How to Make the Most of the January Sales

The January sales can be an exciting time with so many bargains on offer. But all of us have had the experience of squandering what little money we have left over from Christmas on completely useless purchases, merely because we thought they were a bargain. It is good to remember a bargain is only a bargain if it is going to become an important and useful item in your life.
If you truly want to make some great savings in the January sales, then you must streamline your approach. If you head to the high street without a plan, the chances are that you will head back home with little that is of much use.
Follow these simple tips to make sure that you make the most of the January sales.
Save Expensive Purchases Until January
Wily shoppers know to save their pennies until January. Some people even do their Christmas shopping for the following year in the January sales to make their pounds stretch further. Some people buy their wedding dresses, suits or new three piece suites in the January sales. This is an excellent way to make unavoidable expensive purchases a little easier.
However, it is prudent to plan such splurges well in advance. Do not be tempted to take out a credit card to fund your January sales shopping, as you will pay for your savings in the interest you have to pay back – short-term benefit is not the right approach. Shop within your means and financially plan for the sales. Give yourself a strict budget and stick to it, in order to avoid eating gruel for the first three months of the year. It won’t do you much good if you have a sea of new clothes and accessories, but no money to enjoy them.
Know What You Want
To avoid buying useless rubbish that you will only end up throwing away or giving to charity, it is important when sales shopping to be clear about what you want. The January sales is not the time to browse. They are created in order to get rid of old and excess stock, so there is  lot of rubbish on offer. Be strict by drawing up a list and sticking to it. As mentioned earlier, a budget will also help you to keep control of your finances.
Don’t Allow Yourself to Impulse Buy
It is easy to be swayed by a bargain. It is common to find something we didn’t even know we wanted or needed and to lust after it. But do not impulse buy. You will only regret it. The best purchases are those that you decide you might want. You mull over. You check your finances to ensure you can afford them and then wait. If the next day you have forgotten about it then you obviously do not need it or want it that much. If you still find yourself hankering after it then you can go ahead.
It is always important to ask yourself the question – “Is this really going to have any positive impact on my life?” If the answer is no, then simply move on. You must also be strict with yourself; don’t try to convince yourself that something is important simply to satisfy your impulse – you will regret it later on.
Consult Your Social Network on Buying Decisions
If you are shopping on the high street, you can instantly get a second opinion by photographing items in the changing room, uploading them to Facebook and getting feedback from your friends as to whether the purchase is worthwhile. Equally, if shopping online you can do the same – just be careful not to give away tips of the best bargains to all your friends!
Shop Online
It is commonly known that the high street is more expensive than shopping online. Equally, there are bigger discounts available in the January sales online than on the high street, without the fuss of having the trawl through the crowds. If you know what you want you can be incredibly focussed in your shopping and bag a real bargain.
If you still want to make an event of the January sales, but don’t want to waste money on the high street, simply organise a girly get together, bring your laptops, make some cakes and shop together at the cheapest and biggest store of them all.
Author bio: The author is a buyer for a major online retailer. Formerly she was a personal shopper for a well esteemed high street retailer. She is also a mother of four children. She recommends buying all your needs for Christmas online at reliable suppliers such as buyforlessonline.