Christmas is now just a few weeks away and the black Friday sales are over. In our last article about christmas shopping tips in Costa Rica, we learned about Black Friday sales being mostly hype and now we will go into more ways to save on Christmas shopping without going over your budget.
Before we go into some more useful shopping tips just remember that you should always ask for a receipt, always have an established budget and report any misleading practices.
Now, let’s get started on some helpful tips that will ensure you get the best discounts in Costa Rica to maximize your Christmas shopping budget.
Make a Shopping Gift list
The best way to go over your budget when Christmas shopping in Costa Rica is to visit stores in Costa Rica without a plan. This often leads to overspending as the shopper gets distracted by the stores’ marketing strategies.
Such strategies include making you spend money on cheap items like Christmas candy at half price or some decorations on sale. When you start buying these items, it breaks down your “anti-spending” barrier and makes you spend more money in their store.
Bottom line is that these cheap items for sale are what break your budget.
W
ait Before You Buy
Sometimes when you see an item like a purse, toy or decoration you just want to buy it immediately and later regret it. So before you grab it and head to the cash register, walk away to clear your mind to think about it.
Sometimes, walking away will take away the desire to buy it and gives you a chance to think whether it is a good deal and lets you do some price comparison.
Save Your Receipts
So you just went to Lincoln Plaza in Costa Rica and bought that Playstation for your kid at a great price and as you continued shopping for Christmas found the same game console at Terra Mall, Costa Rica for even cheaper price.
No problem because you have the receipt and you can go and return the higher priced game console, get your money back and buy the Playstation at an even lower price.
Beware however that in Costa Rica, many stores do not let you get cash back on returned items and only give you store credits. So make sure that you understand their return policy before you purchase an item.
Hint, large chain stores like Wal-Mart in Guadalupe, Costa Rica will give you cash back on returns.
Don’t Let Discount dictate what you buy
Don’t get us wrong, discounts in Costa Rica are great when they include something on your shopping list. Otherwise, you are not saving money. Instead you are overspending because you bought more then you had planned on doing.
Use Cash, Not Credit Cards
The best way to overspend is to use your credit cards. It is easy to accumulate credit card debts during the Christmas season so leave your credit card at home. Credit card debt is a serious problem in Costa Rica and you may end up paying off these gifts a long time after Christmas is over.
Using cash will keep you from being in debt to your credit card company as using cash is a reminder on exactly how much money you have to spend on Christmas gifts.
Use Coupons and Compare Coupons
Even though coupons in Costa Rica are not as available as in the United States, you can still find them online using phone applications and on Costa Rica Ahorro as well.
Using coupons will help you save money but don’t forget to also compare coupons as you can often find different coupons for the same item in Costa Rica.
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