It’s not how much you earn but how much you are saving. No matter how high the amount you are earning, if you couldn’t just save, then your future will be dim. The ultimate goal is earn more and spend less. Don’t give in to the cultural temptation to buy more and more things you don’t need!

In my earlier posts, I made an article on how to save more money by saving your monthly paychecks. Now, I’ll share some ways to spend less money in shopping. You can cut back on unnecessary spending when you take these steps:

Stick to a weekly budget. Plan ahead. Every Sunday, plan how much you will spend that week. Withdraw precisely that amount of cash and leave your ATM cards and credit cards at home to avoid being tempted to spend more in shopping.

Create a list. Before every shopping, create a list of the things you will buy and decide how much to spend. If possible, include sales tax such as VAT. Take that amount of cash at home. This will help you strictly buy only the things on your shopping list.

When shopping, sometimes we find something that we simply must buy. If you find one, put it on layaway. If you don’t need it, you’re less likely to take the time and effort to go back for it.

Compare Prices. Try comparison-shopping to find the best place for the lowest price. Grab a notebook and list down the prices of items at different stores. For best results, you should start with the things you often buy when shopping.

Don’t fall for tricks. Retailers make less money when you spend less. So what they do is to tempt you with enticing advertisements and sales promos. The tricks that they usually do to boost their sales is to end their prices with “9”, hence you can see prices such as 5,999 or 3,999. Another trick is to put a “Sale” signage but it won’t really say how much you save. Guard against pricing tricks like these and fight back with a little planning.

Shop only when you are really in need. Don’t frequent yourself to shopping stores. Spend less time in stores and you’ll have less time to be tempted to buy. According to a personal finance expert, the best time to shop is when you are alone, unhurried and well fed.

Use it or lose it. Take advantage of buying in economy sizes and buying in bulk to save money. We all know buying in bulk provides some discount than buying it per piece. Also, an economy pack is cheaper than the regular package. In shopping for items you need, make sure you will use what you buy. Avoid shopping in bulk when you cannot use it all. Also, avoid shopping in economy sizes when you need lots of it. When shopping for food items, always take note of the expiration date.

Swap before you shop. There are lots of online shopping stores out there where you can trade for items that you no longer use for items that you really need. Just beware though of scammers. Alternatively, you can invite interested friends to participate in a swap meet where everyone can exchange items they no longer use for the things they need.

There’s always a way to spend less money in shopping. You don’t need to avoid shopping at all. You just need to be wise and frugal.

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