Shopping Strategies

So it's not that easy to find good products and services at a good price. Here are some tips I picked up.

• Do as much of your shopping online as possible: create personal accounts at each store website you shop at, and fill up multiple wish lists for your shopping on said websites. Include lists such as "bulk buys," "necessities," "not needed but nice to have" and specialized lists for each need. Wayyy less hassle than trying to muddle through and guess at the store, going "do I need this? do I even want this?" or worse, impulse buy stuff you neither want nor need
• If you have a smartphone, do install the store's app for it, or do the shopping from said phone
• Try to buy only those things that you both need and love. Tchotchkes and knicknacks are just more junk to hoard and clean (or never clean, depending on your style). If you're not celebrating this purchase because it is going to improve your quality of life, then live without it. You'll be happier. Also, try to remember that if it is a big deal to your personal happiness but not a need, it is nonetheless important.
• Fulfill your needs first and personal happiness second with all financial decisions. I've had roommates who lived in the opposite manner. It is not a good thing.
• If you want something that can only be ordered online and picked up at the store after it arrives there, by all means do it. It's shipping that's far more reliable and fast than the USPS and in most cases it is free.
• Make a grocery list once a week for 52 weeks, preferably electronically. Look over these lists every so often. You'll see patterns, and next year's grocery shopping will be far easier also. Once you figure it out, then you can also group the purchases so you bulk buy nonperishables less often, anywhere from once a month to once every few months. For some things, even only once a year.
• Bulk buying things is the type of purchase you can often get big discounts on. Whenever you feel up to it, try to find deals.
• Couponing can help a lot, but only if you know exactly what you use, and especially if you use a lot of it. Search by brand name.
• Try to time your shopping so you're not buying things when everyone else is. For instance, Halloween shopping? Probably best done in November, for next year's Halloween. Christmas shopping? Think March. And at this point I'm pretty sure everyone knows about the candy sales on February 15
• Sign up for every store loyalty and punch card that you can and keep them in your wallet so you remember to use them
• Whenever possible, try before you buy. This is super important for things like clothing and shoes but also cars.
• Advertisers, salespeople, and stores do not have your best interests at heart. Ever. The more of it there is the more suspicious you should be.
• Read the ingredients. The only person you are ripping off by skipping this step is you. If you don't know what something means, look it up; Wikipedia is your friend. It is also helpful to try to learn as much as you can about how the product is made, such as by watching shows like How It's Made and Unwrapped in your spare time, but only if that fascinates you.
• Caveat emptor: let the buyer beware. It would behoove you to know as much toxicology as you can, plus as many ways as possible as you can get ripped off by what you buy or otherwise harmed. You aren't the first person to get scammed by a product that can seriously hurt or kill you, and you won't be the last. If you're not sure if you should buy something, if you're male (yep, blatant sexism, not even sorry), or if you know you're clueless, with regards to figuring out if buying a product is a good idea, research it online, AND talk to someone elderly, someone who is a teenager, and a five-year-old for their input. Do as much of that as you can and maybe your shopping trip won't kill you :)
• If you're not sure what to do with the extra money that's just sitting in your account or your pocket, don't use it at all. It is not toy money. It is not reward money. It is not your feel good addiction. It's your literal survival at stake. Do not. Spend. It.

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