TULSA, Okla. — With big spring sales now underway, retail insiders are warning consumers about "spaving," or shopping to save.
Online and in-store sales fill screens with ads for discounts and flash deals on furniture, seasonal merchandise, and clothes. Along with in-store sales, phones are filling up with coupons and cashback deals from retailers or on credit cards, creating a mix designed to get shoppers to open their wallets.
NerdWallet personal finance expert Kimberly Palmer laid out simple steps to avoid getting caught up in the urge to overspend.
"The risk for consumers is that you get really wrapped up in a sale and discounts, and then you end up overspending, essentially because you're trying to save money with the sale, but what it means is you end up spending more than you planned," Palmer said.
Palmer recommends taking a step back when getting wrapped up in the excitement of a sale.
"I really like the 24-hour rule where you put something in your cart if you're online shopping, and then just walk away," Palmer said.
If the item is still on sale and fits the budget the next day, that is the time to buy, as it gives shoppers time to determine whether they are really getting a great deal.
"The next step is to track the prices of those items, and that way you know if the sale is actually a good discount or not, because sometimes when you see a sale advertised, it's hard to know how much is actually being taken off that price," Palmer said.
Shopper Travis Jones and his daughter Latavia were recently on a bargain hunt.
"We're shopping for the daddy-daughter dance in Bristow," Jones said.
Jones hunts for big discounts.
"Maybe 50%, 50 to 60%," Jones said.
To find those deals, Jones shops around.
"I go from maybe three or four different stores to see if I can do better," Jones said.
Palmer told 2 News Oklahoma that price comparisons let shoppers know if they are truly getting a deal. The same goes for not buying immediately because something is on sale.
"Even though sometimes we might lose a deal by waiting, in most cases, it's actually a good idea as a consumer to take our time," Palmer said.
"I do, do that," Jones said.
Taking the time to shop around and compare deals resulted in the perfect dress at a big discount for their big dance.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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