Cost is the key factor that determines your travel duration, destination and activities. Even time availability issues can be adjusted with some effort, but it all ultimately boils down to money. People try to work around this by checking for travel discounts, cheap medical insurance, and advance trip booking and so on. They forget one of the biggest cost factors; spending while shopping abroad. You know what we’re talking about.
General Shopping Tips
- Make a shopping list: List out the things you want for yourself, for your family, friends and co-workers. This gives you an idea of exactly how many people you need to shop for.
- Set a spending limit: Set spending limits on the amount you spend for each person. You don’t need to go all out to get expensive gifts for everyone.
- Look for bargain stores: Don’t start shopping at the first place you see. Study your environment, see what’s special in the area and shop at bargain stores that don’t have fixed prices.
- Don’t forget to bargain: Check out 4-5 similar stores, enquire rates and then buy at the place that quotes the cheapest. Never forget to let the merchant know that you’ve done your homework. Tell the merchant exactly how much the object is worth, based on your study and get it at a bargain.
- Check out discounts: Look for student discounts, discounts if you use certain credit cards and so on. If there’s a two for one kind of deal, see if the pricing is ok and then go for it.
- Buy only what you need: Don’t deviate from your shopping list. Do you go around buying random stuff when at home? You buy only what you need; do the same when abroad.
- Insist on knowing the price in local currency: Foreign merchants use this trick of informing the price of an item in dollars. When they swipe your card, they usually apply a not very competitive exchange rate. Insist on knowing the price in the local currency before you pay.
