Shopaholics can spend an entire day, every
day of the week in a shopping mall. The strong pull of a new dress hanging by
the window, a pair of sandals standing out from its counterparts or a fashion
accessory that you come by while strolling is really captivating.
However, sadly, we don’t live in an ideal
world and as adults we also lose the license to fantasize. Therefore spending
an entire day in a shopping mall seems like a distant possibility so far. The
needs thus arises to shop ‘smart.’ To utilise the time you’re in a mall to not
just tick everything on your task list, but to also spare a few minutes for
window shopping, you have to follow a certain procedure.
So, don’t just start your car and drive to
the mall with hefty expectations, always go keeping the following shopping
strategies in mind.
- Make a list
It’s an age old practice, which some of us
now consider as out-dated. But it’s still the most effective way to keep a
check on your spending. You’re investing your hard-earned cash and crucial time
into this outing, a few minutes of penning down won’t harm at all. Firstly look
around and see what you have and what you need, from groceries to utility
items. Please note that buying new clothes should generally not be on the list
until it’s really important. Remember to keep that list in front of you all the
time and not in the back pocket of your jeans.
- Make a budget
Oh how we all hate it! Going to a shopping
mall with spending constraints. But like discussed, we don’t live in an ideal
world and making a budget will help you save money. Take a look on your list
and assess how much money you’re comfortable spending on it. It will be painful
to say no to several things, but the satisfaction of saving money for end of
the month troubles will be deeply gratifying. Don’t overthink after you’ve set
the budget and start shopping right away.
- Cash payment should be preferred
Paying with a card is an epitome of how we
lead our lives these days, easy and lazy. Just a simple swipe and no hassle of
carrying cash and counting notes. You should be aware that we tend to pay
20-50% more while using credit or debit card. Right after forming the shopping
list and deciding a budget, withdraw the required cash and don’t pay with your
card! Also, if you don’t rely on the card and spend from an apt cash amount,
chances are that you won’t overspend.
- Set a time-limit
Just like saving on money is crucial,
saving time is equally important. Shoppingin Delhi can really take a lot of your time if you include travel time too.
Dedicate a few hours to your outing and finish off the list within that
timeframe. If you have a lot of idle time, window shopping would naturally
creep in and the whole exercise of forming a list till setting a budget would
go waste. You can also plan another task for later in the day so that when
you’re done shopping you have to rush to do that.
- Shop solo
If you happen to shop with a friend who’s
equally shopaholic, it can be a dangerous combo. Shopping alone lets you
concentrate on what’s important and what’s worth ignoring. Shopping with your
kid can also slow you down. If you’re visiting Select CityWalk, you can leave
him at the probably the most interesting kids
play zone in Delhi, so that he can have his own fun while you shop at a
desired pace. Shopping alone is surely an amazing experience.
