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How to make better purchase decisions

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Photo Credit: Kalawin

Believe it or not, the average American spends $164 every day. The bad news here is that it can be easy to lose track of your spending habits. After all, consumers make plenty of purchases without even thinking about them. And to be sure, there are plenty of unavoidable purchases that individuals need to make on a regular basis –– think, gasoline, utility bills, groceries. Still, considering that many people struggle to stick to a budget, today we’re going to share four tips that you can use to make better purchase decisions consistently. Check them out here:

Buy in Bulk

Buying in bulk is a tremendous way to save money on items or products that you use often. Toilet paper, paper towels, soap, pens, duct tape, and other basic household items won’t go bad, and you can store your backups in a closet or designated area in your home. Not only is this is a smart method for getting a good deal, but it will also ensure you don’t run out of these domestic essentials!

Wait

Impulse buys can wreck anyone’s budget. The problem, of course, is that it can be very difficult not to purchase a product once you have our heart set on it. However, it’s typically a good idea to wait to purchase a non-essential item. First, you may find after a few days that you don’t actually want/need the item as badly as you first thought you did. (You can avoid a number of questionable purchases doing this also.) Second, by waiting you increase the chances of a sale occurring. And third, if you wait until the “off-season” for some products or services, you can often secure quality discounts.

Get Specific

Want to make sure that your next purchase decision is exactly what you need? Then go the extra mile and get specific. Thankfully, consumers have more options today on the market than ever before. So don’t be afraid to type in long-tail queries into search engines like, “Corsa exhaust for Ford Raptor,” or “1986 St. Louis Blues jersey.” The more detailed your searches are, the more accurate results you’ll get.

DIY

Sometimes, a “do-it-yourself” approach isn’t such a great idea. If you’ve never worked on a car before, then it’s probably not a great idea to try and replace a myriad of crucial auto parts in your aging vehicle without any help. On the other hand, there are plenty of opportunities within home improvement projects to save money by rolling up your sleeves and making, fixing, or installing items on your own. Remember, you don’t always have to buy something new when a little elbow grease will fit the bill instead!

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Contributors

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