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6 Ways to Become a Savvy Consumer
- Published: July 28, 2010 by Umma Queenan Comments (0)
Pay cash not card
We think about how much we’re spending much more if we pay with cash. Handing over a credit or debit card doesn’t make us think about the price ticket in the same way.
We think about how much we’re spending much more if we pay with cash. Handing over a credit or debit card doesn’t make us think about the price ticket in the same way.
Shop alone
We tend to spend more if we’re with friends. Psychologists claim it’s done subconsciously to maintain our ‘self image’. Hands up those who aren’t guilty of ever being encouraged to buy by a friend? Or spending just that little bit more that we know we should?
Save on delivery charges
Shopping online saves time but is it really good value when you add up all those delivery charges? It can prove expensive if you want a couple of items from several stores, so check delivery charges before shopping. This way you won’t waste an hour on the site to find there’s a $4.95 delivery charge.
Many stores do offer free delivery or there may be an easy way around it. If you’re just a pound or two short of the ‘free delivery’, hunt around for another item you need or can make use of, to fill your basket, as spending another $2 to save a $5 delivery charge is worth it. However, on the flip side, talking yourself into spending $10 just to get the free delivery isn’t. Alternatively make a note of sites that offer delivery free of charge and stick with those.
Buy show-home furniture
You can buy up the furniture that’s been used for show homes at big reductions, simply because it’s been on display. Ask the developer first to find out where they sell on, or go to discount warehouse outlets like www.showhomewarehouse.co.uk.
Many high-street furniture stores such as Marks & Spencer, Laura Ashley, John Lewis and House of Fraser offload canceled orders or surplus stock at out-of-the-way outlets like www.trade-secret.co.uk; they sell brand-name furniture at 50 per cent off the original price.
End-of-line ex-display and refurbished electrical goods, like washing machines, laptops, dishwashers and plasma TVs, are often sold off on alternative websites. Comet, for example, sells new and slightly damaged products at up to 50 per cent discount at www.clearance-comet.co.uk. It is an auction site, so it’s worth checking the eBay price first.
Buy trade
Lots of the DIY stores and kitchen and bathroom outlets offer trade discount. While you may not be ‘trade’ yourself, ask around among family and friends to find someone who’s in the building trade or runs their own business and asks them to place an order for you to get a discount.
Buy out of the season
Buying what everyone else wants at the same time means higher prices, as the shops know they can shift their stock.
Say you want a new bike, then the best time to buy is after the summer. Everyone’s bought their bikes for the new school or university term and the Christmas selection won’t yet have hit the shops, so you can find discounts.
Buy your tumble dryer in the middle of summer; or have your double glazing installed then. These aren’t things you desperately need at this time of the year, yet wait until winter, and you may find it harder to get the best price.
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