GP: Why it Pays to Shop Around
2013 has proven to be a financially challenging year for the majority of us. With day-to-day living costs creeping ever higher, we’re all faced with the choice of either cutting back on some of life’s essentials, or taking the opportunity to have a good, hard look at our spending in order to evaluate where savings can be made and how to ensure we’re spending our hard-earned cash in the right areas.
We often assume that our current providers and chosen retail stores are giving us the best deal in order to retain our valuable business but you may be surprised to know that this isn’t necessarily the case. Many companies think that ‘customer loyalty’ is ultimately unachievable and therefore try to extract as much from you as possible whilst you’re with them, often giving the more preferential rates and discounts to brand new customers to entice them in.
Shopping around for the best deal has never been easier, with the internet making it possible to shop around quickly and efficiently for the best deals on the market.
Here are some helpful pointers that should help you stretch your budget a little further during 2014:
Household contractors
Finding reliable household contractors to help with household emergencies such as roofers in Honolulu for leaking roofs, can be as challenging as finding a needle in a haystack!
Ask for recommendations from friends and family as well as conducting your own research. Online reviews are fantastic, but shouldn’t be the only factor you take into consideration when making your final decision.
Always obtain estimates from three of four different contractors and ask plenty of questions about the job you would like them to do to ensure they’re able to put you at ease. Don’t be afraid to query the pricing and always make sure any quotes they give you are the final cost to avoid any nasty surprises at the end.
Household goods
With the right timing, research, coupons and negotiation skills you can get pretty much anything you need for your household without ever having to pay full price for any of it.
- Furniture – Buying brand new furniture is a bit like buying a new car; you’ll lose money on it as soon as it leaves the shop. Don’t pay full retail price, either wait for the next sale, or consider buying second-hand.
- Clothing -Clothing will ALWAYS go on sale at the end of a season, so start thinking ahead and buy next years winter clothes now but for a fraction of the price. Retail stores often slash as much as 70% off their end of season goods. Find the items you like and then closely monitor the cost of them until they’ve been heavily discounted.
- Books and magazines – whilst not hugely expensive, buying them regularly can soon add up and if you’re watching your budget, keeping these costs down will make a big difference to your pocket. Check out online stores like Amazon, subscribe to a magazine you buy regularly or go digital using free e-books and podcasts instead.
Restaurants
Dining out is one of life’s little luxuries and is usually the first sacrifice to be made if money becomes an issue. However, you can still enjoy a romantic meal for two without breaking the budget by subscribing to sites like Groupon and Restaurants.com. They regularly post amazing deals making them a great way to find a cheap meal out.
This article was written by Amanda Walters, an experienced freelance writer and regular contributor to Huffington Post. Follow her here: @Amanda_W84
Similar Posts:
- None Found
