My Mint Tips: Minters Share How to Save When Shopping

Many of us have a love-hate relationship with shopping. We love purchasing new things, but sometimes overspend or, even worse, end up with buyer’s remorse. Last month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average consumer spending in 2014 was $53,495, a 4.7% increase from 2013. While this is great news for an economy on the rebound, it serves as a good reminder for Minters to make sure every dollar counts when making a purchase.

As we move into fall and the holiday season, spending is inevitable for all of us, whether it’s buying a new winter coat or a holiday present for a loved one.

We recently asked Minters on Twitter and Facebook how they save money when shopping. Check out our favorite tips here, and share your own with @mint with the hashtag #MyMintTips. We promise your wallet will thank you:

@dbroncos78087: @mint #Minters around Christmas time I can set my gift budget to be sure everyone gets a great gift and I don’t break the bank.

@lawlitta: @mint Been sticking fashion items I want in a Pinterest board. Every couple of weeks, I revisit the board & weed out items I don’t love. After about two months, my board is filled with few, high quality items that I know I’ll love on me for a long time. Then, I buy!

@TalaricoDavid: @mint never impulse buy. Use cash ONLY. If you can’t pay cash, you can’t afford it.

@Italatinaa: @mint I only buy things (including food) that is both on sale and that I have a coupon for.

@KellenMurray: @mint Sleep on big purchases for a day to prevent impulse buys

@products4u: @mint Shop for seasonal clothing at the end of the season for next year. Buy winter clothing in Feb/Mar. Summer clothing Aug/Sept

Amanda Marie Clare: Shop around and compare prices, especially on major purchases!

Ann Hess: I buy a lot of my grocery items at Target. I use coupons from coupon.com, I use Target’s Cartwheel App to get discounts, I purchase a lot of their store brand items, and pay with the Target debit card to get 5% more off the total. I also like to use Safeway’s club card and Just for U app. I can get some good deals and points towards gas discounts. When I’m finished shopping, I check the Ibotta app for rebates.

Maddie J Teater: When I see something I like, I see if I can make it at home. Like salt scrub! I now smell like cookies!

Patrick Ramos: Don’t buy impulsively. Our money is earned from our time, so we should want our time to be used as efficiently as possible. Look around for the best price AND quality that you will be satisfied with.