follow your favorite stores on social media.
-
Step 8: Learn sales cycles.
Detailed Guide
If you want to be able to find bargains, you should be able to recognize a good deal.
Therefore, before you go out shopping for an item, spend some time learning the usual retail prices.
You can easily use the internet to do some research before going out shopping.
For example, if you're looking for a coffee table for your living room, browse furniture store websites for products with the size and design you want.
Try to get a sense of how much this item normally goes for.
If coffee tables seem to cost $125 on average, a store offering a table for a discount rate of $115 isn't saving you all that much.
If you find a coffee table on sale for $70, you know that's a good deal.
Browse sites like eBay or Craigslist.
See if anyone's offering a used table for a discount rate.
However, you should take some precautions when using sites like this.
Assess the condition of the product before making a purchase and always meet people you contact online in public first. , Coupons are a classic means of bargain shopping.
You can use traditional coupon cutting.
Scan your local newspaper for coupons relevant to your shopping needs.
Pocket any coupons you get at the register and use them later.
You can also find somewhat nontraditional ways to enhance coupon discounts.
Stack coupons on top of in store sales.
If a coupon does not say something like "whole price only," aim to use it when the item in question goes on sale.
This way, you can double the savings.You can potentially stack coupons as well.
You can use coupons from the store in addition to coupons issued by a specific company.
Just check store policy first.
Some stores may have rules against coupon stacking.Some stores match competitor's coupons.
It may be to your advantage to ask.
This can save you a trip when shopping.If a store is out of a sales item, you may be able to get a rain check.
You can show a cashier you had the coupon for an item that's out of stock.
The store can reserve the item for you and sell it to you when they restock at the discount price, even after your coupon has expired., If you subscribe to a local newspaper, ads usually come certain days of the week.
These may contain coupons for food and other products.
Make a habit of clipping coupons relevant to your shopping needs and then bringing them with you when you run to the store.
For example, may you could always make a point of checking ads the day before you're going shopping. , It's fairly common for stores to mark down items on a Tuesday night.
If you're looking to score sales, consider shopping in the late evening Tuesday.
Sales items will be recently marked down and less likely to have sold out., Many people don't realize how many specialized discounts stores offer.
There may be discounts for those in the military, as well as college students and the elderly.
There are also occupational discounts.
For example, some stores may offer a 10% discount for teachers.
Ask about special discounts when checking out.
You may be surprised to find some apply to you., Stores often post about upcoming sales and discounts on social media accounts.
Following a variety of your favorite stores on Twitter and Facebook can help you spot sales early on., While Tuesdays are common to mark down items, stores do have independent sales cycles.
If possible, it's best to learn the specific sales cycles for your favorite stores.
This way, you can plan to shop during times when you'll find the most discounts.
You might have to do some trial and error to figure out sales cycles.
Try to take note of when sales items appear.
If you notice your local Gap seems to suddenly have marked down items Thursday afternoons, they may transfer items to discount prices on Wednesday nights.
This may be the optimal time to shop.
If you have a friend that works in a store you frequent, try asking him if he knows the sales cycle.There are some general rules that can guide you as well.
For example, many retailers move certain items to clearance or sale after six months.
If you can hold out on buying that new set of curtains for a few months, it might be worth waiting to see if it moves to clearance.If you search for discounts at thrift stores, shop early in the week.
Most people who donate to such stores do so on the weekend.
Therefore, Mondays and Tuesdays are your best options for heading to thrift stores as there will be the most variety.
About the Author
Danielle Garcia
Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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