Comments on: Beware of Sellers’ Tricks: A Basic Guide to Smart Shopping http://almostfrugal.com/2009/05/08/basic-guide-to-smart-shopping/ Learning about frugality Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:11:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Kristy @ Master Your Cardhttp://almostfrugal.com/2009/05/08/basic-guide-to-smart-shopping/#comment-4885 Kristy @ Master Your Card Sun, 10 May 2009 19:45:10 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=3023#comment-4885 I fall victim to the first one quite a bit. Once I spend money on something, or even just commit to spend the money, it's very easy to tell myself "what's another $20-$30 more?" Now, this usually only happens when I'm purchasing DVDs, my one true shopping weakness; however, it did happen on a recent clothes shopping trip and I walked out spending way more than I wanted. I could have returned some of the clothes, but I did need new clothes and I wear them, so I just chalked it up to a lesson learned. Something you didn't point out, but does affect our shopping habits is sales. Stores trick people into believing they're getting a good deal on something by having a "sale." From my old retail days, I can tell you, they mark that stuff up 10-15% before putting it on sale. You're not really saving anything. Black Friday is a classic example here in the states. The day after Thanksgiving is seen as one of the biggest sale days of the year and people line up outside their favorite stores 4-5 hours before opening to make sure they get what they want. Ridiculous. You're not saving any real money AND you're driven to mean-spirited competition because you want the same thing as everyone else. Every year, at least one death is reported from trampling of these crowds. Now, that's not to say that ALL sales are fictitious. However, as you pointed out, it's important for people to do the math and their homework. Just because an item says it's on sale doesn't mean it really is. You have to consider what it was before the sale, and what it is now. Thanks for the great post! <abbr><em>Kristy @ Master Your Card´s last blog post..<a href="http://masteryourcard.com/blog/2009/05/08/weekly-round-up-10/" rel="nofollow">Weekly Round Up</a></abbr></em> I fall victim to the first one quite a bit. Once I spend money on something, or even just commit to spend the money, it’s very easy to tell myself “what’s another $20-$30 more?” Now, this usually only happens when I’m purchasing DVDs, my one true shopping weakness; however, it did happen on a recent clothes shopping trip and I walked out spending way more than I wanted. I could have returned some of the clothes, but I did need new clothes and I wear them, so I just chalked it up to a lesson learned.

Something you didn’t point out, but does affect our shopping habits is sales. Stores trick people into believing they’re getting a good deal on something by having a “sale.” From my old retail days, I can tell you, they mark that stuff up 10-15% before putting it on sale. You’re not really saving anything. Black Friday is a classic example here in the states. The day after Thanksgiving is seen as one of the biggest sale days of the year and people line up outside their favorite stores 4-5 hours before opening to make sure they get what they want. Ridiculous. You’re not saving any real money AND you’re driven to mean-spirited competition because you want the same thing as everyone else. Every year, at least one death is reported from trampling of these crowds.

Now, that’s not to say that ALL sales are fictitious. However, as you pointed out, it’s important for people to do the math and their homework. Just because an item says it’s on sale doesn’t mean it really is. You have to consider what it was before the sale, and what it is now.

Thanks for the great post!

Kristy @ Master Your Card´s last blog post..Weekly Round Up

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