Lots of people save up for big dreams, like buying their own car or going on a long trip. This takes patience and discipline. At the end of the day, we all know that saving money is much harder than spending it. There are just so many temptations out there. It’s often the little things in life that really swallow up your money. The coffee-to-go for breakfast, takeaway food at lunchtime or online shopping during the afternoon break in the office – unnecessary purchases can add up to a lot. There’s often too much of the month left when all the money’s gone.

Plan a “day of indulgence”

It’s virtually impossible to afford the new car or the dream trip to Australia without saving. Most people think they need a small fortune to pay for it. They then gear themselves up for a kind of financial abstinence. To buy the new car, dinner with friends is quickly sacrificed, the new T-shirt is not purchased, food prepared at home is taken for lunch instead of takeaways and water is chosen over beer when going for after-work drinks. However, it doesn’t have to be like that every day. To make periods of saving more pleasant, an occasional reward can act as an incentive.

Instead of looking at the forthcoming period of saving negatively, try asking yourself this question instead – when was the last time you really splashed out in the shops? Whether it’s clothing, furniture or gifts for loved ones – if you or others indulge yourselves from time to time while saving for your big goal, it can make a supposedly lean financial spell more bearable. It’s a bit like being on a diet. Instead of starving yourself for weeks on end, which eventually results in uncontrolled, ravenous indulgence, plan a “treat day”. Enjoy a day when you eat what you want to make it easier to avoid high-calorie food the next day.

Does that sound like a good plan? Then you should follow these tips. To save for your next shopping trip, it’s best to set a date as a deadline as well as the planned amount. The many promotional days and sales weeks are a good bet. That way you get more for your money thanks to special offers. Here we provide you with some key tips on how to really save some money the next time you go shopping:

Tip 1: Sales days like Black Friday etc.

Special sales days, which are commonplace abroad, have also established themselves in Switzerland recently. Even though Thanksgiving from the USA is not an official public holiday in Switzerland, we still “celebrate” Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which are associated with it, in November. Money can be saved on these days with discounts and attractive offers if you’re buying things that you really need. It’s mainly electrical items that are less expensive on these special-deal days. You can also find discounts and shop vouchers valid in Switzerland on comparison sites and other websites. Invest some time, ensure you’re well prepared and compare prices. This way you’ll know how much money you’re actually saving and which products you can get good deals on and from which retailers.

Tip 2: Take advantage of sales weeks

Instead of paying full price for expensive branded jeans, it’s worth waiting for the good-old, end-of-season summer and winter sales. Percentage discounts, special offers and other markdowns are available during these periods. Advertising and shop display windows entice customers with attractive prices and great deals. Unlike Black Friday, there is no legally governed, fixed date for sales week in Switzerland. The summer sales nevertheless usually take place during the month of June here and the winter sales after Christmas. Retailers often offer discounts even before the official sales weeks begin. These pre-sales are a kind of test run to see which products can be sold more easily at a lower price. However, the best prices can still be found during the end-of-year sales.

Tip 3: Stay in the loop

You often get the best deals via newsletters. Subscribe to the newsletter of your favourite shops to make sure you’re always up to date with the latest special offers. This means you receive all the relevant information about reductions in advance. You can also generally find information about the latest deals or flash sales on the social-media pages of your favourite shops or brands. But be careful, newsletters can entice you to buy even more goods. The trick is to use them advantageously.

Tip 4: Memberships pay off

Many shops provide their customers with free memberships. The membership usually provides you with special conditions: exclusive discounts, reductions on selected items, free delivery or payback points, for example, are often available to customer card holders. The bottom line is that customers holding such cards are usually better off. Some customer cards can also be uploaded to the TWINT App. That way you’ve always got it with you.

Tip 5: Compare prices and save money

The summer sales and Cyber Monday aim to encourage people to spend money. However, it’s worth comparing prices beforehand and always keeping a close eye on your budget and actual savings target. Take the time to make a list of things that you really need and want to buy. This will help you to avoid unnecessary impulse purchases. Also compare the list prices beforehand to work out where you can really make savings. Check how much the product is really worth. This way you’ll avoid the risk of spending money on items you don’t really need and which are overpriced despite the discount. Otherwise you don’t actually save anything. Make sure you stick to your budget even when the sales are on.

There are many ways of spending money. But no hurdle is too high if you’re properly motivated. Saving money does not necessarily mean self-denial and having a bad conscience. You’ll save anyway by cleverly rewarding yourself from time to time and taking advantage of great deals.