Raise your hand if you have trouble creating a plan when you shop. Or do you have your shopping list completely planned out, but always manage to add something extra that completely blows your budget? Or do you just have trouble saving money while shopping in general?… I know that sometimes I do. Going over budget, buying unnecessary things, not creating a list. I’ve done it all before. But as time has gone on, I have started to get a little better and it is because of twelve things. Hopefully, you will take this advice to heart and use some of these tips before you purchase something. And remember, we could all use a little help saving money while we shop 😉.
1. Don’t Shop
You read that right. My first tip on how to save money and shop smarter is to not buy anything at all. Although this might seem like useless advice, think about the benefits of actually following the tip.
First, you would have more time to think about the pros and cons of buying an item. You could research the product/service, search for alternatives, and compare prices with other brands to see if you could find it at a cheaper price.
After you’re finished with this, I would suggest that you create a shopping list. Why? You could bring the list in the store or have it near you while you’re shopping online. Having a list will help keep you on track, which is great because it will decrease impulse purchases and save you money!
Also, by not buying an item immediately, you can test whether you actually need it. For example, let’s say that you really wanted to buy some new lamps after looking at Overstock.com. So, you decided to wait two weeks to see if you should actually buy them. If during that time you forgot that you wanted to buy them, then it probably isn’t that important and you will likely be better off not getting them at all.
2. Use Cashback Sites
If you’re still planning to buy something anyway, why not save on how much you spend. And believe me, using cashback sites can really help with this. One great thing about these sites is that they are completely free! Another perk is that, for many of the programs, you can earn cashback both online and in-store. So, whether you’re online shopping or grocery shopping you can still save money!
Some of the best cashback sites for groceries are:
Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards allow you to earn money back by simply scanning your receipts. You can earn more money when you complete special offers and purchase from brands like Lay’s, TRESemme, Pull-Ups, Kleenex, Fiber One, and more! You can use my code Q4HE4 when you register to earn 2000 pts. (this is $2) after you scan your first receipt (the minimum for most of the rewards is 5000 pts.).
Checkout51
Another app that is quite similar to Fetch Rewards is Checkout51. To earn money, all you need to do is add a product that they are offering cashback on to your account and then take a picture of your receipt to verify it. It’s a quick and simple way to earn some extra cash.
Ibotta
With Ibotta you can earn rewards in multiple ways. You can scan your receipts from stores, pay through the app, link your store loyalty cards to your Ibotta account, use the browser extension online, and make online purchases through the app to earn more money. Want to sign up? Click here. You can earn a $20 welcome bonus when you use my code eyhbcdw and use the app within 7 days!
Some of the best cashback sites for online shopping are:
Rakuten [formerly known as Ebates]
Like Ibotta, you can earn a percentage of your cashback in multiple ways. You can use the browser extension, link your credit card, or make purchases through the website and app to get money back. Sign up through my link here and spend $25 to earn $10 back!
TopCashBack
Another great site is TopCashBack. You can earn cashback when you use their browser extension or make a purchase through their app or website.
Groupon
Although this isn’t technically a cashback site, this company helps you save by allowing you to purchase items at a discounted price. They also offer coupons and promo codes for certain stores. So, before you make a purchase, check to see if you can get it cheaper on Groupon.
SavingStar
After you create an account, you can access SavingStar offers. To submit your purchases, you’ll need to enter the product UPC code and upload a picture of your receipt.
3. Use Coupons
Another way to save money while you shop? Use some coupons. If you don’t have quite enough coupons and don’t want to buy a newspaper you can visit these sites:
- Coupons.com
- Lozo
- Smart Source
- P&G Everyday
- Company Websites (Ex: Pillsbury, Dr. Scholl’s, etc.)
For Coupons.com, you can not only print coupons, but also connect your store card, and submit a picture of your receipts to earn cashback.
You may also want to use an online coupon or promo code site. Some of the ones that I use the most for online purchases are:
4. Use Loyalty Programs
Another great way to save cash while you’re shopping is to sign up for loyalty programs. When you sign up for these programs, you usually exchange information (usually your name, email address, and phone number) in exchange for discounted prices and services from different businesses. And even if you don’t earn a discount, you could earn points that could be used for savings. Sometimes these points (or purchases) could even be redeemed for free products also.
Here are some businesses that offer loyalty programs:
Stores
Hotels
- Marriot (Marriot Bonvoy)
- Best Western (Best Western Rewards)
- Holiday Inn (IHG Rewards Clubs)
- Comfort Inn (Choice Privileges)
Restaurants
- Subway (MyWay Rewards)
- Krispy Kreme (Kripsy Kreme Rewards)
- Chipotle (Chipotle Rewards)
- Chick-fi-la (Chick-fi-la One)
So, be sure to check out your favorite stores, restaurants, and other businesses to see if you can save money while making purchases.
5. Use Refund Sites
Another way to be frugal while shopping would be to use refund sites. These sites are great because the sites will work to get your money back if the price of an item drops after you initially bought it. One of the most used refund sites around is Paribus.
6. Buy Generic
Another tip that will help you shop smart is to buy generic products. I know that many of you might think that these products are inferior to other brands, but the reality is that generic products are usually the same quality as name brands and can come handy in a pinch.
And if you happen to have any doubts about using the products, I have a secret for you. Most “generic brands” are actually “store brands”. This means that the products are produced by the store itself. And since the organizations can lower their overall product costs, they can offer it to customers for a price cheaper than other brands.
A great example of a company that does well with private label brands is Walmart. The company offers quite a bit of brands that you might actually recognize. Some of the brands are Equate, Great Value, Parent’s Choice, Hometrends, Mainstay, Sam’s Choice, No Boundaries, and Time and Tru.
So, save a pretty penny, and enjoy the same quality.
7. Buy on Clearance/Sale
In order to know whether different products are a deal, you have to keep up with the store. By doing this, you’ll know whether you are actually getting a discount or if you need to wait a little longer for prices to drop. One way that you can keep tabs on product prices would be to visit the store and check out the items yourself.
You could also look at the weekly ads that stores put out every week. But if you don’t want to keep up with a ton of papers, you can download Flipp. Flipp is an app that allows you to save your favorite stores and see their weekly sale circulars. You can also see coupons for store products and add your loyalty cards to them.
Another way that you can find clearance items at stores is to go to Brickseek. You can often find things for 50% off! And if you want to keep tabs on a product, you can track the price until you’re ready to buy it.
But if you don’t want to do that, you can look into learning the price system of each store. Supposedly, most stores have a system that they use to mark down their products. But I haven’t tried it out yet. To learn more about it, you can check out this post on Rather-Be-Shopping.com.
You can also find clearance food products. Just look for food that is closer to their best-by date. Stores will gradually lower the price of food items so that they can sell them before this deadline. A great example of this is the bakery area in stores, where day-old bread and cake could be dropped to as low as a few dollars. You might also see this in the deli. And if you’re truly worried about the food going bad, freeze it. You can read my post on how to freeze food here.
8. Bring a List
As mentioned earlier, bringing a list while shopping can decrease impulse purchases because you are sticking to a guide. Once you take that away, you can easily be distracted and lured to buy unnecessary things.
And it’s perfectly fine if you don’t want to use paper lists. You can easily record your shopping list on the notes app on your phone.
Personally, I really enjoy using the list option on the Walmart App because it helps me to track my expenses. This is because when I buy the exact items on my list (at the correct store location), the app predicts my overall shopping trip total perfectly (including taxes).
Free Grocery List Planner
Need help organizing and creating a shopping list? Download this free printable to help with your grocery shopping needs.
9. Look High and Low
Do you know that most stores brands pay to have their products right in front of your face? As a result, shoppers tend to buy them more because they are easy to see and more convenient to reach. So, look near the top and bottom of store shelves to find the best deals.
10. Use Rebates
In addition to using the rebate apps mentioned earlier, you can see if your store offers a rebate program. Usually the process consists of filling out the rebate form, submitting the UPC code and receipt, and mailing it in. After everything is processed, you should have a prepaid debit card or gift card headed your way.
Some stores that offer rebates are:
11. Buy in Season, Buy out of Season
It’s best to buy fruits and vegetables in season because they are typically less expensive then. This could be because fewer plants can grow successfully out of season. Or it could even be because it takes more time and effort to preserve food during that time also. If you would like to learn more about the best time to buy fruits and vegetables, read this article here.
On the other hand, other seasonal products are cheaper out of season. Some great example of products to buy out of season is:
- Winter clothing and accessories
- Summer clothing and accessories
- Lawn care items
- School and Dorm Supplies
12. Follow Other Great Savers
My last tip on how to shop smart is to watch other great savers. They might help you to learn new ways to save or introduce you to new deals. I’ve been able to get some products at really discounted prices because of them! Some great savers that I follow are below.
You can follow them on most social media sites too (this includes YouTube).
Hopefully you enjoyed learning about the different saving hacks and tips that you can use while shopping.
Happy Savings!
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Hannah Roberts is the creator of Do. Live. Study. She loves to learn new things and hopes to help others as they go throughout their journey as an adult. You can connect with her below.
Don’t shop is probably the only thing that really works for me! Thanks for the other valuable tips, though!
That’s what I do a lot of times to avoid overspending. I know the moment that I start picking up items that aren’t on my list, I’m going to start buying things that I don’t need 😂