Waiting in line doesn’t just drain time from our busy days — it can also lead to money leaks. The longer we wait in line, the more money we’re likely to spend in order to make up for all that time we wasted waiting, according to research from Georgetown University. What’s more, retailers and grocery stores are notorious for tempting us with magazines, candy bars and cold beverages as we wait our turn at checkout.
To make better use of your time and budget, consider these ways to save money while waiting in line.
[See: 12 Ways to Be a More Mindful Spender.]
Review your cart. Modern queues are designed to lure you into impulse buying, so stop browsing the shelves of quirky coffee mugs and wrapping paper. Instead, take a moment to review everything in your cart. Do you know how much your items will cost? Is it in your budget? Is there anything you can live without? As you take inventory, you might discover an item that seemed like a good purchase in the moment is no longer a must-have.
Browse for coupons. Does anything in your cart qualify for a coupon? Use your smartphone to search for available discounts to reduce the cost of your purchases. The Target app, for example, offers extra savings through its Cartwheel program on select goods. Craft stores including Michaels and JoAnn Fabric stores each offer discounts of up to 50 percent off through their namesake apps. Even grocery store apps for Safeway and King Soopers offer users the ability to digitally clip coupons for common grocery items, ranging from fresh produce and baked goods to paper products. You can also use price-comparison apps such as ShopSavvy to determine if what you’re buying is offered at the best local price.
[See: 10 Money-Saving Websites to Check Before Shopping.]
Earn money. Rather than ogling the cheap checkout line temptations, consider using your mobile phone to earn cash and offset the cost of your purchase. Cash-back apps, including Ibotta and Swagbucks, help you earn cash on select items when you scan receipts or complete small tasks, such as watching an advertisement. Shopkick offers “kicks” or points to shoppers who walk through select stores, scan specific products and make purchases with a linked card, resulting in gift cards to such places as Starbucks and Target. And Walmart’s Savings Catcher tool offers cash back in the form of an e-gift card on eligible products if a competitor offers a lower price.
Make a list. If you have more shopping to do, make a list of items you need to buy at other stores. Experts agree that creating a list is one of the best ways to stick to your budget. Without one, you’re more apt to make impulse purchases. If you have yet to put gift ideas to paper (or smartphone) for the holiday season, now is the time to do it. Download free apps such as Santa’s Bag or Christmas Gift List to keep your holiday list and budget at your fingertips. You can also use these apps to help you keep track of ideas and budgets for other gift-buying events, including birthdays, anniversaries and weddings.
[See: 10 Fun, Frugal Ways to Spend Your Free Time.]
Organize your purse. Digging through the black hole that has become your purse is not only frustrating, but it wastes time and could potentially cost you money. While you wait in line, start organizing: Collect forgotten gift cards into one space, put back any loose change and bills that have fallen from your wallet and remove any trash or unnecessary items cluttering up your bag. Who knows, you might get lucky and find an unused gift card to offset the cost of your purchases.
Digitize your receipts. As you wait your turn in the queue, download an app to digitize all your purchase slips and track your spending. Shoeboxed and Evernote are popular apps for this task and are also free for iPhone and Android smartphone users. Start taking photos of your receipts while waiting in line and get them categorized.
Shop online instead. Putting a stop to all the impulse buys you often make comes down to one simple rule: Identify your triggers and avoid them at all costs. If you can’t resist the urge to buy, you may be better off skipping the store altogether. Online shopping can be a smarter alternative for shoppers who are influenced by such visual stimuli as a display of candy bars or festive potholders. However, online retailers are just as crafty as brick-and-mortar stores when it comes to influencing buyer behavior. Beware of the impulse to add other items to your cart to reach a minimum order threshold for free shipping, and just say “no thanks” to pop-ups recommending similar or complementary items to your purchase.
Waiting in line can be productive and beneficial to your budget, especially when you distract yourself with one of the previous tips. Just be sure you’re not so involved in whatever you’re doing that you fail to notice when it’s your turn to checkout.
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How to Save Money While Waiting in Line originally appeared on usnews.com
