I’m an extreme bargain hunter – how to find the best deals on clothes, toiletries and presents in your favourite shops
THERE'S an art to bargain hunting and whilst most of us are capable of finding a good deal or two, it takes real skill to successfully bargain hunt everything you buy.
But one woman who has got it nailed is Polly Arrowsmith.
The 55 year old from Islington, North London, is an expert at finding great bargains.
Polly has been bargain hunting since she was 13 years old.
Every year, Polly buys around 250 gifts for numerous people and has a strict budget of £20 per gift - so she's mastered the art of finding good deals.
And she knows exactly where to look. Polly says: “My favourite shops to find bargains are Boots and Superdrug.“
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She says try to get to B&M, Home Bargains, and Wilkinson as they have the best deals all year round.
Polly says: “You will usually get deeper discounts in stores especially when retailers are trying to clear shelves, but keep an eye on their stuff online too.”
Best times of the year to find bargains
Polly says there are three main times of the year when you will get the best bargains.
"The month after Christmas - this is the best time to get deals on clothes. It’s also the best time to get anything Christmas related like gifts, wrapping paper, and cards.
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"June has fantastic summers sales.
"And Black Friday - this is the best time to buy toiletries," she adds.
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What to look for in a good bargain
Stores will often try to convince you, that you're getting a good deal when you not.
Polly says a good bargain will see at least 30% - 50% off the original price.
Polly buys in categories and keeps track of the average price of an item so she knows when the price has significantly dropped.
She said: “If an item is on a really good deal I may buy it in bulk. For example I may buy presents in bulk because I know I will need more than one.”
"If there's an item you want type it regularly in a search bar online that way you can keep track of the price and eventually the algorithm will pick up that you're interested in that item and show you deals.”
“I also recommend signing up to a cashback site. They have really good overnight deals.”
Polly’s Top Tips
"Make sure you know what items are usually selling for so you know when you have found a significant price drop. You can track prices over the past few months.
"Know when your favourite shops have regular deals like Boots' knock out Tuesday.
"Sign up for advantage cards and loyalty cards - get alerts and stay informed.
"Pay attention to when stores have sales to clear stock. Look for ‘special deals’ they are usually in sales.
Using her own tips Polly shared some of the best deals she has found saying: “Right after Christmas cards from M&S sell at 15 pence when they used to be used to be £5 wrapping paper go for 5-15p when it used to be £3-5. These are some of the best bargains I have ever found."
“I also like Aromatherapy - I got a hamper with bath oils,soaps, and diffusers from Aromatherapy Associates. I paid £115 instead of the original £514. Here’s the code I used: SMS20.”
Bargain hunting advice
Stores are designed to make you spend more than you need to.
Here's Polly's advice for making sure you get what you need for a bargain.
"Make sure you have the funds - decide what your budget is and save in advanced for big sales.
"Bare in mind bargain hunting takes time you may need to wait for certain items to go on sale.
"Consider not wearing item of clothing if you think the price might come down cheaper, return it and buy it at a better price.
"Don’t impulse buy, decide what you want before you reach a stores, make a list.
"Be ready for sales - some sales only last a day. People don’t expect to see deals so you must actively look for them.
Here's what the stores don't want you to know:
- Winter sales start early in December but prices will drop significantly later on in the month.
- Stores will always prefer to sell at a loss that keep stock and use that to your advantage.
- Clothing usually marks down within a week.
A look to the future
Polly says: "The cost of living made me aware of other prices and it has made me more savvy."
"There were noticeable increases in the price of goods from 2021 - 2022 around 10 - 30 %."
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"But I have kept the same budgets. The cost of living crisis has made retailers more desperate to sell goods so I suspect we will get better deals this year. "
"Many retailers are struggling to survive, particularly high street shops. If some of these stores do go under it’s another opportunity to find great bargains."
