How to Shop at Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Home Goods

Discount department stores can be a great source of high quality, brand name merchandise at deep discounts. They can also be a potential drain on your budget, and source of clutter, if you don’t shop carefully. Have you ever notices when you go to these discount stores that you are drawn to go into the entire store to find what you are looking for? You may have one particular item on your shopping list and before you know it you have much more in your shopping cart. Try these strategies to avoid overbuying. Here are some helpful tips and strategies on how to shop at Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, and Home Goods.

• Shop Your List – Just like you do when you go grocery shopping, you must stick to your list. Don’t get sucked into a cute bobble as it is going to end up being clutter in your home and a drain on your budget.
• Take A Shopping Cart – Even if you are only going for one item, taking a shopping cart makes it harder for you to navigate through their clothing aisles. If you are going for a particular clothing item, you may still want to take the cart and just go into the clothes section and ONLY look for that item.
• Know Your Prices – Not all items at a discount department store are bargains. Be aware of the prices and consumer reviews on different items before you buy. Know what you can find for less at each department store and what you might be better waiting for a sale at Macy’s. A few solid staples that you can consistently get for less at a TXJ store Include: K-Cups, travel snacks such as chips, popcorn, etc., gourmet flavored coffee, fat free coffee syrup, drink mixers, sheet sets, certain brands of makeup and skincare products, and workout wear.
• Use Tunnel Vision on the Checkout Line – Have you noticed that discount department stores make you wind through a line that have merchandise on both sides of that line? They are betting on you making a rash decision while you are waiting to check out. Don’t get sucked in!!! Instead, focus on what is IN your cart and make sure it is indeed what you came shopping for and not an unplanned purchase.

Lots of thought goes into how stores are laid out and how to draw shoppers into making more purchases than they planned. Try not to be one of those shoppers! You can do it!

Photo Licensed from Adobe Stock