The kitchen is the heart of the home. Over the past decades, this shared space has worn many hats. Apart from being a place where you prepare meals, the kitchen is now the go-to area where you’d gather and entertain guests and huddle with your friends. It’s certainly a place to enjoy good company with your loved ones.
Clever Money-Saving Steps To Take When Shopping For Bulky Appliances
Considering your kitchen’s importance, make sure to equip this with the right appliances to cater to your family’s needs and whip up the best dishes. Whether you have outdated appliances or are on the process of renovating your kitchen, you eventually have to hunt for new appliances in the market.
If you’re planning to buy new kitchen devices, below are steps to take to save money when shopping.
- Shop During Sale Events
Be on the lookout for holiday sales, special shop promotions, and targeted events, like the singles day sale and other similar ones. During these times, appliance depots and online retail stores offer bulky product deals and discounts for certain home items.
Since appliance sales are typically scheduled on days approaching the holidays or around it, schedule your shopping venture during this period. You might be able to score decent kitchen appliance discounts from Thanksgiving to New Year. If buying a new one isn’t urgent, try to wait for these huge event seasons so you can save money.
- Look For Incentives
It’s savvy to schedule your shopping ventures during national holidays and big sale events. However, there might be times when you can’t time your purchases, especially if an important kitchen appliance breaks. If a repair will only cost you more, buying a new one might be your last resort.
If this happens to you, look for rebates and special deals for overstocked pieces. At times, manufacturers give discounts and certain incentives to clear out certain appliances that have been in their warehouse longer than usual. You can scout for these specific appliances on the retailer’s website.
If you do find a special deal, heed attention to the instructions before sending your rebate form. Certain incentives might no longer be applicable during your time of purchase. Hence, make sure to read up on the rebate’s terms and submit the completed form before its deadline.
- Know What You Can Afford
High-end kitchen gadgets can cost a lot. For instance, a new refrigerator can be quite pricey, depending on the model, features, and size. If you have no cash reserve and you’re in a hurry, rushing to buy a new appliance might compel you to stretch out from what you couldn’t afford. These bulky purchases will certainly be expensive unless you’re hitting the store during a sales event or found an online rebate.
Compulsive purchases are definitely not a savvy move. For this reason, determine what you can afford. Your budget isn’t something that limits your appliance choices. Instead, this range can be used as a guide in distinguishing what’s essential to you and what’s not, eliminating the guesswork when shopping for kitchen appliances.
- Focus On What You Need
While it can be tempting to purchase the latest models, some of these fancy features and new accessories might not be essential to your lifestyle. You might not even use some of these top-end functions.
With this in mind, ponder and list down the specific features you need for a certain appliance. Decide in advance which ones you’ll use extensively and which ones are simply fancy extras before venturing to different shops.
Similar to knowing what you can afford, it’s essential to identify your own and your family’s needs and be practical. If you’re transitioning your family to a single income, choosing the appliances with just the right features can help you save a decent amount of cash. However, opt for the updated appliances, especially if you believe that their new settings and features are worth the price. Sacrificing appliance efficiency might only result in increased utility costs and electricity rates in the long haul.
Apart from focusing on functions suitable to your lifestyle, list down the people who’ll regularly use appliances. If you plan on buying a coffee maker for your spouse, check whether or not they’ll be using it daily. If they’re always out of town, you might want to discuss this with them before you head to the store.
All these considerations can help you have an idea of what you should most probably buy as you hit the stores. Apart from saving money, knowing what you need can certainly help you save time, get the most out of your purchase, and avoid the potential sales talk. This way, you can score excellent kitchen appliances without breaking your savings.
- Consider The Old Model
Newer models are typically loaded with an array of innovative setting features and extra accessories, making these expensive. However, at times, you might be surprised that the new features are only minor and unnecessary.
After assessing what you can afford and what you’d particularly need, check whether or not an appliance’s older version fits into both criteria. If owning an older model isn’t an issue, shop smart and go for it. When you splurge for durability and quality, and skip all the extra accessories, the older model will certainly be a cost-efficient investment that’ll last you for years.
Moreover, manufacturers and appliance depots offer discounts to clear out the last model’s stock and create room for the new versions. Considering this, determine when an appliance’s new model will be released so you can take advantage of the previous version’s special deals and discounts. For instance, new fridge models are typically released from April to June. This knowledge can help you save a decent amount of money and make your dream kitchen a reality.
In cases wherein the retailer didn’t reduce their price, look into the new version’s price so you can better negotiate with them. The business will need to phase out the old models to prepare for the arrival of the updated appliances. Hence, they may most likely give you a decent discount or negotiate a better price for the older version.
- Look For Bundles
If you’re planning to purchase more than one appliance, you can save more money when you opt to buy bundles. Purchasing two or more appliances together can help you score huge discounts compared to buying each appliance individually.
Appliance packages are typically available during sale events to entice customers to buy. However, if you’re buying a kitchen device during off-peak seasons, don’t shy away from asking the store’s representative whether or not they still offer products in a bundle.
This purchase can also be practical, especially if you’re planning to create a cohesive kitchen theme. You can have a matching set of appliances that complement your furnished kitchen’s interior by opting for bundles.
- Factor In All The Costs
Savvy shoppers know that price comparison is one way to help them save money when organizing and building their newly-furnished kitchen. Many big and reputable retailers offer ‘low-price guarantee’ and other special deals to match the price of local competition and other similar businesses. Knowing this, you might turn to these specific retailers to score great bargains on high-end appliances.
However, there’s a catch— online shops and appliance depots don’t usually consider the taxes, shipping, and installation services. At times, you might think you’ve saved a lot for a certain appliance, only to find out that the delivery and installation costs are greater than the device’s original price.
The cheapest appliance isn’t always the best bargain. Hence, when shopping for new kitchen appliances, make sure you’re getting an all-in price. In other words, make sure that this total cost includes the fees for installation, shipping, taxes, and other services you’d need.
You can review the retailer’s price-matching programs online for better reference. See if they provide clients with free installation and even shipping discounts so they’d be encouraged to choose their products over the others. Do this with the other appliance depots as well. From there, you can compare appliances from one business to the other. Additionally, see their in-store policies to check if their promotions align with what’s published on their site.
Furthermore, take into account the charge for hauling away your old kitchen devices. Ask the store’s representative whether or not they can collect and dispose of your outdated kitchen appliances for free.
Alternatively, check if they offer cheap hauling fees as some stores may give you a smaller charge if your home is just located nearby. Factoring all these specifics can help you determine whether or not you’d save more from buying a certain, affordable appliance.
The Takeaway
It’s no secret that kitchen devices are a major purchase. Mentally adding the potential costs might overwhelm you, sending this obligation to the back burner. Fortunately, with research and extensive planning, you can become a savvy shopper. Consider the steps above to save big when buying new kitchen appliances.