Is there ever a good reason to pay full retail price for the things you buy? After all you have the options of end-of season sales (Mrs. Scrooge just bought some nice summer dishes regular $1.88 each for $0.44 each!), secondhand stores, garage and rummage sales, swaps and hand-me-downs from friends and relatives, auction sales (don’t forget online!) and normal half price sales.
The trick to avoid paying full retail is in planning ahead and only buying when things are on sale. The better you get at anticipating your future needs, the more you will save in the long run. If you are just starting off doing this you may find that it isn’t saving you much money in the beginning because you are spending on things that you may not immediately need.
For instance, in the fall you may be buying kids summer clothes half price and not able to use them until the following year. However, as the months go by your savings will catch up with you and your overall spending through the year will be lower. One thing that you need to avoid though is buying “everything” that you see on sale. Some people can justify purchasing any bargain.
In this case you would end up spending more than you should, or even spending more than you would if you had just bought everything at retail in your old process. This would be counterproductive indeed. A good way to get started using this process is by focusing on the three biggest expenditure areas. If, for instance, you usually spend the most on groceries, clothing and household items, then you should watch these areas closely each week for exceptional sales.
As you find great deals (like bulk toilet paper on for a third the regular price), stock up. In fact if the deal is exceptional and not likely to be repeated then why not buy a six month or
even a one-year supply? The less you pay for an item you need, or the longer you can put off that purchase, the better a cash position you will be in. Stocking up in bulk on discount items to save money requires you to walk a fine line between paying a lower price and delaying a purchase. But it is one that will make you wealthier in the long run.
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