• Check for discounted display items. When we are making a major purchase, we always ask the salesperson if the store has any of last year’s items on sale or if there’s a display or demo model for sale. This works for cars, appliances, mattresses, furniture, and almost any big-ticket item. You would be surprised at how much you can save.
• Shop in-store then buy online. Last summer Sandra wanted two new pairs of high-end jeans. She went to Holt Renfrew and tried on the style and size that she wanted, then she went on to eBay, found exactly what she wanted, and paid $200 for three pairs of jeans that would have cost a lot more at the mall.
• Prowl the web for promo codes. Once you’ve filled your shopping cart at an online retailer, open another window and type the name of the retailer and “coupon” or “promo code” into your favorite search engine. You should be able to find discounts or coupons that you can use when you check out — saving as much as 30 percent.
• Carry the card. If you regularly shop at a particular store, see if they offer a frequent-shopper card. You can join for free and receive coupons and qualify for special discounts. Some stores give out coupons worth a specific cash amount off your next purchase once you’ve spent a certain amount of money there over time (for example: for every $100 you spend, regardless of how many separate trips it takes to reach that amount, you’d get a $5-off coupon to use within a certain period of time).
• Sign up for sale updates. Most clothing stores and boutiques now send out regular e-mail alerts to customers on their mailing lists about sales and special events. It takes two minutes to sign up, but the savings can be substantial. Tip: You can often plan ahead once you know when your favorite stores’ regular sales are, so you can save up your money and then stock up on some of your favorite looks for less.
• Buy some time. If you’re planning to shop in the same mall or retail area for a while, put the item you’re considering on hold for a few hours. Then walk around before you go back to the store and buy it. Once you’re out of the environment and have had some time to think about your purchase, you may decide you can easily live without it.
• Scour secondhand stores. Thrift stores, vintage stores, and other secondhand shops are often treasure troves for the savvy shopper. Sure, you have to do some digging, but you can often find designer clothes and accessories at deeply discounted prices. Better yet, drop off some of your gently worn clothes, and you may get an even trade or come home with some extra money as well as extra clothes.
• Go generic. Most grocery stores offer generic or store-brand versions of everything from cocoa to cookies, even diapers and baby wipes. Often the quality is comparable; the generic or store-brand versions are just less expensive because they don’t spend much on design or marketing. If you pay out of pocket for medicine, you should also check regularly to see if generic versions of your prescription drugs are available yet. Under law, pharmaceutical companies must allow generic versions of their brand-name drugs to be sold after a certain period of time has elapsed. (Many health insurance companies now routinely require the use of generics, unless otherwise prescribed, in order to cut costs.)
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Read more:
• Save energy (and money!) in your home
• Makeup: Which items should you save or splurge on?
• How to shop in a recession
Excerpted from The Smart Cookies' Guide to Making More Dough, copyright 2008 by The Smart Cookies with Jennifer Barrett. Used by permission of Random House Canada.All Rights Reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.
