Ask yourself - 'do I really need it?' - realise that there is a difference between a need and a want. You should fulfill your needs always but not the wants.
Real life advice from real women
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Topics: finances
How to save money when shopping
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If you are in the US, try The Grocery Game. http://www.thegrocerygame.com/ For a small fee you will get a weekly list with your local grocery store's items that are currently at their rock bottom prices. The list also tells you what coupons to clip and where they can be found in the newspaper.
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Put grocery shopping off for a day or two. Sometimes I am tempted to go shopping before I really need to. If I wait a couple of days I have to get a bit creative with leftovers and existing food. Once you have a fridge full of new groceries the older ones are less likely to get used. I try to use up all my fruit and veggies before making another trip. Stir fries are a good way to use up veggies and it is easy to invent new pasta salads using dressings and the last few tomatoes etc. This eliminates an entire grocery trip each month and makes me use what I have bought already. I would have to clip a lot of coupons to save this much!
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Be the Coupon Queen. Places like Asda will take coupons for things they sell, even if you haven't bought them. Also, if you shop online, you get free delivery if you have one of their credit cards. Saves being tempted by clothes and stuff when your're in store.
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Going out with just cash is great. Stick to your list and do not waver. When you get home, immediately record your receipt in a log, itemizing into categories if need be. This was a real wake-up call for me. Now, I re-think when I am tempted by that magazine or lipstick. I now have more money in my account at the end of each week!
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Meal Plan. On the day before you're due to shop, go through your cupboards, fridge and freezer and see what you've already got. Then make yourself a menu list for the next week (or however long until you shop again). Ideally, incorporate your existing ingredients into the dishes you choose to include. From the Menu list, you can then write up a shopping list. Once in the supermarket, do not deviate from the shopping list unless you spot a spectacularly good deal. Good luck!
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Put a little notebook in your purse. Before you impulse purchase a non-necessity, write in your notebook, what it is, where it is and how much. If you're still thinking about it a week later and can afford it, go back and purchase it. Only allow yourself one notebook purchase a week. Chances are you'll either lose your enthusiasm for the item or find something you want more. Plus it just might be on sale when you return.
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Join www.giveortake.com which automatically gives you a cash back reward, usually a percentage of what you have spent everytime you shop online via their site. They have over 500 retailers working with them and at the end of the month you can opt to either keep what money you have saved or you can donate it to one of the many charities they work alongside. Guilt free shopping guaranteed
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I also find that if you go out with cash, you tend to spend less than if you had your credit (or debit) card with you. The reason being that you see the money go out of your purse so you tend to calm down!
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I implemented a two week rule before purchasing "want" items that are over a certain price threshold. If I'm still thinking about the item two weeks after I first saw it then I allow myself to go back and to make the purchase. This helps avoid the impulse buys.
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Whenever I grocery shop, I make a list and give myself a limit on the amount i will spend. As I add items to my cart, I always round up to the next dollar. By the time I'm at the checkout, I'm under my limit--and can spent my money on other things!
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Do a search on Google for vouchers. I just searched on Tesco vouchers and got two codes that give me £5 off a £50 shop. Then I was just about to buy something from Expert Verdict, instead I searched for vouchers and signed up to get 5% cashback on the purchase I made with them! See www.myvouchercodes.co.uk & www.ushopucare.co.uk for further info
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If you mean clothes shopping make sure you try everything on before you buy it and don't be afriad to take things back. Theres no need at all to pay steep prices for designer clothes, look in high street shops such as Primark (my fave!!), New Look & Peacocks, the clothes are just as nice but at a fraction of the price!
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if its food shopping then - eat before you shop - this will make u buy less junk and more of what u actually need - if ur hungrey then ull just want to buy evetything u see!!
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If you shop online a lot then try going through a cashback website. There are loads out there, I think the best one is money back madness. Just go through their website and they'll give you a percentage of the money you spend back.
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moneysavingexpert.com is a really good place to start. I always go on there before i checkout on my online tesco shop because i can normally save myself between £5 and £10.
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Before you go shopping pick a maximum amount of money you would like to spend. As you are shopping for anything
estimate the cost as you shop for instance when you pick up a bag of cookies for about 2 dollars add it to your total and at the end make sure your mentally added total is not more then the one you set.:)))
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only bring the amount you want to spend. and when your in stores like debenhams and house of fraser, you can normally bulk buy and get money off or discount vouchers/gifts like chocolat boxes. so buy everything u need in one place!!you cna also cllect store point.
