January Sales - How To Spend Smart

Following Christmas many of us are eager to hit the January Sales. But as your favourite shops start slashing the prices, it’s easy to get a bit too spend happy.

A new pair of trainers, the juicer you’ll probably only use once before re-gifting it next year and the discounted luxury perfume your other half didn’t buy you for Christmas? Guilty. Before you know it, you’ve racked up quite a hefty receipt total and you’re left with an overwhelming sense of buyer’s regret.

However, if you spend wisely, the January sales could end up saving you a lot of money in the future. We’ve rounded up the best tips and tricks for how to make the most of the January sales, without falling into any of those disastrous discount traps:

1. Set A Budget and Stick to It

Our advice? Don’t make the mistake of buying something just because it’s on offer. By creating a budget first and an itemised list of the things you actually need, you can avoid over-spending on unnecessary items fairly easily. A new, working laptop charger is a far better investment than a trendy cocktail set that you will likely only use for display purposes.

The next step? Stick to it. The most simple of all, but by far the hardest to follow. A budget only works if you follow it. If you’re opting to hit the sales in store, a good way to stop yourself from overspending, is to actually withdraw the cash set out in your budget and leave your card at home. This way you won’t be tempted to get tapping that contactless card on stuff you can’t afford, and definitely don’t need.

2. Avoid Panic Buying

When it comes to shopping the high street sales - take your time. We’ve only just hit the halfway mark of January, which means you still have more than enough time to bag yourself a bargain. So, instead of rushing to buy the first deal you see for fear of missing out, stop and give yourself time to consider if you really need the item. Many shops also add further reductions towards the end of the January sales in a final bid to shift unsold items, so it might even be worth holding out until then.

3. Shop Around & Compare

Whenever you plan to make any purchase, it’s always worth running a quick comparison to see if you can get a better deal elsewhere. The quickest way to research prices is to use an online comparison tool, such as Shopify or Price Spy. Both will give you details of the best deals on an individual item within just a couple of minutes.

4. Use Online Shopping Tools

More and more of us our choosing to make our purchases online, and for good reason. You can access the very best discounts all from the comfort of your sofa and avoid endless ques of grumpy shoppers in the January sales rush.

But how can you really get the most out of online shopping this season? Try using a tool such as Shoptagr. Shoptagr is a free browser extension which allows you to save online items from a multitude of different websites all year round. Whenever any of your saved items enter the sale, Shoptagr will automatically send you an email notification, so that you don’t miss out. They’ll even notify you of when items come back in stock!

5. Use The January Sales To Invest In Personal Growth

The best purchases are those which prove to be fruitful investments into our future self, so think about where and who you want to be this coming summer. The reduced sports bra and discounted gym membership might not seem quite as enticing as a new pair of heels or the latest iPhone, but they’re more likely to help you achieve those New Year’s Resolutions.

Try writing down a list of your yearly goals and think about what you need to help you get there. This should help you to make wise sale purchases rather than frivolous ones. Other smart January Sale’s purchases include, birthday presents, anniversary gifts, wrapping paper and summer clothing.

In The End…

By following these tips you’ll not only find a worthwhile deal in the January Sales; you’ll also become an all-year-round smart shopper. For further help with budgeting effectively take a look at our 4 Best Budget Apps.