How to find a bargain

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With end-of-year holiday deals and discounts long gone, it’s back to the real world, where we all have to work a little harder to find bargains for the products and services we’re dreaming of.

To help you save all year round, our Shop Talk team has scoured the internet to find bargain hunting pros’ best ways to save. Here’s what we found:

Always haggle – or at the very least never be afraid to ask. As the old saying goes, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and most businesses would rather give you even a small discount to close the sale than risk you walking out the door (or surfing to another online site) and not coming back. If a retailer is already offering deep discounts it may be unlikely you’ll squeeze out more but ask anyway.

Stay in the know. It’s a bummer to buy something today and find out a week later that it’s gone on sale. When in-store, ask your favorite retailer if there’s a sale coming and, if there is, see if they’ll offer you the sale price early. If not, consider holding on to your cash until the promotion begins.

Buy off-season. Everyone wants a barbecue before the summer and winter tires before the first snowstorm. But if you plan ahead, you can buy early or during a product’s slow season and reap the rewards with deeper discounts.

Go out of your way. Retailers in busy locations tend to bump up their prices because overhead costs are higher and they know they’re more likely to get customers to pay the full price. Try locating your favorite finds off the beaten path – outside city centers or in warehouse locations – where businesses have more of an incentive to bargain. But be sensible – if it takes you two hours to drive there and back, the savings may not be worth the gas and time you spend.

What are your surefire ways to find bargains? Share your secrets with the Shop Talk blog community forum!

Did you know? Band of savers

Another smart way to save? Team up with likeminded bargain hunters or set up a bargain club or Facebook group to network and find more deals.

57 thoughts on “How to find a bargain”

  2. This is great info I am always looking to save a penny with nine children every penny counts

  3. Okay you say Shoppers voice surveys but everytime I click on it I just keep on you before the back two same thing over and over again I’m not able to complete any surveys and it’s getting frustrating so please tell me next step to do?

  5. Most of these suggestions seemed common sense to me. I believe many younger shoppers could use some of these tips.

  7. ALWAYS KEEP LOOKING, SALES·BARGANS·HALF OFFs & MANY MORE ARE OUT THERE & AROUND …. “NEVER SAY NEVER” & “FIRST COME FIRST SERVED” & “NEVER GIVE UP!” – remember if its gone its gone & there’s always a next & or can be Even better

  8. I read and check ads mainly online.
    I compare shop..I save points at stores that provide them.
    I always check if there is a special code that can save additional prices.
    I like to go to thrift stores.

  9. I am only interested in receiving samples as promised.
    I have completed several surveys already.

  12. Easy. I wait until I have a good coupon from Kohl’s and some Kohl’s cash and my Yes2You rewards. And usually a free shipping code. Then I go to their website and hit the clearance section. I do most of my holiday shopping like that. Kohl’s is the best store in the world. They make shopping so easy.

  16. I’ve done an incredibly thoughtful long survey for SV was promised an iPhone X completely did as instructed by prompter , get to the end, and it was looooong wow no mention of my new iPhone, Hmmmm,yeah right!

  18. Thanks for excepting me and I look forward to receiving the best freebies and coupons and deals .

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