Steals and DEALS

WARNING! DANGER! DANGER Will Robinson!

Anybody remember those lines from Lost in Space, TV series of the late 60's and early 70's?

When I think about steals and deals I sorta tremble inside and wonder with my skeptics heart "OK...so what do YOU want?" My skeptical sense I must confess slows down my spending on items especially when I sense a HARD SELL~and frankly I am turned off by the smiley salesman who pushes me to get out my purse. I am so TURNED OFF that often I will walk away~FAST! Does this mean that I can't see the merits of the product or the benefits that it will bring to my life? NOPE, but what it does mean is that I have rejected hard selling tactics to the point that I WAIT. I research. I think.

Waiting, researching and thinking have saved me more money in the LONG RUN than any sale I can pick up on the fly. Examining each in detail holds some nice secrets to saving money and living on less.

When I wait, I am not giving in to an impulsive purchase that can result in what is called, "buyer's remorse" when I walk away with purchase in hand. WHO wants to get their wanted item home to have regrets and negative emotions because it FEELS like I was hoodwinked into something I may not have wanted, needed or even looked at in the past? Anyone ever been in an appliance section looking for one model to compare (BTW~compare "apples to apples" which means brand/model/features to the same from retailer to retailer!) AND get the sales pitch of "Let me show you this or that or this other thingy. . ." Don't get me wrong, but for the salesman/gal this tactic is somewhat essential for their marketing and lively-hoods, but as a (dare I say it?) FRUGAL and THRIFTY person I am really really REALLY skeptical, and will consider their evidence of WHY this is better or faster or whatever~take their info, (sometimes) and go home to reconsider the purchase. OR I will go ahead if my research is done (see below for research insights/info) and BUY.

Researching a large purchase takes TIME and patience. My husbands says, "women shop and men buy." OK honey, this is incriminating evidence for any man who takes such an attitude, and I think in the funny context you are discussing, it's about the stereotypical woman shopper-holic you are talking about. But the tendency to shop and NOT buy is really really REALLY a good money saving and wise strategy for purchasing items. EVEN small ticket ones. A friend of mine once did a cost comparrison between brands and retailers to get a handle on who has what for the best price~RESULT: it depends! While you might think one supercenter retailer will AS ADVERSTISED save you money money and mo money, remember this: NOT ALL retailers sell ALL products at the same prices, so since price varies, you may need to know your prices and do what we gals are accused of all the time~SHOPPERS! Yes, if you are a shopper, but not a buyer this will work to your advantage. Keep a notebook~item, price, date, place. Log it in~remember too that certain items are sold for less in and out of "season!" TAKE advantage of this, and LOOK for the discount rack that many stores have hidden. Furnature stores have scratch and dent sections as will appliance places and others. LOOK, FEEL, Try OUT, Question, pick up brochures, research the maufacturers (OK~now this seems silly for some things I admit~but it is SMART to know if so and so store brand is made by the same folks who are "name brand" companies. The savings is in the packaging. Remember to resist the name brand draw too. Another girlfriend has a EXhusband who couldn't stand to see storebrand canned goods and food items in his pantry. Could he truly tell a difference or was perception and marketing so strong that he was dooped? I suspect if he ever went to saving those extra dollars or to an ecomic downturn he might look into his pantry differently! But such as it was, there was a wife compelled to make her pantry appear BRANDED~LOL! Love this family, but it was silliness to me who is thankful for some cans in my pantry or even better anything that is good and useful for less! When you do your research on the type of purchase, it's features and stats, you can MORE prepared to make purchases based on the priorties of your life: living and loving on less~not just to combat this economic downturn, but to be prepared and secure should one come along, AS WELL AS to build wealth. AND we can't be secure or build if we have a leaky situation where we have paid too much!

Patience will always pay off in so many benefits. We live in an immediate gratification seeking world. We don't want to wait for a thing! But I tell you, if you will do your research, wait and then make a wise choice, you will be better in the long run. ALWAYS! Promise!

So now it's time to buy. Research is done: what, where and how much to get the needed item. NOW go get it. Negotiate if you need to or it's beneficial. Sometimes delivery is thrown in and can be very useful! What other things will this purchase do? Are you building a relationship with your salesman so when something comes along you need, he/she will call you? THINK closely about what this purchase can benefit you besides the item. I like to patronize small businesses. This really isn't off topic, but if you consider my reasoning, you will see that knowing my sales people and business as well as OFFERS competition to the superstores keeps prices low. It's never a good idea to totally patronize a huge outfit because if they become the ONLY~just expect your prices to rise and your benefits to decline! Who NEEDS that! The small shop owner is there and often invested in running his business, so his service often excells! LOOK into this option when purchasing!

Remember that steal and deal offers can be just that stealing your money and making the deal in their pockets! Do your research and have patience, then purchase~you will find your money going further and your level of prosperity increasing.

Let's keep on thinking about Living and Loving on Less~
SisterTipster<3