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Shopping can be your best friend, but also your worst enemy (usually when you check your banking or credit card statements - whoops!) Shopping is getting more dangerous. With smart phones remembering your card details, PayPal saving your preferred payment method and with contactless payments, before you know it you have accidently purchased something else and you are left with a funny feeling in your tummy because you really shouldn’t have bought that.
So, to save you from your shopping needs - and to try and help myself in a blog post style of SA meeting – I thought I’d share with you some tips on how you can save money when shopping, or even help you avoid those oh so tempting sales (kinda).
DON’T TAKE CARDS OUT
The worst thing you can do is carry multiple cards. From bank cards, to credit cards and even store cards. Just don’t do it. The little minions in your head are far too tempting and before you know it you’d have spent god knows how much on stuff that you didn’t really need. Instead, budget. Think about what you need or how much you can limit yourself to spending, and take the cash out and leave all (and I mean all) your cards at home. This will avoid you overspending or just adding £10’s and £20’s here and there onto your card. As believe you me, they all add up!
AVOID DISCOUNTS
“Insert raising hand emoji here” I am possible the worst for buying something just because it’s on offer. I always think about what you are saving rather than what you are spending. We all know those in retail know exactly when to knock that oh so dreamy new coat down by 30% just to boost their sales. And we get sucked in and fall for it. Damn you sneaky little marketing monster! But, avoid buying. Chances are 1) Shops may offer further discount in a few weeks – It’s always ironic. 2) You don’t actually need it. And 3) You probably won’t ever wear/use it.
POINTS CARDS
I love points cards. Especially Debenhams or Boots cards where you get rewards for spending – which makes me feel less guilty – and it adds up to money off or will allow you to buy stuff for free in store. It’s amazing! I religiously use my Boots card for everything I buy in Boots, I always save the double points coupon’s and use them when I spent a lot in there. Eventually it adds up, and I save mine until Christmas and treat myself (and maybe others) to some free Christmas presents. Last year I managed to rack up enough to buy a couple of bits, plus treat myself to a 50ml bottle of Miss Dior Cherie EDP. Winning!
RECYCLING
We would all love to be super rich and to be able to walk into Harrods and buy whatever designer swag we want. But the truth is, us normal people can’t. I am not saying you can’t afford to treat yourself but often spending hundreds or thousands on a bag is usually a one off treat. But what happens when you want that amazing new Givenchy bag that you have been dreaming off for so long? My tip, if you no longer want to keep your other designer bags, selling these and using the money to buy or contribute to a new bag will make that rather large purchase not so large. This goes for buying a new seasonal wardrobe, get selling your unwanted clothes and accessories on eBay or Depop and then you will have spending money for new swag. It’s called recycling baby! And no-one will ever need to know.
LEAVE IN BAG OR CLOSE TAB
Whenever I feel sad (or upset, tired, bored, happy – the list is endless) I shop. Online shopping is the worst. Especially as you don’t even need to get off your sofa to make a payment as PayPal, naughty tinterweb cookies or smart phone apps all remember your information. Sometimes though, I have found it very therapeutic (and a cure for my inner shopper addict demons) to sit and add whatever I want to my basket, creating little outfits. And then I don’t purchase. I leave items in my wish list or basket and then check back in a few days or a week. Do I still want it all? You’d be surprised how much stuff you’d remove from changing your mind. Sometimes I also just play “rich girls” and add limitless amounts of designer swag to my basket, and then close the tab and forget it all. I am not weird, trust me. As surprisingly this actually really helps cure those shopping cravings and will also make sure that you don’t buy stuff that you will end up disliking in a weeks’ time.
So there you have it, a few of my tips to help you – and me - stop spending. If you have any tips to stop you spending money, then please leave a comment below to share (to the group ahah) your tips!
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