Shop 'till you drop?

by Patrick Astill

We’re into the heart of the sales season already and it’s only just the New Year.

The tired old adverts for toys and food on the telly have been replaced with shiny new ones for sofas and holidays.

There are a lot of tempting offers online too – and some ungrateful people have already been bold enough to stick their unwanted Christmas presents on Ebay.

But what to buy… and can we really afford it?

Household fuel bills are facing a hike, petrol’s going up all the time – and VAT is soon going to hit us hard too.

But whether or not we have money in our pocket, I lay a bet with you right now that the Next Sale’s opening day saw feverish bargain-hunters queuing hours before opening time to grab the best deals.

And I bet BHS and Debenhams look like a jumble sale too, if the seething masses of shoppers have been rifling through their wares.

I suspect that some people might have some Christmas money to spend but many more will be buying on the never-never.

There are still plenty of catalogues that offer the service, and it’s easy to run up a tab. In fact, it is still so commonplace that when offenders have to tell magistrates their means in order for a fine to be fixed, they often quote “club book” as an important part of their regular outgoings.

But if you are looking for a true bargain, and you know for sure it’s an item you want or need, and you’re willing to spend the kind of money required, here’s my very quick guide to securing the deal.

Bargain Hunt on the telly is a game and a quest – and it’s a bit like that in normal shops in real life. You can sniff out a deal that doesn’t exist yet. Don’t be shy at asking. The assistant in Curry’s knows you will just pop next door to Comet if they don’t offer you the best deal.

If you can use older stock, something that’s not the newest model, something not in a box, a display item or something with a scratch, then that will attract the best discount, as they all need to be cleared out to make way for a new pallet of the latest stuff.

Be prepared to walk away – don’t get attached to a particular model if you can be flexible. And don’t give up because they want to make s sale, and you want to buy.

And, yes, I’ll be mooching around the showrooms this week. Carrying the bags and two paces behind my wife...

First published in the Lincolnshire Echo.