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4 Ways to Become a Smart Shopper

4 Ways to Become a Smart Shopper
Double-digit sales are now something customers look forward to every month. Who wouldn’t right? It’s a chance to score big savings on purchases!
But how do you make sure that you’re getting a bargain and not just falling victim to impulse buying?
Becoming a smart shopper starts with realizing that you’re more likely to score bargains when you think before you buy.
Here are four things you can do before you check out the items in your cart.
Picture yourself using the product. This is a good exercise before buying the items that make you exclaim, “I definitely need this!” Take, for example, a candle warmer. The novelty of putting your candles under a lamp instead of lighting them is surely attractive. You may justify such a purchase with a reason like, “I can enjoy my scented candles without worrying about fire!”

But ask yourself: how often do you see yourself using it? To begin with, do you have scented candles that you just haven’t been able to use? Do you see yourself buying more candles in the future just so you can keep using the candle warmer? Such questions can help you assess if the candle warmer will eventually gather dust in your home, in which case, you can still stop yourself from buying it in the first place.

Be on the lookout for trustworthy reviews. Online shopping platforms are filled with reviews like “Maganda yung item,” but these hardly really say anything about the product you are looking to buy.

Ask family and friends if they have purchased the same product before. They can provide feedback based on their first-hand experience with the item, recommend their trusted brands, and perhaps even share how long it took before the item needed to be repaired or replaced.

You can also look for similar reviews online, and assess if many consumers are saying the same thing about the product. Such feedback can lead you to make a more informed decision before taking advantage of the huge discount on double-digit sales.

Better yet, opt to buy in-store vs. online so you actually get to see, touch, and try products before purchasing them, ensuring quality and fit. More often than not, in-store shopping also gives you access to exclusive discounts and promotions that may have otherwise been unavailable online. Not only do you get to experience the items firsthand, but you also become a smart shopper by saving money from these exclusive deals!

Calculate cost-per-use. The idea behind calculating cost-per-use is to determine which item gives more value in the long run. Just divide the item’s price by the number of times you plan to use it in a year.

To illustrate, a winter coat that costs PHP1,000 but will only be used during a five-day trip abroad has a cost-per-use of PHP200. A pair of pants of the same price that you plan to wear at least once a week would have a cost-per-use of roughly PHP20. Between the two, you could say the pair of pants is a bargain, especially when you consider that the winter coat is something you can borrow instead of buy.

This method can also be helpful when comparing an item that is cheaper but you are likely to use less, with a more expensive item that you see yourself using all the time. The latter may have a lower cost-per-use value, making it the smarter purchase. That’s that on girl math! wink

Consider financing options. Double-digit sales may offer big discounts, but paying such an amount lump sum might have a negative impact on your usual budget. Taking advantage of deals shouldn’t come at the expense of your other financial responsibilities.

Be on the lookout for financing options that allow you to make smaller payments regularly to ease the burden on your wallet. Salmon Financing lets you get your purchase in installments at retail stores without asking for too many requirements — all you need is just one valid ID! You can even keep track of your due dates and make payments through the Salmon app, which you can download on the iOS App Store and Google Play.

Practice these tips to become a smart shopper before any next big sale so you can avoid feeling buyer’s remorse! Learn more about Salmon Financing at Salmon.ph and follow us on Facebook and TikTok.

08.08.2024