Shopping is a recreational pastime for many Malaysians. However, shopping – if not properly controlled – can result in financial turmoil. This is especially true for impulse buyers and to those who consider shopping “therapeutic”.
However, you can be a smart shopper and prevent yourself from buying more than is necessary or to buy beyond your means. To be a smart shopper you have to plan ahead and stick to your plan of what you want to buy, when to buy and where to buy. In other words, a smart shopper must do the following before heading to the shopping mall:
1. Plan
Take stock of what you already have in order to identify what you should buy. For instance, you might have a daily skin care regime. You use a cleanser, toner and moisturizer regularly. If your cleanser runs out before the other two items, then replace only the cleanser. Don’t buy the other two items yet. Note the size, colour, quantity and the price of the goods you wish to purchase.
2. Make A List
A shopping list is a reminder of the things you need to buy. Be committed to buy what’s on the shopping list only. That way, you won’t get carried away by sales and promotion. And if you are serious about it, you can even organize the list by the location of stores and the location of things within the store. It may sounds tedious, but it saves you the hassle of backtracking and prevents you from forgetting important items.
3. Decide On Quality
When you’ve decided the type and quality of the item concerned, consider how long you’d want to use it. Sometimes, it is more economical to buy quality goods at a higher price than poor quality goods at cheaper prices.
4. Be An Informed Shopper
The biggest advantage of being an informed shopper is your ability to make buying decisions based on relevant information. Apart from the information obtained from the labels of products, leaflets and advertisements, you should take the initiative to ask around, especially from those who have used the products before. You can also read online reviews or testimonials. And if you’re making an expensive purchase, make sure there is a warranty. Read the warranty clauses carefully to find out the period of warranty and what it covers.
5. Avoid Impulse Buying
To avoid buying products on impulse, you must decide what you want to buy even before you get to the mall. Spur-of-the-moment decisions can definitely wreck your budget. The best way to avoid impulse buying is plan your shopping, make a list and stick to it. Avoid places or shops where you know you wouldn’t be able to resist walking in to buy things.
Consider the Environment
Every time you use plastic bags, you are contributing to the huge piles of rubbish at the dumpsites. Each plastic bag you throw will take around 500 years to disintegrate. Try your best to reuse plastic bags or recyclable bags. You can dramatically cut down plastic pollution in Malaysia and create a cleaner, greener environment for our children.
Shopping is one of the biggest temptations in life for many because it is governed by emotions. Often, people feel good when they use or consume the goods which they have purchased. As a smart shopper, you should find alternative ways to get the same result in a much cheaper way. So, be smart every time you go to the mall and save your hard-earned ringgit wherever possible.
