How You can save money shopping clearance and fight inflation
If you’re looking for ways to save money in the face of inflation, shopping clearance could be a great option for you. I’ve made it a habit when I shop and found amazing deals. From clothing and electronics to furniture and appliances, there are plenty of opportunities to save.
Shopping Clearance saves in more ways than one
Shopping clearance is a great way to save money and fight inflation. Whether I shop for specific items or not, shopping clearance helps me stretch a dollar further. I also treat myself to items I might not buy at full or sale price.
Whenever I am shopping in person, whether for groceries, clothing, or hard goods. I check for clearance items. Sometimes I buy things that we don’t really need, but are something I wouldn’t buy otherwise. Sometimes it’s a treat that ends up being a gift, or surprisingly useful. Either way, it’s a win, and light on the wallet.
When my kids were growing up, I used to have a designated drawer full of generic gift type items. Every so often, one of our sons would ask if they could pick a gift to take to school the next day. Having on hand gift items I’d bought on sale saves money and last-minute trips to the store. At times, I raid the drawer for donations for local non-profit raffles.
A lucky find at Lowe’s saved a lot of money
There are times when my husband or I have come across something we knew we would be needing one at some point in the foreseeable future.
One example is our 10+ year old washer. It still worked great, but I was getting a bit concerned about the rust around the holes in the basket in the bottom and at times there were suspicious damp spots extending from underneath it.
My husband and I discussed washers in general. We agreed that we didn’t like the front-loading type after studying our son’s and reading up on them. But we didn’t actively look for a replacement.
My husband often checks for clearance items when he shops at Lowe’s and has found items with great markdowns. One day he sent me a photo by text of a top-loading washer with a dent in the front. Regularly upwards of $800, and as of this writing on sale for $748.00, it was marked $208.00. It wasn’t a return, but was dinged in transit or unpacking. As our laundry area is in the cellar where no one sees it but us, the dent didn’t matter to us. It came with a full warranty just in case we had a problem.
It did have a minor issue, which a repairman fixed under the warranty, along with banging out the dent to ensure that the drum didn’t bang it when spinning.
We also used a credit card with rewards so we would save on booking a hotel or airfare. If we used our Lowe’s rewards card we might get more rewards, but we had so much trouble trying to make it work at checkout, we gave up.
We’ve also bought a storm door, kitchen cabinets, and a fire pit ($15) at Lowe’s on clearance.
More items to save money on by shopping clearance
You can find big savings on everyday items, like groceries, paper goods, toiletries and personal care, too.
I just bought a 12 ounce bottle of Pantene Pro-V Volume and body 2 in 1 Shampoo and conditioner for $.60, yes 60 cents, on clearance at a Walgreens. The receipt said the regular price was $5.99. Online Foodline listed it for $8.49 and Amazon listed it for about $12.00. I wasn’t in the market for shampoo, but for $.60, I bought it. At the same time I bought another hair product on clearance for $2.29 that the receipt said the regular price is $22.99. I was shocked to find that the prices online ran from about $15 to $22.
At the same Walgreens, I’ve bought a box of Quaker Oatmeal Squares for $ .50, a box of confectionary sugar for $.15, and paper plates significantly reduced. Walgreens brand of daytime and nighttime cold and flu relief medicine is much less than the leading brand. There’s more savings when it goes on sale. I picked up a pack for $6.99 once and I did find a bottle of the honey version on the clearance shelf for a great price another time. None of the above were anywhere near their expiration date.
I also find good buys on kid’s toys, too, like this toy car from the Cars movie was under 50 cents on clearance.
I usually find some good buys in Ulta’s clearance section, too. One year I bought some makeup cases at a great price. I gave one as a gift and donated another to a charity auction.
Sometimes I’ve gotten lucky at Shaw’s supermarket and bought hair care products for about 75% off. I recently bought packages of paper goods with the logo of my favorite sports team for 50 cents each there. You save even more at Aldi when they mark down an item, esp. some of their hard goods.
You can especially save money when you shop the clearance and sales areas in consignment and thrift stores. One of my favorite stores, Classic Consignments in Sudbury, Mass., recently had several quality gently used furniture pieces marked down. A trendy like new glass-topped table with four chairs was about $150. New the set cost significantly more.
Save more money shopping Clearance by using Coupons, Deals, and Discount Days
If a store has a discount day for seniors, get even more savings. Kohls and Walgreens are two chains that have weekly Senior Discount Days.
Through various websites and promotions, shoppers can find discounts on a wide variety of items. This can include anything from groceries, home goods, electronics, clothing or even travel packages.
One year we booked a cruise through Choice Hotels that was already discounted. We also received better rates on excursions while earning credits. This past year we found a deal on an off-season cruise which included the tip as well as a $50 credit towards either and excursion or onboard purchase. We’ve paid a lot more for shorter cruises.
There are many resources available online which specialize in finding and compiling the best coupons and deals across multiple platforms.
Save money and fight inflation by shopping clearance online
Shopping for clearance items online is another great way to save money and fight inflation. By shopping around on different websites and comparing prices, you can ensure that you get the best value possible while still saving money in the long run. Many times these stores offer additional coupons or discounts which make them even more appealing. Plus, most of these sites provide free shipping when your order is over a certain amount. That means you don’t have to worry about paying extra fees just to get your purchase delivered right to your door!
You can also earn rewards, not only from the stores you are shopping at, but from platforms like Swagbucks and Rakuten.
I earn rewards from online stores like Kohl’s and Macy’s and at the same time earn points from Rakuten. Honey will tell you the best coupons to use, too. There are many resources available online which specialize in finding and compiling the best coupons and deals across multiple platforms.
When I shop online, I select “Clearance” and then the “low to high price” options. I’ve found some great buys in brand name children’s clothes, books, and accessories, as well as clothing and gifts for family and friends. Some stores, like Kohls, give you rewards dollars if you have your order shipped to a store for pickup.
One time I went to pick up an order at Kohls on Senior Discount day. I picked up my order and also found some things to buy – on clearance. Instead of the Senior Discount a cashier suggested I take the 25% off Family and Friends discount they offered that day. They also accepted $10 in Kohls cash that I earned with my online order. When I got home, waiting for me was an email from Kohls with $5 Kohls cash reward for instore pickup. Save, save, save…
Shopping Clearance as a life habit
This fun mug on Etsy pretty much sums it up.
An over-arching benefit of shopping clearance is that it can help balance inflationary prices in other areas of your life. Milk and eggs or car repairs may be more, but they are offset by the savings on other purchases.
Not only do you get discounts, but clearance sections are constantly restocked with new merchandise. This means that you have access to new finds every time you visit your favorite store. I don’t make special trips to stores, but if I’m picking up a prescription, for example, I always check the Walgreens clearance area, and for their clearance tags around the store.
Shopping clearance is an excellent way to save money without compromising on quality. From home décor to clothing, there are great buys out there.
Take time to search out online and in-store discounts on products you need or want. Take advantage of end-of-season sales, holiday promotions, and special offers from retailers or manufacturers.
If you need school supplies, some office supply stores offer great buys just as the school year ends and the kids are sent home with supply lists for the next year. Then, once school starts, the stores slash prices on back-to-school items. I’ve found quite a few bargains in the clearance section at Staples all year ’round.
By taking advantage of clearance shopping opportunities, you can save enough, like I have, to offset inflation on many everyday necessities as well as larger more discretionary purchases.
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How have you saved money by shopping clearance? What are your tips? Leave comments below.
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