I am beyond excited to share my secrets for saving money when I shop. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be dropping all sorts of content about how to maximize your budget. We’ll explore topics like waiting for a sale or principles of researching a product. These are little tricks that I use to get the most out of my budget while still investing in quality products.
Pick Out a Good One
For the first post in this series, let’s start with a core principle of maximizing your budget: “pick out a good one.” It’s such a simple phrase from my husband’s family, but it says so much. The essence of this is to find what works best for you. It might not be the most expensive item. It also might not be the cheapest item. Just because the item is the lowest price, that doesn’t mean it will maximize your budget. It’s quite possible that you will have this item for a while, so it is worth the time to make sure you get what you want.
When picking out a good one, don’t go with what’s the most available or on sale. Yes, it can be tempting to do that, but if you settle for an item you don’t really want then it might cost you time or money in the long run. By taking a little time to find the right item the first time, then you may find that your purchase is of higher quality and lasts much longer. You are also more likely to be happier with the product.
The Exceptions
Of course, sometimes this rule has to be broken. If you need something, you need it. If your car breaks down, it needs to be fixed. You may not have time to research mechanics, especially if the car is towed. If you’ve ever had a car towed, then you know you do not always get the chance to pick out a good one.
Another exception is when you really want something, but the one item remaining in the store has a flaw. We did this with an adorable ceramic chick at Target that was the last one in the store. We really wanted it so we overlooked the small chip on one of its toes.
The Compromise
Picking out a good one can also mean compromise. The phrase isn’t “pick out the best” or “most expensive” for a reason. I used this principle when purchasing a spin bike. A few years ago I fell in love with spin classes, but parenthood and pandemic happened, so I couldn’t go to spin classes anymore. I wanted a Peloton bike, but they are expensive to buy outright and have a $40 per month fee. I researched alternatives and discovered Peloton digital app, which only has a $13 monthly fee and can be used with a non-Peloton bike. After more digging, I found that the Schwinn iC4 was the right bike for me – high quality, quiet, syncs with Peloton, and was half the price of a Peloton bike. I purchased my “good one” and 6 months later, I’m still very happy with my purchase.
How to pick out a good one.
If you are shopping in a store, spend some time looking at the product. Do a little inspection. Ask yourself some of these questions:
- Do you like the color?
- How does the texture feel?
- Are you considering buying it only because it’s on sale?
- Are you buying this on impulse?
- Can you see any flaws, like stains, chips, tears, etc?
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