How to Have a Successful Day of Shopping

Shopping is a lot of fun, which is why you probably love spending a day at the shops! Sometimes, though, you just need to get in and out with what's on your list. No matter what your attitude towards shopping may be, streamline your experience so you don't wear yourself down or break your budget. Make a plan before you head out, and then work on finding the perfect items. Also, use sales to your advantage to snag deals.

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   Set a budget so you don't go overboard. Checking out your finances isn't fun, but you have to do it when you're going shopping. Look at your finances and decide how much you have to spend. Make a budget and stick to it. Don't wrack up debt because you want a new purse.^[1]

   • Take the amount you plan on spending in cash with you to the store instead of a credit card. That way, you can only spend what you have on you.
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   Make a list of what you need before you leave the house. If you just have a vague idea of what you want, you're going to waste time figuring it out while you're shopping. Plus, you may not end up with what you need, costing you more time and money to go back to the store. Be specific about your needs by examining what you already have.^[2]

   • If you need more clothes, spend time digging through your closet. You may decide you need more everyday pants, a couple of button-up shirts, and a nice pair of shoes. That gives you a target for when you go shopping.
   • If you're buying for other people, think about what type of gift you'd like to get them, so you can decide where you want to go.
   • Group like items together, as you'll likely be visiting the same stores for those items.^[3]
   • When deciding what to buy, pick the items you need most first, so you're not stuck doing without something you really need because you spent your money on something frivolous.3
     Decide how much time you want to spend shopping. If you only have an hour, you're not going to be able to hit 20 stores. Knowing exactly how much time you can spend will give you a chance to plan your stops.^[4]

     • For instance, maybe you just have your lunch break, or maybe you can spend a couple of hours one afternoon.
     • Make an itinerary for your day. You only have so much time, so pick the most important things you need to shop for today. You can always circle back later if you have more time. However, don't miss the important items because you were busy window shopping for fancy jewelry.^[5]
       • Decide on the stores you want to visit and make a route. Once you have everything grouped, pick the stores you need to visit for each set. For instance, you may have 2-3 stores you want to visit for clothing and a couple of stores you want to visit for gifts.^[6]
       • Plan out a route that's efficient, so you're not doubling back.