It's no secret that I enjoy shopping on a somewhat regular basis. However over the past few months I have been trying to save and reduce the amount I spend each month on shopping. At first I tried to extreme cold turkey approach where one day I just stopped spending altogether.
Although this was quite effective, I've now found that I have started to slip back into old habits and the spending is mounting up again. Therefore I have put together some tips and tricks and although they don't stop me spending money, they do help me to save some money which is a good start.
1. Use points/reward systems in stores and online
Many stores nowadays use a number of different reward systems, which in the long run helps consumers save money.
Drugstores such as Superdrug and Boots have their own versions of an advantage card, where you collect points dependant on the amount of money you spend. In Superdrug it is 1 point for every £ spent and each point is worth 1p. You scan the card everytime you spend money in store and then you can use your points whenever you like to either pay for a full transaction or to put money towards your purchase. I recently used 400 Superdrug points to pay for some of my purchases but that does mean that I have spent over £400 in store which is very scary.
The Boots Advantage card is very similar but you collect 4 points for each £ spent and each point is worth 1p. However unlike Superdrug you can only use your points to pay for a full purchase and cannot use points to pay for part of your purchase. However using free reward systems is a good way to save money in the long term.
2. Vouchers/Promo Codes
Another way to save money whilst shopping is to make full use of vouchers or promotional codes.
Vouchers can be found in multiple places and can be used in a huge variety of different stores. They can be found in magazines or brochures, on receipts and places like Boots often give away vouchers such as money of No.7 makeup when you make purchases. They can entitle you to free things, money off or a multitude of different offers.
Places like Prezzo usually have offers running from Sunday to Friday varying from 2 main meals for £12.95 to 20% off your food bill. Superstore Morrisons also have a Morrisons Miles scheme where you collect points when you fill up your car and once you reach 5000 you receive a £5 voucher to spend in store.
Promo codes are similar in that they entitle you to money off your spending, but these are usually found online. There are so many websites nowadays offering codes to type in at the checkout stage of buying online. Many clothes sites such as H&M and Asos usually have promo codes available and can be found on websites such as www.vouchercloud.com and www.vouchercodes.co.uk
3. Offers instore/online
In addition to collecting rewards and points, both online and in store there are usually a whole range of different discounts and offers. Some of these may include 3 for 2 or Buy One Get One Free to 20% off or free delivery for spends over x amount (online.) I know Superdrug and Boots have recently both had a 3for 2 offer on all of their makeup, which means you save money on your third product.
4. Discounts
Another great way to save money if you are a student is to use your student card or apply for one to use. These give great discounts of 10% or sometimes even 20% purchases in store such as New Look and Dorothy Perkins. Student discount also entitles you to a free burger, fries or mcflurry at McDonalds.
5. Sale
Instead of heading straight towards full priced items, shopping in stores sales saves you money and also allows you to find a bargain at a reduced price. Many stores and online websites have big sales after Christmas and Summer but they also have smaller sales throughout the year to get rid of stuff from the season before. A great way to find some great stuff for a snip of what it was originally priced at.
6. Research
If you are really set on saving some money but still feel the urge to go shopping, I highly recommend researching and planning before hand. Some stores nowadays are starting to sell items that are very similar. If I find something I like, I look at different websites or stores to see if they have something similar that is cheaper.
Also planning what you are going to buy also helps because it makes you less likely to overspend. If you are set on just buying one top and one pair of jeans you are less likely to come out with the whole collection of scarves they've just put onto the shop floor as well.
My final tip would be to pay for as much as you can with cash. Paying with a card is so easy because it doesn't feel like you are spending money and you don't physically see the money leaving your account. If you pay with cash you can see exactly what you are spending and you are less likely to break into that £20 note which is sitting in your purse.
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