Struggling to rein in the temptation to shop online at the drop of a hat? Well, here’s how you can cut down your expenses by shopping smart.
Love shopping online? Most of us do! You get to choose from a huge variety of things, with options to get it all home-delivered. You also get the option to go cash-free, by choosing to make an online payment. Online shopping has redefined convenience. No matter how hard we try, once we’ve got used to the convenience and a variety of online shopping offers, it’s difficult to go back to conventional ways.
Additional Reading: Learning To Live Within Your Means
Online shopping isn’t merely limited to high-end brands. You can also choose convenience over carrying tonnes of shopping bags home. Yes! That’s how simple grocery shopping has become. All thanks to the online revolution! With options like these, where you just need an internet connection to order things, it’s hard to stop. You feel like ordering everything (well, almost) online.
We know you often end up buying things you don’t actually need. And well, you waste a lot of money too. So, before drooling at your website and reaching for your Credit Card or Debit Card, here are some tricks to shop smart and save money while shopping online:
Where’s your list, yo?
Not making a list before continuously hitting that ‘Order Now’ button is one of the biggest blunders you can make. Why? Not knowing what you exactly need often makes you lose track and order things you don’t need. And let’s be honest, you won’t even use most of them later.
Did you ever wonder where your money went after that weekly round of grocery shopping? You did, right? How can buying just rice, sugar and vegetables damage your monthly budget? Slow down, mate! The answer to this question lies in those shopping bags that got delivered to your doorstep. Go grab them and look inside. Do you see things you never needed but ordered anyway? Exactly where you waste a lot of money. You get the point now, don’t you?
What’s the deal, yo?
Exactly what you need to ask before ordering things online. You need to check out all the latest offers the same way you hunt down the best deals before revamping your wardrobe. When it comes to grocery shopping, buying it all in bulk always makes more sense. It helps you keep a better track of your monthly grocery supplies.
Moreover, buying in bulk always lets you avail better discounts. Ever got free goodies or big discounts on smaller packets? No, right? But with the bigger packets, you often get pleasant surprises (like that free glass bowl with a 5kg wheat flour packet). Don’t lie! We know you love those little surprises.
Did you compare, yo?
The trick to avail all the best rates and discounts on things you want is—comparing. You need to compare the rates on two or three online portals selling the same stuff. If you’re tight on your budget, a price comparison could make things easier for you. We know that comparing a list of available options and then taking a pick could be a bit tricky and time-consuming.
But if you’re getting to save a good amount, why not? To simplify your life, there are a couple of websites where you can compare prices and features of things. Makes things easy, doesn’t it? This applies mostly to electronic products. But, those are the more expensive ones. You need to be more careful with them.
Did you read the review, yo?
This doesn’t directly help you save money, but it sure reduces the chances of repenting a bad buy later. For instance, if you buy an expensive phone without reading the reviews, you might feel ecstatic for the first couple of days. But as soon as your phone starts to hang frequently, you’ll realise your mistake. Finally, when your phone stops working, you’ll anyway have to buy a new one. Now that’s a total waste of money, isn’t it?
To prevent this situation, you need to be extra cautious in the beginning. Before falling for anything and everything, you must research a bit. Read the reviews and ensure that you’re about to make the right choice. You won’t get this opportunity later!
Did you check the coupons, yo?
Never underestimate the power of using the right coupon. It can help you get the best possible deals on your favourite brands. Before making any impulsive purchases, we recommend you check for these online coupons. Don’t worry! You don’t need to hunt them down and waste time. There are a number of websites that let you choose the best coupon to suit your requirements.
For instance, if you’re shopping for the latest footwear, you’ll get exclusive coupons to let you avail good discount rates on shoes. These coupons come in handy while food shopping as well. Want to order pizza for dinner? Don’t forget to check out the coupons. Also, if you play your cards (coupons in this case) right, you could even use multiple coupons for a single purchase.
Did you use the price filter, yo?
Yes! We know it sounds silly. But trust us, it really works! If you want something badly, that price filter could turn out to be your best friend. Even if you can’t afford your favourite brand at the moment, you can still get what you want. After all, it’s all about taking care of your necessities, right? This price filter can also help you explore and discover economical, yet great brands. Be prepared to surprise yourself!
Did you clear those cookies, yo?
You must’ve heard that clearing your cookies before booking your flight tickets helps get cheaper flights. The same concept applies to other products when you shop online. To ensure that you get the best price, you need to do a couple of things. These include clearing your cookies, logging out of your online accounts (emails and social networking sites), clearing your browsing history and choosing the local website versions (.in for India). This might sound like a lot of work, but trust us, it works like magic!
Did you time your purchase right, yo?
No matter how bored or tempted you are to shop, learn to control! Just like weekends are the worst time to travel (given the high air fare), they are not the right time to shop if you want some huge discounts either. Most online stores offer better discount rates on weekdays. Try and explore those instead of hitting numerous sites on a lazy weekend afternoon.
Online shopping is fun! With these tricks, it can turn out to be economical too. What’s better than that? Maybe flaunting those new clothes and accessories.
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