This is a collaborative post by Ellie Jo.
You know that fist-pumping moment when you get to the counter and the clerk tells you that there’s a discount on that cute shirt you’ve been dying to buy all month? You can have that all the time. If you play it smart, everything you could ever want to buy comes with a discount, and you’ll never have to pay full price again! Think it’s too good to be true? Check out these tops tips to always get a discount:
Just Ask
Okay, so I know a lot of people don’t like asking for discounts. They’re too shy, or they think it’s rude, insulting or impolite in some way to do so, but they’re dead wrong. At the end of the day, businesses want to make sales, and if they have to knock 10 percent of the ticket price to do so, well it might just be worth it for them to do so, and you’ll save money. You don’t lose anything by asking. Just be polite, and you’ll see more successes that you might think!
Use a Coupon Extension
Over at the Fortunate Investor, they suggest always looking for coupons before you make a purchase, but this can take up a lot of time. However, if you install a coupon extension like Honey to your internet browser it will automatically collect all of the best coupon and discount deals from around the web into one neat package, so whether you’re looking to buy a new games control or a fabulous makeup palette, chances are you’ll be able to find an applicable coupon in a couple of clicks.
Point Out Problems
If you’re dress shopping and you notice that a pretty outfit has a couple of loose buttons or a poorly stitched seam, it might be worth pointing it out to the sales assistant and asking if you could buy it at a reduced price. In many cases, they’ll be happy to oblige you because the alternative would be taking it off the shop floor completely. It’ll take you little effort to sort out the issues, and you’ll have a brand-new outfit at bargain prices.
Don’t Checkout
You’ve probably noticed that if you don’t finish the checkout process at a number of online stores, they’ll try to entice you back with free delivery, money off and buy one get one free offers. So, if you’re smart, delay your gratification for a day or two and see those savings roll in.
Buy Unwanted Gift Cards
Many people who get gift cards for the holidays don’t actually want to spend them, and companies like CardPool have stepped in to help them out by offering a marketplace where they can trade their unwanted cards in for cash. If you want to make a purchase at a place that sells gift cards, it is, therefore, a smart idea to check out a gift card reselling site to see if you could save a few bucks on your buys before you checkout.
Sign Up to Rewards Programs
If there’s a store that you shop at a lot, and they have a rewards program, sign up and after your first few shops, you’ll never have to pay full price again because you’ll be inundated with money off offers and you’ll be able to use any points you’ve accrued to cut the cost of your bill a little.
Cancel a Subscription
Canceling a subscription, or at least threatening to do so can often pay off and make your bank balance a little bit bigger each month. Most companies want to retain their loyal customers, and they’re willing to put a deal or two on the table to do so. In fact, some websites will even offer you a discount as soon as you click on the cancel button, in a bit to make you change your mind on the spot. So, if there’s a service you love, but you think it’s a bit too expensive, wield the cancel threat like a sword and fight your way to bigger savings.
Offer to Pay in Cash
Because most card payments cost the retailer more to process, many physical stores will be receptive to knocking a few dollars off your bill if you offer to pay them in cash. This is particularly true of independent retailers who are usually up for making deals as long as you don’t push it too far.
Shop (Un) Seasonally
When it comes to food shopping, purchasing goods that are in season will usually save you a few dollars, but for everything else, shopping out of season will see you save the big bucks. For instance, if you buy summer clothes in winter, there’s a good chance they will be heavily discounted, and the same goes for fans, coolers and…well anything that has seasonal connotations.
Sign Up to Social Media
One of the best things about following your favorite stores, brands, and services on social media is that they will often serve up super-secret discount codes for their loyal followers. If you’re particularly witty, you could also try Tweeting them for a discount. Sometimes, you don’t even have to ask – if you say something cool about their brand, they’ll reward you with free swag!
Become a Blogger
Talking about free swag, if you set up your own blog and fill it with reviews, you could be offered free products by any number of companies, who are looking to market their stuff online. Of course, your blog will have to be good, which means you’ll need to invest some time in it, but if you do, it might just pay off!
Use Price Comparison Sites
Before you buy something, see if there’s a price comparison site where you can see how much it costs at a range of different stores. Usually, you’ll find a better deal than the one you were going to use, and it only takes a few minutes to check, so it’s well worth your time.
Are you a pro at paying less? What are your top tips for never paying full price for anything?
