Shopping is something that we all enjoy. By word 'shopping' many people take 'clothes shopping' but that is not the case. Even shopping for groceries is fun if we know from where to shop. Although there is this clichéd saying that only female like to shop. Over the years the trend has changed and even men like to shop till they drop. Speaking of shopping till we drop, this particular saying has been tremendously affected by the recent recession.
With the current recession, people have started to save money and most of the shoppers now shop in a budget. It is a very sad thing because people really enjoyed shopping. Inflation is also one factor that is taking out the fun from shopping; however, it is possible to enjoy shopping under a budget. It will take some planning and the shopper will take some time to get used to it. Once achieved it is something that you will love.
The reason why people spend a lot of money on shopping is because they do not follow a proper shopping list. They just pick stuff from the shelves and that is the magic of super markets and the super stores who are really good in marketing. This habit of people ruins their budget and often they do not buy the stuff they wanted to buy. So first thing is to make a precise shopping list and try to stick to it. This may sound old fashioned but this really helps and allows you a great shopping experience. There will be occasions when you might not be able to follow the shopping list. It happens at the start but if it keeps on happening then it is about time from where you shop. The super store shelf magic might be the reason. Try to move to a small store. The small stores have everything that you need and they don't have those expensive novelty items that you like to buy for no apparent reason.
The second step is to buy stuff that is not expensive and is equally good. Why this is necessary because very often people want to buy a similar brand. The brands charge a premium to their products. The ideal example of premium is by clothing brands which charge a very high premium. Very suitable alternates are available in the market for every product and the consumer can switch to those products and stop paying the premium. If the consumer has a craving for branded products, the consumer can wait for the Christmas sales when the brands slash their premiums; this will save them paying the extra bucks that is emptying their pockets.
Once you have sorted out the love for branded things a lot of money can be saved on shopping. Vegetables and grocery shopping is also something where the consumer can save a lot of money and can shop well under a budget. This is very easy and doesn't require any expertise. Local neighbor committees can be formed which can negotiate for the rates with the local vendors. If the consumers live in a crowded neighborhood the buyer's power to negotiate is further strengthened. This will enable a further slashes in the prices by the vendors as they will be selling in bulk to the whole community. Similar technique can be used to negotiate the prices with the super markets. This will require a lot of expertise though. The terms and conditions will have to be negotiated and the clauses should be well understood. Remember that supermarket has a team of experts who can add a lot of fancy terms that might sound interesting but in reality will be working against you.
We are not saying that you should stop shopping if you are unable to follow the above advices. The advices are only for your own good. Sure you might look old fashioned but at the end of the day it will only do well for you. There is a very famous saying that states; a dollar saved is like a dollar earned. By following these tips the consumer can earn a lot of dollars from the shopping experience. So give them a try. They are bound to work for you and it might do wonders to your shopping experience.
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