Thou Shalt Plan Ahead : There are certain commandments one must follow to get the best buys. Preparation and research top the list.
During a question-and-answer session recently with a group of shoppers, one woman posed the question, “I know not to do my marketing when I’m hungry, but is there a time when I shouldn’t shop?”
Yes--when you’re desperate.
In other words, if you need a dress for a wedding on Saturday, don’t wait until Friday to shop for it. It’s happened to all of us at one time or another. When our back is against the wall, we compromise and overspend. Like almost anything else in life, planning ahead can minimize problems.
There is a certain set of rules for bargain shopping, and each year they bear reaffirmation. Planning ahead is one of them.
Another is to do the homework necessary to be a good bargain hunter. The reading seems endless. Keeping up with the latest fashions, the newest developments in electronics and appliances, what’s in in home furnishings and approximate prices for all of the above may seem like an impossible task.
But it’s surprising how much can be learned just by reading the newspaper and paying attention to the advertisements. Trade publications in any consumer-products field offer a more in-depth look.
For apparel and home furnishings, fashion magazines and decorating magazines contain vast amounts of information on what’s coming up and what’s hot. In many cases, sharp manufacturers are turning out knock-offs of the season’s hits before the publications reach the newsstands. Knowledge is power and, in this case, a little knowledge is not a dangerous thing. Every bit helps.
Don’t be tempted by fads. Avoid the trendy and stick to the classics. That way, last year’s lines that are reduced drastically to make way for new merchandise will be just as appealing at 50% to 80% off because “traditional” goes on forever.
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Take the hangtag quotes of “Original Price” with a grain of salt. Ask the clerk, manager or owner where or when it sold for that price if you don’t know. Often these are prices set by the manufacturer to make the retailer look good and should not be taken as gospel. But, of course, if you’ve done your homework, you’ll have a handle on it.
Manufacturers and designers spend billions annually to make us conscious of their names, so we naturally gravitate toward their products when it’s decision time. But just because a label is unknown doesn’t mean it will remain that way. A lesser-known name will generally have a lower price tag, so often it’s worth the gamble if the product is well-made.
The truly exceptional bargains in almost anything usually fall into certain categories--samples, knock-offs, over-runs, close-outs, discontinued merchandise, irregulars and seconds, to name a few. I generally pass on the seconds, occasionally go for the irregular if the flaw doesn’t limit its use, but all the others mentioned are definitely sources for good deals.
Be adventurous. It used to be fun and was almost always rewarding to explore industrial neighborhoods. But with rampant crime in the streets, think twice. However, with doors locked and a companion (or a large dog) in the passenger seat, I still venture down seamy streets in search of that big bargain.
Geri Cook’s Bargains column runs every Friday in Valley Life! Questions about shopping may be sent to her, in care of Valley Life!, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311. Letters will not be answered individually, but topics of general interest will be discussed in future columns. Geri Cook can be heard from 9 to 10 a.m. on Saturdays on KIEV 870-AM.
