One of a shopper’s best friends is the list. Make one, and be disciplined — with the occasional exception. This isn’t the most exciting advice, but making a list and sticking to it might be a tip that saves the most money. Retail stores are geared toward enticing customers to make impulse purchases; it’s why supermarkets place impulse-purchase items near the checkout, put high-profit items at eye level and store the milk in the back of the store, so you have to walk by tempting items. One reason to stray from a list is when you pick up the supermarket weekly sales flier, often in a rack at the entrance.
Also, if you’re able, shop late. Hit a store after 6 on the evening before an advertised sale begins. Some retailers program checkout registers the night before, so the sale price might come up at the register even if they have not put signs on the selling floor yet, according to a tip from the National Retail Federation. Also shop in the afternoon or later when buying shoes. Your feet will be more swollen that time of the day, and you won’t waste money buying shoes that are too small.
