With the biggest spending season of the year looming ahead, it’s time to brush up on your shopping skills. Here are four instances when a deal is not such a bargain after all.
1. When you don’t need it
The price might be right. However, if the heavily marked-down item is one you don’t need, you’re not getting a bargain at all. You are just spending money you could be using to put into savings or purchase things you actually do need.
Think carefully before putting money down on sale items. If an item is marked down 75%, ask yourself: Would I ever buy this item at full price? Would I buy it if the price was slashed just 30%?
2. When it’s going to go bad before you can use it
Before buying in bulk to take advantage of a great deal, be sure the food won’t go stale before you can enjoy it. Other items such as toothpaste, soap, and batteries also have a shelf life you need to take into consideration. Click here for 16 things you never knew had an expiration date!
3. When you need to mail in a rebate to get the discount
When a store advertises a mail-in rebate, it is typically a rebate offered by the manufacturer. You pay the normal price set by the store and submit a claim to the manufacturer for reimbursement. However, most of us forget to mail them in, and the retailer gets the last laugh. For most people, it only pays to pick up a rebate item with an instant at-the-register rebate. Otherwise, consider the item as being marked at its regular price.
4. When it’s part of a liquidation sale
While shoppers sometimes get great deals at these sales, liquidation events don’t always mean discounts. Retailers post signs claiming “Everything Must Go!” — but the prices they advertise are often as high as the original price. The store owners are depending on shoppers to assume that all items are bargain-priced just because they are at a liquidation sale. When it comes to these sales, proceed with caution. Just because a store is going out of business does not mean you are getting the best savings.
Don’t forget to find the best deals with help from your Benefits Plus® checking account! Once you upgrade your basic checking to a Benefits Plus® checking with SeaComm, you will gain access to a variety of savings options, including discounted gift and eGift cards at up to 15% off! Browse through an entire catalog of local retailers, including Lowes, TJ Maxx, Target, The Home Depot, Walmart, and much more. Visit your local SeaComm branch to enroll.
For complete information, terms, conditions and exclusions please visit www.benefits-plus.org or call 866-329-7587.