Weigh In Wednesday: Buying Good Deals

by Erin at SlimSavers.com

Confession: I went to Target yesterday. I WAS JUST GOING TO GET MILK! But, I did it. I wandered around. Into the kids’ clothing section. There they were…those big, beautiful red and white clearance signs. (I didn’t get the milk)

By following some of my favorite bloggers on Facebook, I learned of Target’s “huge” toy clearance set for Aug. 1. According them, this is some super secret thing that happens at some point in January to get rid of Christmas toys and in July/August to make room for Christmas toys. I just happen to read about it the day before and set myself up to go. I told myself I wasn’t going to get anything unless it was at least 70% off. I did pretty good! There wasn’t much available, but I did get my boy a small Hot Wheels race track, a rocket you put together and shoot off with baking soda and vinegar, and a Cat-in-the-Hat game. They were all 70% off except the game (DOH!), but I accepted the $10 price of the game. In total (and with my 5% Target RED card discount), I spent a little over $20 for three Christmas gifts. Yay for me!

Digging a little deeper into this Target thang, I learned that the little number at the top right corner of the clearance tag is the percentage it’s marked down. So, I’ve given myself a rule to never buy something unless it’s at least 50% off…oh and if I need it, of course. (Why do I need EVERYTHING Target carries?) When I’m in Target, I go on down the back of the aisles where most of the clearance stuff is and up and down the ones I’m really wanting a good deal in and look for those beautiful red and white tags. (And constantly tell myself “you don’t need that!”)

This week, I saw (by following bloggers on Facebook…see a pattern?) that its summer clothes were being marked down 50% and 70% off. Avoiding the women’s section all together (A MUST FOR ME), I went to check out shorts for my three year old. Now that his size is pretty predicable, I’m comfortable buying ahead, but this is the first time I’ve done this. I must confess, I was shaking and getting pretty antsy. Should I buy 10 pairs of shorts at this great price? Should I get his entire wardrobe for next year now? Should I have reeeeeally walked past those pretty dresses in the woman’s section? (YES)

I often get like this unless I set myself up with a rule. A rule on quantities I do not have, but my rule on the percentage off was met! I got realistic and remembered he often wears only one type of shorts mostly and that I could easily get cute T-shirts I actually liked from Once Upon a Child for about the same price. I also remembered my two dear friends who pass on boy clothes to me at what seems to be just the right time. So, I got my boy five pairs of shorts for $2.50 each, three for $3.50, a rash guard/SPF shirt for $5 (SCORE! I’m always looking for one of these at the last minute), and baby “dosa” a little outfit that will work for her when she enters the world in the Fall for $8, which I had to get because it was ADORABLE.

I’m still learning. I’m lucking that I can pretty much tell you how much everything is at Kohl’s and that I remember (sometimes) Once Upon a Child is right down the road so I can judge a deal that way. However, I still can’t avoid that slight panic attack I have in the store about if I’m doing the right thing or not.

Do you stock up at the end of a season for the following year when deals are hot? What are your tips? How do you avoid the worry that you’re spending money now on something that will be used in a year (or maybe not at all)?

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About the SlimSavers: Erin and Joline, both health and wellness junkies, spent many years pinning down the truths about eating healthy and inexpensively. Both feel the it’s-too-expensive-to-eat-healthy excuse is untrue and infuriating.