Did you know that you can get a better deal by simply buying products on certain days of the week?
Retailers are a fairly predictable lot. Big stores and little one seem to behave in the same patterns (sheep-like) when it comes to selling their wares. This is also true for when it comes to offering specials, sales and discounts.
The benefit for us consumers is that this predictability offers is that we can adapt our shopping schedule to make the most of potential bargains. Particularly, if you want to snag a bargain, you need to be shopping for that item on the correct day of the week.
Here are the inside tips.
Groceries and supermarkets
All perishable products like fresh fruits and vegetables are replenished at the end of each day, so bargains are available at the end of each day, particularly on Sunday evenings.
Hint: Shopping later at night will not only save you money, it avoids the queues and crowds.
Petrol
Petrol prices follow a weekly cycle. The cost per litre will rise when demand is higher and go down when not many people are at the bowser. As most people use their car more on weekends, they tend to fill up on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, prices are inflated on those days.
Hint: Go against against the crowd, fill up on Tuesday or Wednesday and save.
Home appliances and white goods
White goods and home appliances are nearly exclusively sold on the weekend when couples are out and about browsing. In saying that, competition in this space has meant they try to put their best price out there the weekend, particularly on Sunday.
Hint: Grab a fridge, computer or TV on a Sunday. Also, don’t be afraid you should ask for a discount
Flight bookings and holiday packages
New deals for flights and holidays appear to be published late at night, so they are ready for the following day, particularly on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. So if you stay up late (after you’ve been to the supermarket) and keep an eye on deals being published, because these deals are sold on a “first in, best dressed” scenario.
Hint: Get a late night cheap fare on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 9pm and 11pm.
Clothes and Shoes
Weekends are when retail stores within shopping centres make 90% of their sales revenue. So Thursday night shopping is often a big night when retailers have their specials on display so they can clear the older stock before the weekend.
Hint: Grab your new outfit on Thursday night (ready to wear it on the weekend).
Movie tickets
Cinemas struggle to make money during the week, both at night time and day time. This is why they run specials for tickets to midday screenings and mid-week night times. Their goal is to bring people through the door on the weak sales days.
Weekends are obviously the strongest sales period for movie tickets, so by trying to work around these times you can quite often get heavily discounted tickets that are up to 50% or more off.
Hint: Get to the movies during the day on weekdays or on Tuesday or Wednesday evening
Your weekly bargain hunting schedule – what to buy when:
