Keep an Eye Out

80% off- That's what I'm talking about.

If you were to ever find me in a store (other than a thrift store) I would be in the clearance section. As you can tell from some of my earlier posts, I thrive on finding something awesome in a rack or on a shelf of less than desirable items.  There are a few risks though when shopping for clearance items. Sometimes the items in that section are slightly damaged or it is possible that you find something in the clearance section that was placed there, but is in actuality not on clearance. For these reasons, it is vital for shoppers (especially us penny pinchers) to keep our eyes peeled.

 These are two tops I 

recently bought at Kohl's.

I got both of them for under $20.

Before even making my way to the register, I thoroughly examine all of the items I want to purchase to ensure that they are not damaged. If something is slightly damaged and I feel confident that I can fix the damage for nothing or for a reasonable price, I’ll probably still get it. If I can’t find any visible damages, I’ll head to the check-out lines. 

Even though the items I have picked out are free of damages, I still run the risk that the items I have picked out aren’t actually on clearance. In some stores at the register, (such as Kohl’s) there are computer screens to show the customer what each of their items rings up for. My eyes are locked on this screen as each of my items are scanned by the cashier. If something does not show up for the price I expected it to, I never hesitate to ask the cashier to double check for me. If it ends up that an item I found in the clearance section was not actually on sale and I don’t feel like I want to pay full price, I have no problem explaining that to the cashier. There is no need to feel pressured into buying something just because you brought it to the register. 

If I only I had some Kohl's Cash...

Not all stores offer the luxury of viewing the price of each item as it rang up, therefore it is imperative that you check your receipt (BEFORE you leave the store).  If you find that you have an issue with a price, it is still not too late to ask a cashier about it. Don’t be afraid to question the cashier. As a former cashier, I knew not to take a customer’s concern for a price personally. You’re trying to save money, not be an inconvenience and cashiers should be understanding of this.