I am not talking about making a list of the groceries you need for a week and sticking to it. I am talking about making a list for larger purchases. Those items that you may be buying one, two, or twelve months from now. Perhaps your wardrobe is looking a bit drab, or you are fighting a computer as old as the abacus. Here is a way that you can save money. 1. Make a list of the items that you expect to purchase over the next year and write down their regular price. 2. Start putting a little money aside each week to buy these items (even if you need to put some on credit, it is nice to have some cash to apply to the bill). 3. Wait for the item to be on sale and for a good price - then pick it up. It sounds simple, but it works well for one reason. It makes you think about what you are planning on buying and reduces the chances of paying more by buying on impulse. If I know I am going to buy a new TV this year, I can wait until the make and model I want is on sale. Most items eventually go on sale. If you know exactly what you are wanting, you can save time by not browsing and being up sold. There is a bit of a gamble in that you may not find the lowest price of the year, but if you watch the prices you should do better on average than impulse buying. This can work for mundane items as well, but it involves a bigger commitment.
