Shopping the Sales

I have just watched a programme about extreme couponers in the sales.  There is nothing like the coupons that the USA enjoy here (darn it to heck) but I adore watching the shows.  This programme was more about the reduction in the after-Christmas sales.

There were some useful tactics.  I think most of the people featured saved around 70% which came to hundreds of dollars saved on things that were needed, really wanted or, in once case, donated to a children's hospital.  But, but, but...

As someone who falls into this trap again and again and again, can I just say from bitter experience, it isn't worth buying just because it is reduced.  If it is something that you need, great.  You can save a fortune by saving, planning, researching and then getting there at daft o'clock and spending seventeen hours on the shopping spree, as one of the featured extreme couponers did.  She saved hundreds of dollars so was probably on a good wage if you look at the savings as money earned per hour.  It wouldn't be worth it if it was for something that wasn't going to be used or appreciated.

These days there are great deals around all the time.  You can do your research, check the web and then get a really great deal all year round.  In my opinion it is worth checking stuff out if you need it, but at this time of year the best deals are for wrapping paper (still have loads), Christmas cards (still have seriously loads) and the little gifty type things are designed to be given for gifts so you can pick up the gift sets of soaps, candles, the quirky things that you can keep in a stash until suddenly you are faced with an unexpected house warming or a sudden birthday that you hadn't expected to buy for.  I plan to cruise eBay for those.

Something else I have learned from bitter experience.  Before you buy it, make sure you have somewhere to put it.  Especially job lots of ties.  They cascade everywhere.