Analysis of advertisements help consumers to the best deals. Newspapers, magazines, flyers, television, and telephone provide the means of sales information to save money.
There is absolutely no reason to buy anything that is not on sale these days. Wary shoppers know what to look for: discounts, markdowns, two-for-one sales, because they value their hard-earned money. Every day, every week, every season gives retailers the opportunity to draw consumers to their stores for hoped-for buying frenzies. Smart merchants will offer various items for sale at a reduced rate. All the shopper has to do is find their opportunities. How do they do that? They keep up with advertisements.
Newspapers offer a great chance to find out about impending sales events. The Sunday edition is particularly stocked with various inserts from discount department stores, drug stores, and supermarkets. This is an easy way to "pre-shop" for bargains without leaving home. With marker in hand, the consumer can easily circle items of interest to compare prices later (often, the same product will be listed somewhere else for another price).
Coupons can be found in newspapers virtually any day of the week as well. Women's magazines offer a variety of coupons for the clipping. Mostly for drug store and grocery items, coupons are usually worth from twenty-five cents to one dollar off. Enough coupons used in one trip for groceries could certainly save a bundle.
Advertising flyers arrive in the mailbox every week. Deals on coupons for carpet cleaning to chiropractic visits to pizza deliveries arrive on a routine basis. Sometimes advertising circulars from neighborhood stores arrive announcing sales for the coming week, just like in the Sunday inserts.
Television is another media where you could catch news of needed specials and sales. Grocery stores, department stores, malls, and even automotive and tire stores advertise on TV. Pay particular attention to the commercials around various holidays for specials you would not want to miss on. Know which services and products will be discounted during the year. For example, garages recharge automotive air-conditioning for a reasonable price in the spring, before summer sets in. Christmas wrapping paper, decorations, and cards go on sale immediately after Christmas, and many folks stock up for the following year. Buy your winter coat for next year when department stores begin to set out their spring fashions.
What if the item you seek is not advertised? Use the telephone. Call around and see what kind of deals you can get for a specific model car with specific accessories. Use your information to haggle prices to your advantage--"XYZ Cars offered me the 2000 Hurricane hatchback with quadrasonic stereo for $18,500. Can you do better than that?" Do the same thing if you are looking for a certain type of appliance, carpentry work, landscaping, childcare, or cable hook-up. Find out the prices and make your decision. Let competitors know how much other suppliers charge for the same service or product.
Consumers do not have to be held hostage by retailers and their empty promises of quality merchandise at full, inflated prices. Buyers have the freedom to seek out sales and good deals in a variety of places like flea markets, garage sales, and warehouses. The key is keeping your eyes opened to the advertising. It could be on a billboard while you are driving down the highway. You may see a little sign on a neighborhood telephone pole, a store marquee, or a flyer posted on a bulletin board or shop window. Most products and services at reasonable prices will find themselves the subject of various types of advertising. All the consumer has to do is watch out for them.
