When you shop are you more concerned with how much you save or how much you spend? I have noticed that television, radio, online, and print ads all focus on the savings part, but that isn’t the bottom line.
While saving money shopping sales is great, most of the time you have to spend it to save it. If you don’t need it or can’t afford it, you aren’t really saving anything.
The next time you are tempted to buy something just because it is “on sale” make sure it’s really the best deal before you spend the money.
I couldn’t agree more! My new motto is, “If I don’t have the money, it’s not a great deal.”
For the most part, we have everything we truly need. There are lots and lots of wants, and I do try to hold off on purchases for, say, redecorating our bedroom (the last time it was decorated was probably in the 70′s or early 80′s when my husband’s grandmother lived here. I have lime green carpeting to prove it!). So I have been getting things on clearance and am hoping to save enough money to buy the carpet this spring.
But yeah, if we don’t really need it or if buying it would take money away from what we really need, then, I’ve gotten really good at leaving it on the store shelf. It’s a good feeling!
I so agree with your thoughts, since I am on such a tight budget, and all of the savings blogs out there with the great deals, I sometimes look and feel like I am missing some great things, but ask myself do I really need it
and alot of times, can’t afford it. You aren’t saving anything on a great deal if you really can’t afford to get it to begin with 
I completely agree. I’ve started telling myself, “It’s even cheaper if I just don’t buy it!” I’ve really learned to just avoid the advertising. I don’t walk in stores unless I have a specific list of needs. We have a DVR, because I love being able to watch what I want to watch when I want to watch it, and we skip every commercial.
One of my Dad’s favorite phrases (that he uses very lovingly because he knows my mother is very frugal), is to say, “Your mother’s out shopping – saving me right into the poorhouse!” It used to make me laugh, but, now that it’s *my* bank account, I see exactly what he means!
Amen. If it is just going to sit around your house and not get used, I don’t care how cheep it was than it was money wasted.
Too true. We are really trying to crunch the spending this year and I went to Savers thrift store of all places, and couldn’t get over the prices of some things the other day. I couldn’t tell if they had raised their prices or if my price points have gotten that much cheaper recently. Don’t spend it if you don’t have it – and don’t buy it just because it’s on sale! I really try and avoid just running to Target or running by a store because if I don’t have a purpose for going, I don’t have any business going either.
You can ‘save’ yourself right into bankruptcy. We suffered a major loss in income a couple of years ago. I learned fast the difference between needs and wants. It is not easy. Wanting something is a powerful thing. But it can be overcome. Wonderful post. The world needs more of this type of discussion.
Thank you all for sharing your thoughts…I am brand new to couponing and “saving”…then I see all these blogs that post items for really cheap and I find myself placing an order! I have got to stop and get a handle on just taking care of our needs and not buying something just because its a good deal. I started doing this to save money and to try to stop living paycheck to paycheck but those deals are so tempting. We have no savings and it’s really difficult to fight that urge to spend when these deals look so good.
I was really bad with Michaels and JoAnn coupons. If I had a coupon for 40% off I felt I had to use it. I would wander the store looking for something I could justify buying just because I have the coupon. Now, I thow away the coupons. My craft hoard has gotten so bad that it’s been almost a year since I’ve actually had to go buy something. If I think I need something I first look around at what I have to see if something else will work. If not, then I make myself wait a week to see if I still think I need it. If I still do – then I can download a coupon and go in for that one thing. Amazing the difference it has made!
This is a great reminder. I have this problem with sites like Groupon. Just because I can get it for half off doesn’t mean I need it, or that we will actually use it!
My sentiments exactly. Lately I’ve not been buying anything unless I need it. My hubby’s pay has gone down a bit due to losing shift differential, since he had to go from swing shift to day shift. We are doing ok so far. Budget is the word. Tithing as well. It’s amazing. Anyway, I laughed at the flyer from Costco that we got in the mail. “More than $1.800 in Savings!” Right, like I’m going to buy all they have coupons for and more on line..not! Only one of their coupons is good for me. Choose your sales well! Got a coupon? That’s gonna help as well! Thanks for sharing!
My dad used to say “well, take that savings to the bank!” It’s a good way to think about if you’re really saving or if you’re buying something just because it’s a “deal”.
I completely understand what you’re saying! I follow lots of the “good deals” blogs, too (one of my favorites is Mir at WantNot.net). I’ve started asking myself, “Was I looking to buy this particular item BEFORE I saw this deal??”
Thanks for the reminder! I needed that!
Our grocery bills have been creeping up lately and I haven’t given it much consideration other than to deduct that “everything seems to cost more lately.” But in fact, I’ve been using coupons a lot. And a common phrase around my house is “I bought that because it was on sale and I had a coupon.”