Here’s the thing about sales.
You’re not actually saving any money.
Advertisers are good at what they do. Which is devising new ways to divide you from your money. I should know, I studied advertising in college long enough to realize I didn’t want to work in the field.
NO MONEY DOWN! $2000 CASH BACK!
I like to pick on car commercials because they’re the most absurd. “You can save $10,000 on this car today!” they scream. “Drive it home today!” You know how car ads are always screaming at you? Would you listen to someone who walked up to you and started screaming at you to buy a car in person?
Then why do they do it in the commercials? Urgency. They’re creating the excitement and urgency in your mind. You have to buy this car right now!
Don’t wait. That car won’t be sitting there tomorrow!
They always tell you how much money you’ll get back. Or how good a financing offer they’ll give you. Every time I see a car commercial promising such amazing terms all I can think is or don’t buy the car and save thousands of dollars.
Seriously. That brand new car that’s $30,000 is still $30,000 you have to spend. Maybe a little less. Maybe it only works out to $24,000 after the incentives. But that’s still $24,000 you are giving away.
SALE! TODAY ONLY!
Have you walked through a shopping mall lately? Are most of the stores there having a sale? Yes? Can you think of the last time they were not having a sale? No?
When a store is perpetually having sales, when does it stop being a sale and start being their regular price? And is the sale price a better deal than it was before? Not always.
Stores will often increase the original price on the label so the sale price looks more attractive. When in reality, the original price was much closer to the sale price. But no one, myself included, looks that hard at prices of most things.
Sale Prices
I look at a sale price and think, well, if you can afford to sell it to me for this price, then why would I pay a higher price? Why would I pay full price at your store? Wait for a sale. So I often do.
I’m a large man, standing well over six feel tall and over 300 pounds. When I need clothes, I don’t turn to sales and department sales. They don’t feel anyone with arms as long as mine deserve to shop there anyway.
I turn to Big & Tall stores. Which are notoriously expensive because they can be. My choices are limited so I always shop at the same place for all of my business casual attire for work.
But I always wait for a sale. Always.
I know eventually there will be 30% or 60% off sales. I know sooner or later I can save a pile of money. So I wait.
Save 100%!
Don’t buy what you don’t need. Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean you’re required to buy it. Yes, that app just went on sale. Sure, that new game just saw a price drop. Do you need it? Will you use it? Will you play it?
Before spending your hard-earned money on something decide if it’s worth it. There are piles of games out there I’d love to play. And they often go on sale, or I see a cheap used version and I’m tempted. The same with apps. I love a good app sale as much as anyone. But I don’t need them all. I don’t use much of what I download and pay for.
I’m getting better at this but I still struggle. But I’m getting better at saying no to sales and spending money I don’t need to.
