Online Shopping Tips & General Shopping Tips - Easy Ways To Save Money and Clear Clutter

Welcome to my page of online shopping tips (and shopping tips in general)! This page is about how to shop thoughtfully, which is one of the easy ways to save money and become clutter free and organized.

We often buy things we don't need. I've done it, you've done it, we've all done it! Let's start purchasing with purpose and limit the clutter we bring into our lives.

The following shopping tips will get you started. Enjoy!

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Online Shopping Tips
Think Before You Buy

One of the most important shopping tips for thoughtful buying is to look before you leap.

Before you spend money on an unnecessary item and bring a potential piece of clutter into your world, ask yourself the following:

• Did I come into this store or go to this website for this particular item?
  
  
• What specifically will I use this item for?
  
  
• Do I already have one of these or something similar?
  
  
• Can I do some upcycling and/or repurpose something I already have instead of buying this item?
  
  
• Do I know exactly where it will go in my home or office? Is there space for it?
  
  
• Why do I need this item? ("Because I want it" isn't an answer.)

If you can't easily answer the above questions with specific answers, then don't buy it because you don't really need it.

Here's an example of how the above questions can come into play when buying something you do actually need.

I came into this pet store because my dog needs a coat. She doesn't have one that fits and winter is around the corner. I will get rid of the coat that doesn't fit her and store this new one in its place.

Here's an example of of how the above questions can come into play when purchasing something you really don't need.

I just happened to be passing this pet store and decided to come in to see if anything is on sale. Ooh! This winter coat is really cute. My dog already has a bunch of coats and the basket that holds them is overflowing, but she doesn't have this color yet.

Online Shopping Tips
Only Purchase Things You Love

When you absolutely love something, you imagine it in your life and how you will use it. This is a good rule of thumb to keep in mind when shopping for anything and everything.

If you don't love it in the store or on the website, then you won't love it at home or in the office. Thus, it will sit, become a piece of clutter and gather dust.

You know when you absolutely love something or when you don't. Listen to yourself and don't purchase things you feel so-so about.

The following are NOT reasons to buy something.

It's on SALE.
Items on sale are great, but you must love the item first. If it's on sale also, then fantastic!

I WANT to like it.
Wanting to like something and actually liking it are two different things. You won't use something you want to like, so don't buy it.

I COULD use it.
Making up uses for an item doesn't justify purchasing it.

If I need to, I can return it.
Will you though? You are giving yourself work to do, decreasing the chances that you will actually return the item.

Online Shopping Tips
3 Things You Need But Don't Have To Buy

If you're wondering how to save more money, then here you go! The below listed book types are not necessary items to purchase. The information they contain can be found online and for free!

1. Travel Guide Books - These books go out of date pretty quickly. There are tons of free websites dedicated to reviewing hotels, restaurants, attractions, etc. for any and every destination in the world.

2. Cook Books - These books can take up a lot of space and get very little use, especially if you have a different book for each cooking specialty. Keep the basic cook books but use the internet for specialty recipes. There are a lot of free websites that list recipes of all kinds.

3. Wedding Planning Books - There are a bunch of free websites that offer tips, have pictures for inspiration and provide local vendor searches.

These are just 3 ways in which you can be a more thoughtful shopper. There are certainly more strategies and several other things that can be considered when purchasing with purpose. For example, take into account the environmental impact of what you're buying or give it some time before you purchase the item (sleep on it first). If you're interested in reading more, here are thoughtful shopping resources for you to check out.

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