Shopping for Bargains

Since developing my 'planner habit' there are many things I've learnt. One of these is how potentially expensive a hobby it can be, particularly when certain beauties need to be imported. Even those that are not can often carry a weighty price tag.

This of course means I've been surprised at how I've learnt to keep my planner spends minimal whilst still getting those planners I want.

Firstly, it's not always cheaper on eBay. Yes, occasionally you'll find someone having a clear out and get a genuine bargain, but likewise you can end up paying above the odds after getting caught up in a bidding war or simply because the seller has overestimated what they think they're selling is worth.

Be prepared to shop around. It's ok to look before you buy and get the best price. Initially I bought from Amazon because I stuck with what I knew. A little googling and I soon discovered I could save some pennies.

Don't be scared to price match either. Many shops will price match if you ask, perfect if you've found it for less elsewhere but don't want to wait or are facing astronomical shipping fees. John Lewis in particular are excellent at this, it's where my pretty new fluoro came from!

Listen to the planner community too, they're always sharing bargain finds. Thanks to a tip from a fellow UK blogger (thanks Joanny! Check her out!) I ended up with two new planners from TK Maxx for really good prices. I was thrilled!

Be prepared to stick to your guns too. There's one shop I shan't be visiting again because they tried to tell me the planner in their hand was full price not half price because it was out of stock. They didn't want to discuss this but walked away, which although sad as it's a shop I love made me feel that this is somewhere I won't be returning to. Shame.

So how about you guys, how do you keep costs down?