Sheri here –
Have you ever found yourself caught up in the moment and pushing forward with something that you thought was going to be a really, really good deal. Then just when you were going to say YES! You paused to think about it and realized No, No, No. What was I thinking???
Of course, “they” say, that if seems to good to be true, it probably is!!
I recently had an experience where I thought I needed a new computer; the reason was ALMOST in the category of buying a new car cuz the ashtray was full and I don’t smoke.
I was negotiating a PC purchase. Yes, I admit it, I’ve been a PC Gal since the earlydays of computers. The days of the big floppy disks. Oh, but I date myself.
Buying from the manufacturer with special “referral” pricing from an organization I belonged to, just HAD to be a good deal, right? I was assured I was getting the best deal that they had to offer. (Ding, ding, ding – how many red flags went off for you here??)
Comparison Shopping
But after looking at the price, I thought wait, is it REALLY a good deal. It was time to stop and do some comparison shopping.
One might ask, why didn’t I do comparison shopping first? Good question!
Comparison shopping and shopping are just so easy today. Almost too easy.
Sure enough, the deal wasn’t as good as I’d been led to believe. The excitement of a shiny new object was fortunately overruled by good sense.
This time, I escaped a bad and expensive, impulsive decision. This was followed by still deeper thought about whether this purchase was necessary. That answer was no.
Sometimes the negotiating and the buying just seem like fun, even if it isn’t a good decision. Pausing saved the day!
Have you found yourself in that same situation – caught up in the heat of the moment, wanting that shiny new something? Thinking that you’d just die if you didn’t get. And then you pause, you said wait, let me think this through?
Would you share your experiences and your shopping stories? Those times that you almost bought something but decided to wait and saved yourself a LOT of money.
Share your favorite negotiation tips in the comments below.
A Few Money Saving Tips
- Be specific and know what you want before you start shopping.
- Avoid impulse buying or retail therapy.
- Do your research, your comparison shopping, especially on a large purchase, so that you recognize a good deal.
- Make a list of people or items you are shopping for and stick to your list.
- Think about what you are buying and why, is it necessary or the right gift for that person on your list.
Find these tips helpful? Then you might want to download my free ebook “101 Ways to Save Money” – just click here to download!
Have a great week!
Ciao,
Sheri
P.S. Would enjoy hearing your stories of shopping experiences gone awry, post in the comments below, just to know I’m not alone….
