The summer is finally here! I can see all those fun garage sale signs – a bargain hunters’ dream!
The only problem with loving the hunt for a good deal, is that it is truly hard to pass up a good deal!!
July is all about controlling the clutter at the start – before it even comes into the home!
July is about deal hunting AND proactive clutter control.
It’s tricky to find the balance!
It all starts with knowing your prices, knowing your needs, and keeping up to date lists!
Know your prices:
You have to know how much something would cost if you were to go to the actual store or order it online today! Knowing the regular cost is a fantastic way to start getting used to finding deals. It’s also important, though, to know how often it goes on sale. Things at Costco, for example, periodically go on sale for 4$ off, even 10$ off, so buying some of the staples at regular price is really unnecessary if you can plan it right. Knowing a regular sale price is the difference between getting a steal of a deal and getting a regular deal!
Knowing your needs:
Knowing your needs and sticking to it are sometimes two very different activities. BUT, the more you stick to buying only what you need, the better deal you get in the end! It doesn’t matter how many dollars off that pair of shoes is if you really don’t need shoes!
Keeping up to date lists:
This, I think, is the most important thing! These lists help you add real clarity to what you need AND why you need it! Keeping up to date lists of all the things you may need to buy is crucial to finding deals on things you are going to buy anyway! Sure, life happens, and you need to buy a variety of things through the year that are not on a list, but there are certain purchases you can plan ahead for. This will include lists like gift lists. Think of birthdays, Christmas, Halloween, Easter, classroom gifts or teacher gifts of any kind, Mother’s or Father’s day gifts, random gifts for the kids, random gifts for your spouse for those ‘just because I love you’ days! I could go on! (Pro tip: Keep track of ages on your gift lists of everyone! It will make it easier when you are finding those amazing deals to know what’s appropriate to buy) Another great list to try to maintain is a household list. Include things like cleaning supplies, laundry supplies, garbage or yard bags, gardening supplies, some toiletries, and even things like the dimensions of spaces you want to organize. These are the consumable things that you know you will need to buy at some point, so if you can find a steal, it sure is worth it! Make a special events list! Include things like planned parties or large gatherings and what supplies you may need for them. If you know you are going away through the year, plan ahead by creating a trips and vacation supplies lists. Think of some things you may need for entertainment for the trip or anything else you think you may need while you’re away.
The more clarity you can add to your lists about what you need to buy, and knowing how much things cost, will give you the best buying power!
So stay tuned through the rest of this month as I share some mind tricks to use while you are shopping to ensure you get great deals, but also keep a lid on some of those random buys!
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