A quick guide to surviving the 2018 Boxing Day sales

If your credit card limit has managed to survive the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy but you still have your eye on something special before the year comes to a close, the Boxing Day sales might be the perfect time to  grab a bargain!

But with the nation’s total credit card balance predicted to hit $52.4 billion this December, we’ve put together five Boxing Day sales tips to help you avoid a new year financial hangover.

1. Plan your Boxing Day purchases

With the post-Christmas sales hype in overdrive, carefully planning your purchases can help you avoid any temptation to make impulse decisions. Create a list of the items you would like to purchase and try to budget what you expect to pay for them, factoring in some contingency on those inevitable impulse purchases.

2. Don’t be afraid to jump online

Despite the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales having been and gone, don’t assume that the best deals in the post-Christmas sales will only be found in-store. Surfing online sites before you hit the shops will not only give you a sense of what prices you should be paying, you can also find out what stores are selling what and if they have stock available, which could save you time and money on the day.

It can also pay off to go in-store armed with a competitor’s price list to take advantage of any price matching programs.

3. Avoid cupboards clutter

Just because something is on sale, doesn’t mean it’s a great purchase. Multi-buys can be good value depending on what you’re purchasing, but getting 50% off 100 scented candles that are only likely to take up space in your cupboard is something you’ll probably want to reconsider. If you aren’t certain about your purchase, most Australian businesses have good returns policies so be sure to check the store’s guidelines on making a return.

4. Avoid the ‘buy now, pay later’ pain

Although post pay services such as Afterpay and ZipMoney have become popular payment methods in Australia, they are not the only solution to a sales season shopping spree. In a recent survey conducted by Mozo on Afterpay, 30% of those surveyed admitted to having missed at least one payment. So to save yourself any future financial pain, going back to basics and using a debit card or cash at the sales could be the way to go.

5. Don’t be afraid to haggle

Don’t be afraid to push the retailers to get the best price possible. The sales exist to encourage purchases, so if you’re determined to grab a bargain then why not try your hand at haggling? Some tips for successful bargaining include:

• Never shop unprepared: know exactly what competitors are offering and get the store to match them.

• Bundle for bigger discounts: if you’re buying more than one product ask for an additional discount, or see if they’ll throw in something extra for free.

• Stay firm: always be prepared to walk away if you can’t secure the offer you want

Want to arm yourself with a budget-friendly credit card for the new year? Check out some of the great low interest deals below, or head over to the Mozo credit card comparison hub for even more offers.