How do you know a ‘good buy’?

Ready, set, shop! The sprinting towards the shelves isn’t so fast anymore as shopping has become a financial strain. Despite having a budget and allotting specified  amounts of money to spend, it never seems to be enough.

Good Buys hard to find!

Since money is a scarce commodity, it is important to make sure that what you are buying is the best use of your money.  Recently I saw a huge bin filled with various clothing items at a popular wholesale that boasted that all items had been discounted up to 70%.

My excitement at the discovery quickly dimmed  when I realized that many of the items were stained or otherwise damaged. It goes without saying that if I had bought any item in the bin it would certainly not been a ‘good buy’.

In my opinion, a good buy is a product that is of good quality but is offered at a reduced cost. It certainly does not mean stained or damaged. Of course, it depends on how slight the damage is and if it can be repaired but usually it’s not worth the effort to do so.

What are some things that you can do to ensure that you always get a good buy?

Mix it yourself.

Buy 100% juice from frozen concentrate than bottled juice. It is often less expensive per serving than pre-bottled juice. This also lasts longer so it will save money in the long run.

Check Expiration Dates

Sometimes the price drops because the item has either already expired or is nearing its expiration date.  This means that purchasing those items might mean that you are making a compromise on taste.

Check Original Price of Product

Often consumers are so excited when they see an item marked down that they fail to notice that the original price was much higher than it should have been thereby making the savings very slight. It pays to check the original price so that you can determine if the discounted price is actually a bargain!

Ask for a discount

I have found that some sales clerk will honestly answer if you ask them if the item has been in storage for a long time. Even if they don’t admit to it, examine the product for signs of wear. If it is an item that you really want despite the condition, then ask for a discount.

So how do you ensure that you are getting a ‘good buy’? Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner Online Writer

Tags: discounts