Who doesn’t want to shop? Practically everyone I know is obsessed with buying something for absolutely nothing. I’m no stranger to this disease. However, we always like to remain hopeful that we’ll be smarter the next time we go to one of our Lakeland shopping spree.
Here are seven practical tips you can follow:
1. Never shop when you’re angry.
There are many things we shouldn’t do when we’re angry–sleep, drive, negotiate a deal, etc. But we always tend to forget we shouldn’t shop either when we’re angry, stressed or deprived of sleep. Shopping is for the practical thinker. Just think about the numbers you have to crunch when shopping. I never shop when I’m angry. I tend to buy things I should have never bought in the first place.
2. Do not shop with someone who doesn’t want to shop.
I tell you: shopping with someone who doesn’t want to just ruins your style and your mojo. Do not shop with an anti-shopper. That is my cardinal rule of shopping. I can’t choose what I like the best, and I can’t continue going around the mall because someone else is huffing and puffing behind me.
3. A sale is not always a sale.
Even if it says “50% off,” we should always be wary about discounts and sales. Know that phrase “on selected items” that follow that “50% off” tag? That’s the enemy right there. Chances are you’ll just enter the store, find something you like which is not one of the “selected items,” then buy it anyway for the regular price.
4. Don’t go shopping on a hungry stomach.
Can you even do anything when you’re hungry? I cannot honestly function well, least of all shop. When I shop on an empty stomach, I just end up buying cookies I shouldn’t be eating anyway, or opening a bag of chips before I reach the counter.
5. Go for those free taste items.
How will you know you want to buy that new chicken nuggets instead of the brand you’ve known since you were a kid? Free taste, exactly. How many times have free tasting saved you from buying a horrible-tasting snack or cajoled you into trying that amazing strawberry-stuffed cheesecake brownies?
6. Collect coupons.
Please don’t tell me you have never used a coupon in your life? If you haven’t, please do check our amazing iCitySpy website for all the local and national coupons available. Collect, organize and use those coupons because it can save you something from a dollar to $50. Not bad, right?
7. Know how to negotiate.
Okay, so I know this only works for flea markets, but let’s throw it out there. When you’re in the flea market, negotiate a fair deal with the seller. If you’re in the mall or the grocery, negotiate even to yourself. Do you need this particular item? Or you just want it? Know your needs and your wants, and you shouldn’t go wrong with your Lakeland shopping activity.