You don’t have to be frugal to appreciate the value of a fantastic bargain. Whether it’s a 50% online-only sale or a local store clearance that is literally giving away items, those big red numbers almost always give us that tingling sensation that we’re stretching our pennies. It might sound silly, but there are many people who don’t actually look around for deals, don’t value their pennies or even shop smartly. If you’re someone that doesn’t put too much thought into your their purchases, or if you want to know how you can save even more money by shopping smartly, here are a couple of tips.
Making Smart Purchases
First of all, before you make a purchase you should think about what you’re actually buying and if you need it. You have to discipline yourself to not fall into the trap of spending money during a sale on items you don’t actually need. For instance, if there’s a 50% sale on a large 4K television, then you might be inclined to upgrade your current television. In this case, think how much you actually use your television and if it will be worth the upgrade. The fact that there’s a sale doesn’t necessarily indicate a great deal either, it could just mean that the television in question isn’t very good and they’re getting rid of stock in anticipation of a new model.
In this case, you should do your research. Look online and Google a review of the product in question. If the reviews look good and the price is within your range, then you can consider buying it based on the fact that it’s a good value purchase. But let’s not stop there, let’s go back to what was said previously—do you actually need it? Far too many people become hoarders because they keep buying cheap furniture and electronics whenever they’re on sale. In the case of a 4K television, you need to have compatible media in order to make use of the larger resolution. If you currently use your television to watch Netflix, then you need to understand that not every show or movie currently supports 4K programming, meaning you won’t get to make the most of your new television. According to Lifewire.com, only a couple of shows on Netflix can be viewed in 4K, and the quality isn’t a huge difference compared to regular HD streaming.
How to Look for Deals
Deal-hunting is one of the most satisfying things for a frugal shopper to do. Whenever you have a couple of minutes spare, you could log on to deal websites such as DontPayFull.com and make some fantastic savings on everything from groceries to electronics. Many coupons go out of date within just a couple of weeks or even days, so if there are coupons for something you need such as groceries, then it’s best to make use of them as soon as possible.
Whenever you shop online, it’s a good idea to search for coupons for the online store you are using. You’d be surprised at how many times an online business hands out discount coupons on their social media channels or gives a code to reviews in order to get a bit more publicity. It doesn’t take long to look around for a coupon code either. Just do a simple Google search and spend about five minutes searching. If you can’t find a working one, then chances are there probably isn’t an active coupon around that you can use.
Separating Good and Bad Reviews
Online reviews on the store’s website are usually pretty horrible. Sometimes they’re filled with angry customers that bought a product and don’t understand how to use it, sometimes they’re reviewed by people who didn’t even buy the product, and occasionally there are reviews by people who are far too optimistic about a company or brand and they write a review that is borderline false advertising. These are the types of reviews you want to avoid, but it can sometimes be difficult trying to discern whether a review is legitimate or bogus. In other words, it’s best to avoid product reviews completely on websites such as Amazon, and you should only use the star rating as a general indication of the quality of a product.
If you want more detailed information, you should try and find reviews on YouTube that actually show you the product so you get a better idea of what it’s like. In addition to that, reviews on popular blogs that have reviewed similar products are also trustworthy, and they typically offer coupon codes or affiliate links that help you save money on those specific purchases. You can find a useful list of trusted reviewers at Cision.com. Keep in mind that some lesser-known blogs will review products only because they have been sponsored to, and although they are legally obliged to let people know they have received the product for free or that it’s a paid sponsorship, they sometimes neglect to do so.
Refurbished, Used and Older Models
Depending on the type of item you want to buy, you might get a fantastic deal on used or refurbished equipment. For instance, a new MacBook Pro starts at around £1,149, but a refurbished or opened box laptop of the same model could save you around £300 or more. If you look at refurbished versions of an older model, you could save even more money. The product still works, it comes with all the same software, the hardware is comparable and you could save a huge chunk of money.
Unless you absolutely need to buy something new, there’s almost no reason to buy it straight from the manufacturer or full price on a website or in-store. You should always look for older models because in some cases, they actually function better and have more features. For instance, the newer iPhone 7 doesn’t come with a headphone jack, meaning you can’t plug in your traditional headphones. This could be a problem if you don’t have a Bluetooth headset, which is why the iPhone 6 is still so popular because it still has the headphone jack, it’s cheaper and it still functionals fine.
In other words, always do your research and don’t be afraid of buying refurbished or used. You could save a massive chunk of money and there are usually always guarantees that the product will still work, and if it doesn’t, you have a right to return it to the seller and claim your money back.