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3 reasons you shouldn’t shop sales (and the one reason you totally should)

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I hate shopping. Unless I’m shopping for books or groceries I find nothing more tedious than having to muster up the willpower to walk into a mall where most clothing store mirrors are quick to disabuse me of the notion that I’m even vaguely attractive or slim.

But when it comes to sales, I go from reluctant shopper, to all-out avoider.  Because there is nothing worse than being caught up in a shopping-induced frenzy to buy things that are (mostly) not great and that you, if you’re honest with yourself, probably don’t need.

You’re tricked into believing that you have more money than you think

Oh, that blender on the shelf that’s simply darling and is marked down by 35%? Is that really something you need or are you just attracted to the opportunity to buy something because it’s on sale?

Sales are designed to induce impulse buys. Items you would never otherwise consider, suddenly become appealing simply because they’re in your direct line of vision.

A good way to decide on whether or not you actually want the item on sale, is to consider whether or not you’d buy it any other time of the year. If it’s something you’d buy even if it’s not on sale, then chances are getting it on sale would be a pretty good investment.

A good buy is actually hard to find

Personally, I’ve always thought that most of the items that are on sale are crap that shops are simply trying to get rid off because they haven’t sold well in the first place.

If you’re willing to get up early and stand in the inevitable queue that follows, you’d be better off avoiding the mayhem.

Oh and on another note, some of those sales? They’re not really sales at all. Remember the Edgars scandal a few years ago? So, before you shop to your heart’s content, businessinsurance.org notes that it’s always a good idea to do price comparisons, because the chances are good that you could actually find that product for cheaper at a different store where it’s not on sale.

READ MORE: 6 ways to make your money go further

People morph into hounds of hell in pursuit of what they want

Sales bring out the worst in people. A prime example of this is Black Friday. The American tradition that has now somehow spilled over onto our shores has proven time and time again that people have no regard for their fellow humans when it comes to getting what they want.

I’ve come across stories about people who not only get in physical fights with other people, but also those who are ridiculously rude to retail staff just because they can’t get what they want.

A little politeness goes a long way to making someone’s day – and ensure that the service you receive is top notch.

And finally, the one reason you should totally shop sales

So lest you think I’m a negative Nancy and misanthrope (which, to be honest, I TOTALLY AM), I’m not here to tell you that you should stay away from sales altogether. I’m not out of touch with the hard facts: Sale items are (often) cheaper.

The trick is to shop smart, and not impulsively.

Know what you need versus what you want, make a list (if possible and if you know what is on sale) and try to stick to it. And if, after all of that you still have a bit of extra money to tide you over, there’s no reason to not treat yourself to something you want after all.

Do you shop sales? What helps you when it comes to getting items or products at a bargain price? Share your tips and tricks and we’ll feature it in a future article

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