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Hi! I'm Jess and I shop professionally for a living. In my eyes, there's few things more annoying than paying full price for something only to see you could've nabbed a discount, so I'm here to spill some serious tea on how you can save some serious coin! ☕💸
🛍️Shop wisely in the sales 🛍️
As someone who spends hours scouring websites for the best deals, I like to think I know how to bag a bargain.
Firstly, if you're an Amazon shopper I'd recommend keeping an eye out for Prime Days. These are Prime member-only days where discounts are on across the site on selected items. You can sign up to Amazon Prime here.
Of course, it goes without saying that Black Friday sales are usually huge, but there's usually plenty of other sales throughout the year. I'd recommend adding items to your basket and creating an account on your fave sites before the sale, so you don't become distracted by other products and can check out quickly. This is especially crucial if you want something that's likely to sell out.
If all the emails and social media posts become overwhelming over the sale period, I'd also advise making a list of things you're looking for. It'll help to stop you overspending and buy things you'll actually use. BuzzFeed's shopping team have a whole lotta experience in scouring out good buys, so it's worth keeping an eye on sales coverage as the deals are updated regularly over Cyber Weekend.
Some retailers put sales live on their apps first, and you can usually save your details for a faster checkout experience. If a sale goes live at a certain time, head to the website or app a few minutes before and you'll sometimes find you can shop a teeny bit before that time. It's always worth keeping an eye on investment buys in the sales, as an item is only a bargain if you'll actually use it.
BEST ITEMS TO SHOP FOR IN THE SALES: gadgets, branded items, wardrobe staples.
🛍️Here are some things that are worth buying if you ever spot them on sale on Amazon 🛍️
🛍️Amazon investment buy – Dolce Gusto coffee machine 🛍️
🛍️Amazon investment buy – Echo Dot 3rd gen 🛍️
🛍️Amazon investment buy – Revlon one-step dryer and volumiser 🛍️
💰Join loyalty programmes and recycling schemes 💰
Many retailers have loyalty programmes where you can collect points towards future purchases or earn rewards.
Some are better than others, so be sure to check out the benefits before signing up. If you're a fashion fan, I cannot stress enough that if you don't have the H&M app and you aren't a member, you are seriously missing out.
Once you become a member, you can earn 'bonus vouchers' for discounts. You can also nab yourself 'conscious points' for making 'conscious choices', and H&M will give you one point for every pound you spend. As if that wasn't enough, you can also get 10% off when you join and spend £20.
One of my fave incentives at H&M is the recycling scheme. If you have old clothes that can't be gifted to someone else or worn again, you can fill a carrier bag and take them into the store. In return, you'll get a £5 digital voucher that you can redeem next time you spend £25. You can do this as many times as you like, but the discount will only apply once per transaction.
If you're shopping in store and want to check the price or availability of something online, you can also easily scan the barcode of an item in the app. If the price is different, you can choose to buy the item online or see if they will match it in store.
On your birthday, you also get sent a discount code for a whopping 25% off your fave item!
💰Here's what I would personally buy from H&M after becoming a member! 💰
💰H&M classic purchase – light brown puffer jacket 💰
💰H&M classic purchase – collar-detail jumper 💰
💰H&M classic purchase – single-breasted beige jacket 💰
💸Search for discount codes 💸
The internet and social media can also be your discount code BFFs.
Often, downloading a brand's app is one of the best ways to secure the highest discounts (not to mention it's usually an easier shopping experience).
Many brands offer a discount if you're a first time customer or if you sign up to their newsletter. If you don't mind adding your birthday details to your account, companies will often email you a code when the big day rolls around.
Google is also your discount code BFF – it takes a little patience but there are various discount sites that will list active codes from popular retailers. If you have no luck, it's also worth checking out your fave influencers and social media accounts. They'll often have their own discount codes – simply search the retailer name and 'discount code' on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram and see what comes up – good luck!
💸Here's some products you can save money on ATM thanks to discount codes! 💸
💸Treat yourself to: Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA liquid exfoliant 💸
💸Treat yourself to: MADE.COM boll table lamp in white marble 💸
💸Treat yourself to: Glamorous chunky Chelsea boots 💸
💡Don't ignore product suggestions 💡
Most websites have product suggestions based on your shopping and browsing history. They may seem like annoying attempts to make you purchase more, but they can be useful.
It's worth noting that if you're after something non-branded, you might be able to nab a cheaper version. For example, if you click on the product you're after and scroll down the page, you'll often find other suggestions of the same product at different price points. The website may also tell you what other people who looked for the product you're looking at purchased.
If the item is a little unusual, it's also worth searching different terms to find it as the search results can vary. I've often found cheaper or more highly rated versions of an item by looking at the suggestions on Amazon.
If there's something you like, but you're in no rush to buy it, add it to your basket and wait. Amazon often notifies you in your basket to tell you if the product you've got your eye on has gone up or down in price. Other websites may even email you a discount code to prompt you to checkout if you're patient.
💡Here are some suggested products Amazon gave me that I'm so glad I checked out! 💡
💡Amazon discovery: paw print necklace 💡
💡Amazon discovery: Flash Speedmop starter kit 💡
💡Amazon discovery: Eyebrow razor and dermaplaning tools 💡
✍️Always check reviews ✍️
The famous saying 'buy cheap, buy twice' isn't necessarily true from my experience, but buying something without checking the reviews can be costly.
While many popular retailers offer free returns, some don't, so it's worth checking if there are recurring themes to any of the product reviews you see. For example, if multiple people say something fell apart after one use, it may not be particularly well made and in the long run, you'd have been better off paying a bit extra for something that'll last longer.
The same goes for sizing – many websites will let you know whether buyers said an item comes up small or oversized, so you can save yourself hassle (and heartbreak if the item you wanted to exchange has later sold out 💔) by reading up on what people thought.
ASOS also has a handy 'fit assistant' feature that takes some of your details in order to give you size predictions for different items across the site.
✍️These products have super high ratings, so you can rest assured they'll meet your expectations ✍️
✍️Highly-rated Amazon find: Bar Keepers Friend multi-surface cleaner ✍️
✍️Highly-rated Amazon find: Method daily Shower Cleaner ✍️
✍️Highly-rated Amazon find: Zoflora midnight blooms disinfectant ✍️
📱Check out social media 📱
TikTok is your product finds BFF.
Search the hashtags for content relevant to your purchase – for example, if you're looking for new products or bargains on Amazon, the term 'Amazon must-haves' is filled with things people love from the online marketplace.
Hashtags are the best way to explore – try searching for subtle tweaks on your fave topics to see different results . It's also worth checking the comments section of popular posts as other users will often post additional info and tips.
If you have champagne taste on a lemonade budget, then social media sites are also often great for dupes. Search for your fave designer or spendy beauty brand and the word 'dupe' and enjoy!
Remember, social media network algorithms are generally geared towards showing you more of what you spend time engaging with, so eventually product suggestion videos will filter through to your homepage.
📱These are some brilliant (and affordable) buys I discovered through social media 📱
📱TikTok-inspired wise buy: 20,000-bristle toothbrushes 📱
📱TikTok-inspired wise buy – clip-on pain strainer 📱
