Make “Never Pay Full Price” Your Mantra

If there is something you need to buy something new, chances are there is a way to find a discount. Ever since I was a little girl shopping clearance racks with my mom, my mantra has been “Never pay full price!” It’s hard for me to think of anything I’ll pay full price for anymore. If you’re paying full price for anything, chances are you’re paying too much. Here are some basic "Never Pay Full Price" strategies:

• Shop at the end of the season
July and January are generally the best months to shop. Snap up summer merchandise after the 4th of July and winter merchandise after Christmas when it hits the clearance rack.

• Use coupons
One of the best way to get groceries on sale is to use coupons. Coupons, combined with planning your meals according to what’s on sale at the store already can save hundreds each year.

• Rebates and rewards
Many stores offer rebate and rewards programs to keep members coming back. Members who have mastered the ins and outs of how these programs work can save loads of money – even get items for free!

• Use the Mommysavers What’s in Store forum
Go online to get the inside scoop on what’s on sale in real bricks-and-mortar stores. Mommysavers’ What’s in Store Forum will help you out. Members let other members know about hot deals in major retail stores around the country. It takes a lot of the legwork out of bargain-hunting.

• Sign up for freebies
Who says you can’t get something for nothing anymore? Often companies will offer a freebie in exchange for signing up for their mailing list. Other companies will reward good customers via email with coupons for free (or nearly free) when a new product is launched.

• Make use of store cards
As long as you only use them for purchases you would have made anyway, there are benefits to holding a store card. Gap customers get 10% off the first Tuesday of each month. Victoria’s Secret customers get coupons for free panties. Here’s a thread for additional information: Which shopping cards also give you discounts?

• Become a preferred customer
If you have a favorite store, sign up for their mailing list. Here is a listing of restaurants that send email offers to members only: http://mommysavers.com/cmps_index.ph...ee-restaurants


• Consider stores that aren’t so obvious
Craft stores like Michael’s stock some great home décor items (use your 40% off coupon to save even more). Look for food at the Dollar Store. Thinking outside the box can lead to great deals.

• Know when to shop
Gap owned stores like Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic do their markdowns mid-week. Do your shopping on Wednesdays to get fresh picks on recent markdowns. If you have a favorite store, don’t be afraid to talk to the salespeople. They are often more than willing to share their “insider” information.

Assignment: Get into the habit of never paying full price for anything. You’ll find that when your mind starts thinking this way, you’ll see all sorts of opportunities to save that you didn’t know existed.

Questions: When was the last time you paid full price for something? Was there a way you could have saved?

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I am usually good with this for the most part - the part that is hard for me is groceries --- it seems like there are never any good coupons anymore so it is hard to 'clip' and shop. But I never will go & buy clothes at full price, not even at Target --- even if it is $4.99 - that means it will be $3.99 during a sale soon!

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"I want my children to have all the things I couldn't afford. Then I want to move in with them." ~ Phyllis Diller

Before you are making a larger purchase ask if it will go on sale soon. When we bought our lawn mower, the saleperson at Sears told us it would be on sale the next week.

Also pay attention to the sale ads. Target will give you the difference between the sale price and what you paid for it with a receipt and within 2 weeks (that's the time frame here anyways).

Definitely good information to keep in mind!

Now, I rarely pay ful price--previously (like a few years ago), I thought I was doing something good per se when I bought something not on sale. I do think it was related to the feeling associated with it (like in Kim's previous post about the Coach bag).
Anyhow--I don't do it anymore. We were actually on vacation last week, and had some gift cards to use in a clothing store--I had a hard time buying anything because I thought I didn't need it, and I just don't get that feeling anymore, which is a good thing! I did end up getting a few things, all from clearance racks

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Heather

i too struggle with the price of groceries. I use coupons and sales. i guess its pretty obvious that gas prices effect eveerything!

One thing I found is also pay attention to how things are rung up. I hit a great sale last week all clothing clearence was buy one get one free of equal or lesser value. So I chose out two pairs of pants and two pairs of Flip flops. Assuming that the pants would cancel eash other out and the shoes the same only when they rang up the two items that they took off were the both flip flops. I caught it though and had them ring up the pants as a seperate transaction. Catching that saved around $25

Ok so the last time I paid full price for something was dinner out. It seams going out is often full price we try to save in other ways like avoiding kids meals when DD can eat off out plate and not ordering drinks.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006 &

Organizer of the Coupon Clippers of Tacoma