I’ve been a bargain shopper for as long as I can remember. I can’t pass on a good deal, and I am the first one to pull out a card or a coupon when my friends attempt to buy something at full price. To save you some of your hard earned cash for other necessities (ahem, Phil’s), I’m here to spill some of my best tips to becoming a bargain shopper.
1. Subscribe to Those Annoying Emails
Sure, you might hate spending the extra minute at the cash register giving their emails, or, even worse, getting multiple emails a day from a store you rarely visit. But these emails can give you sneak peaks at upcoming sales, promotions, coupons, or other specials, so sign up for a few of your favourite and most-visited stores to save yourself a few dollars on that sweater you’ve been eyeing up for weeks.
2. Sign up for Company Cards
Again, these cards often can be a bit of a hassle at first, but have tons of benefits. Make sure you ask the sales rep what the cards does, if it costs money, and, of course, if it saves you money. For example, Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum cards use a cumulating points system which can save you up to $170 on a single purchase, Student Price Cards (SPC) cost $9 at many popular retailers, but can save you money at over 120 retailers, and Victoria’s Secret Angel cards offer you free shipping, birthday gifts, and many other money saving rewards. Many other stores offer similar member benefits, so just ask a salesperson; that’s what they’re there for!
3. COUPONS!
Now I’m not talking Extreme Couponing level coupon use, but a few coupons here and there are a great start. For online shoppers, try visiting RetailMeNot (Canadain site) or Great Canadian Rebates before you close your cart. These awesome websites offer online coupon codes to hundreds of different retailers, sometimes giving you free shipping, BOGO deals, percent discounts off your order, or even gifts with your purchase.
4. Take Advantage of Flyers
I was recently introduced to an app called Reebee, which provides updated flyers for grocery and department stores in your area. Flipping through flyers may seem like something your grandmother should do, but by buying groceries on sale, you can save up to $50 off your next trip to the grocery store. Most items go on sale at least once every 2 months, so stock up when your favourites go on sale, or perhaps exchange your typical fruits and veggies for something in season and more budget friendly every now and then!
5. Buy in Bundles
Boxed sets and bundles are another great way to save your cash and stock up on your favourite brands. Gift sets are really easy to find during back to school months, holidays, Mother’s Day, and Valentine’s Day. A lot of boxed sets will tell you the value of items at individual retail price, so compare that to the price for the bundle and see if you’re getting a deal! For example, if a set contains shampoo (regularly $8), conditioner ($8), hairspray ($6), and shine spray ($7), and it sells for $16, you’re saving $15, or getting two products free!
6. Visit Discount and Dollar Stores FIRST
I’m a huge fan of Winners and Marshalls for all of my shopping needs. These awesome discount scores save you up to 60% off some of your favourite brands on shoes, outerwear, swimwear, and even décor and specialty foods! Another favourite store of mine is Dollarama. You’d be surprised with the products and brands that are carried in your local Dollarama: Live Clean, EOS, gud (by Burt’s Bees), Garnier, Essie, and Jergens are some of the brands I’ve recently picked up, which regularly can be priced at up to $18.00. Visiting these stores before other retailers can ensure you don’t spend more than necessary on marked-up products.
As a student, costs can add up really fast, but hopefully with some of these simple tricks you can save some of your hard-earned cash and treat yo’ self to a new scarf, a decent meal (no, not $5.99 pizza), another night out, or start paying off that seemingly endless student loan. Happy shopping!