Sales, sales, sales!!!

New year and the end of financial year means only one thing for avid shoppers - great sales.  But if you enter the shops unprepared you may end up spending more than you bargained for.  Only those with strong resolves can enter stores, see great bargains and not purchase.  So unless you are made of sterner stuff or you have an unlimited wallet, you shouldn’t encounter too many problems.

But for those who may be on a tighter budget, it is wise to write a list of things you want to buy or are searching for and try to stick to it.  Allow for a small amount of flexibility in case you do see this season’s must have item for 80% off, but otherwise remember a sale only benefits you if you had an original intention to purchase the item.

If you have a budget and it will hurt if you dig deeper then leave the credit card at home.  This will ensure you don’t make any rash purchases which you can’t really afford.

Sales can often be hard to resist.  They are great for pick-me-ups and a great way to spend an afternoon shopping with friends.  But if you are in a negative mood prior to your trip you may end up with so called bargains that under normal circumstances you wouldn’t purchase or wear.  50% or 70% off sounds great but if you wouldn’t use the item or you need to lose 5 kilos before you can squeeze into it, then it is best to avoid the purchase.

Sales are also great for doing some early Christmas shopping and enables you to spread the purchases over a longer period.  Layby also can help you around sale time as well as many stores offer layby until Christmas Eve on sale prices from July onwards.  Spending hundreds of dollars in December may hurt you more than if you had started making Christmas purchases midyear. 

Remember the sales are ultimately meant to benefit you, not the retailer.  Happy shopping!

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