How to Shop Smart: 30 Ways to Make Smarter Shopping Decisions

3. Use Monetha app to get rewards

Rewards apps like Monetha can give you access to benefits you would never get otherwise. Download the app to your iOS or Android phone, find your favorite brands, complete an order, and enjoy rewards. Thanks to the extensive partner network, you can get rewards for almost any product.

4. Look for coupons

Coupons enable buyers to save more money during both online and offline shopping. If you prefer Internet purchases, the website will prompt you to enter the coupon code at the checkout. Where to get them? Store brands usually deliver coupons by post or to your email.

5. Wait for a sale

Internet sales are even more convenient than offline since you can sign in and place an order the minute they start. Some brands even automatically notify subscribers about special offers or discounts. If you want something but can live without it for several weeks or months more, it’s worth waiting for sales.

6. Double-check the return policy

Ordering through web stores, you may order the wrong size or be disappointed with the quality when the product arrives. Therefore, you’d better check the return policy before buying anything. With most sellers, you can return the item during 15-30 days and have your money back. Some stores even offer a 90-day return policy. Just make sure to keep the check and that there are no wear-and-tear signs.

7. Add to favorites and wait

If you are prone to impulse purchases, this is one of the best tips. Once you like something in an online store and feel the desperate need to have it, wait. Add the item to your favorites or bookmark it to get back after some time. This way, you will cool down and then decide whether it’s a good deal. Chances are you will change your mind.

Buying clothes

8. Set a monthly budget

Shopping for clothing often leads to spending over budget. You may either buy too many items at once or visit a mall so often that you have nothing left weeks before the next salary. If this problem sounds familiar, setting a monthly budget may be the only way out. 5% of your income is the recommended share.

9. Know exactly what you need

There is no point in buying the tenth pair of similar shoes even if they are beautiful. Hence, going to a store, you should focus on items you will wear often. Ideally, you should decide what you need before shopping.

10. Take your time

When in a mall, check several shops before you buy. It will help you research the market offer, compare prices, and pick the best option. Remember that you don’t have to buy anything just because you are in the mood to spend money.

11. Read washing instructions

Shopping tips rarely mention this advice, but it’s super important. When you buy a new item, you must ensure you can care for it properly. If the clothing is for dry cleaning, and you usually use a washing machine, you’d better not buy it. Otherwise, you will throw the new dress away after the first wash.

12. Remember that current styles fade

Retailers intentionally promote trendy items to make people convert with every new collection. But you should be strong and don’t fall for their offers. Fashion will change with a new season, and it’s too expensive to keep up with. Buying basic and quality clothes is a much wiser choice.

13. Buy off-season

The main reason to shop after the season ends is cost-saving. Sellers lower prices and do their best to sell the previous collection to clean up the space in their stores. Besides saving money, you will also be better prepared for the next season and avoid overspending in six months. Summer/winter clothes, swimsuits, and sports gear are the most popular options to buy in advance.

14. Visit thrift stores

Although thrift shopping isn’t for everyone, it’s an excellent way to spend less money and find something unique or old-school for your wardrobe. Such a shop has clothes you would never find in regular malls to enrich your style. Needless to say, they are considerably cheaper than traditional shops.

15. Keep your existing wardrobe in mind

The main problem with clothes is that even if you get something nice, it may fail to match what you already have. Has it ever happened to you? If yes, you should always think about how to style the clothing before putting it into the cart. This way, you are more likely to be left satisfied with newly purchased clothes and put them on as soon as you get home from the store.

16. Prefer quality over quantity

Instead of getting five cheap dresses, choose one with decent quality and nice style. You will wear it over and over, enjoying how you look. The problem with low-quality clothing is that it loses its shape very soon, and we throw it away after several washes. What looks like a great deal may turn out to be a waste of money.