I LOVE deals.

At the grocery store, I am often the lady at self checkout scanning 5 or 6 coupons.

When I find clearance produce and meat, I am giddy.

BUT, I am at my best budgeting when I go to the deals. Not the other way around.

When deals come to me, they typically provoke spending I didn’t plan. These deals come in many forms—emails, flyers, app notifications, Instagram ads, etc.

Usually I can tell when a deal “came to me.” I find myself scrambling to find things I suddenly “need” within the sale items.

Often I leave these deals feeling remorseful because I didn’t actually get what I wanted or needed. Many times I end up with some alternative item or brand that I don’t like.

Conversely, when I proactively go to the deals, I know exactly what I need and stick to it. I feel confident in my purchases. I leave with the brand and item I want.

So with holiday deal season underway, here are some ways I am trying to avoid the deal trap.

Unsubscribe

We are attempting to unsubscribe from every single promotional email.

I was reluctant at first. I love my freebies….birthday pizza, free coffee, etc.

But Kevin, being more practical, reminded me that we can just buy a pizza or coffee during my birthday month. AND we avoid 100s of silly emails we don’t need. Win/win!!!

Make My List First

When I make my list BEFORE I find out the deals, I look at the deals objectively.

I have already established what I truly want/need without the influence of the sale.

No Apps or Online Shopping

This month of no shopping Apps has shown me just how much I was drawn to them.

I wouldn’t say I actually spent a lot online, but the frequent browsing always had my brain in “consume” mode.

I think this consumption mindset often carries over into my other purchases and ultimately leads to more spending.

Removing the apps has helped me tremendously. My spending has decreased and my gratitude has increased.

Remember Brittany: There are Always More Deals

ALWAYS.

Intuitively I know this. There is always another sale. But marketing is powerful and constantly evolving.

The marketing experts have got me before with the “One Day Only” and “Biggest Sale of the Year” claims.

These phrases create a sense of scarcity and missing out.

But the deals come back, and I am learning to ignore these statements.

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Deals are great.

I love the exhilarating feeling of getting something I need for less.

But it is not a deal if I buy something I didn’t need or didn’t plan to buy.

There will be a lot of excitement these next few weeks.

Lots of ads and once-in-a-lifetime-deal claims.

I will do my best to go to the deals I want, and ignore the rest.

-Brittany