Wednesday 26 March 2014

My top 10 : How to be a Savvy Shopper.

 
It is no secret that we are still in recession and for the many of us, that means having to constantly watch the pennies and tighten our purse strings. Believe me when I say, I am far from a money saving expert, in fact quite the opposite. Over the years, I have constantly battled with the whole spend less/save more mantra. Hand me £3000 cash and I will spend it all in less than 30 minutes- guaranteed. It wasn't after leaving my job to raise my two children and be a SAHM that I understood the value of money better. Do you find yourself constantly looking at the gorgeous pair of shoes on ASOS and hesitate? Read on below for my tried and tested tips  on smarter shopping and you may just be able to throw in the shoes too!
 
1) I honestly cannot go past a Starbucks before stepping in having already decided what I want to drink. Register for the My Starbucks Rewards Card/App and use it to purchase your drink. As well as a free drink after 15 visits, make use of benefits such as free whipped cream, free extra shots and free select syrups. Why pay more when you can get it free.
 
 2) Even better, make your own tea/coffee in a small flask for when you're out and about. Chances are, you wont even be thinking about the Starbucks one.
 
3) Take your own carrier bags! Yep you've read that right and no no one will think you are an old skinflint. Most places like M&S and Superdrug charge atleast 5p a bag in a bid to save the environment. Now, do you really want to be paying an extra 5p for bags each time you shop? No, didn't think so.
 
4) A very useful tip I picked up from a friend of mine whilst we were at Uni was to withdraw £30 cash at the start of the week and if you're feeling really brave, leave all your cards at home. Keep a separate pouch for all the loose change you may accumulate, after all, pennies turn into pounds!
 
5) Really make good use of points on cards that allow you to accumulate points and use it as monetary value off your shopping. My personal favourites are the Superdrug Beauty Card, good old Boots card, Costa card and Debenhams Beauty Club Card. The more you collect, the more you get off! Coupons are another favourite of mine.
 
6) Browse around- which I think many of us do anyway. Can you get it cheaper elsewhere? Most miss a trick when it comes to fashion bargains, the internet will always have discounted beauty and fashion. Nobody wants to pay for something only to find it way cheaper elsewhere. Its a slap in the face.
 
7) "If in doubt, leave it out"- as the saying goes, have a real good think about what's in your basket before checking out, online or in the shops, ask yourself, do you really need another hand cream when you already have three at home? No one will judge you for putting things back. Do not be afraid to walk away and say 'I need a few minutes to think about this'
 
8) Make a shopping list of what you need to get and where from- you are more likely to stick to it and stay focused and be less distracted, always works for me!
 
9) Your mobile phone- Keep a close eye on the minutes/texts/data usage you have agreed on with your provider. Its so easy to get carried away talking to a loved ones and then get a hefty 'out of allowance' charge at the end of the month. Ouch!
 
10) And finally if you have the gift of the gab, do not be afraid to use it. You'd be surprised at the freebies that get thrown in sometimes, upgrade an air fare, at a restaurant, bring down your bill, car insurance, practically anywhere you like!. My mum certainly has it and her motto is 'Don't ask, don't get' Quite right there Mother!
 
So there you have it guys, my top ten tips on how to be a savvy shopper, as above, I am no money saving expert, just someone that likes to have my cake and eat it! haha!
 
Do you have any smart shopping tips? Do share them below! Until next time.
 
Love & Lipstick
 
xxx
 
 
 
 

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