End Of Financial Year sale 2022: How to get the best deals
Here are 5 expert shopping tips to guide you through this year's end-of-financial-year sales.
It's EOFY, so thrifty shoppers everywhere know it's time to snap up huge savings from a wide variety of retailers. But before grabbing your wallet and getting to work, it's worth having a good think about how you plan to attack all these sales. With a few easy tips and tricks, you can ensure you're getting maximum value at this time of year without falling into some common pitfalls.
Here are 5 of the best tips to guide you through the upcoming EOFY sales.
Shop around
This is a simple yet vital tip. Considering how many retailers are running sales right now, you shouldn't make any purchases without looking around a number of websites to ensure you're getting the best possible deal.
Manufacturers themselves often hold EOFY sales, so even if you usually stick to online retailers like Amazon it's worth making sure your chosen products arent available for less elsewhere.
If you don't have the time to arduously search through website after website for each purchase, make use of shopping guides to do the legwork for you.
Do your homework
EOFY is a popular time to make major purchases on appliances like fridges, washing machines and, given the time of year, heaters. Major electronics are also often available on the cheap.
But it's important not to get caught up in the first big discount you see. There's a big variance in quality when it comes to household appliances and tech, and you may find yourself thousands of dollars poorer with only a subpar machine to show for it.
Once again, shopping guides are a great way to use the wisdom of others to inform your purchases. We have a huge range of guides available to measure your prospective purchases against what we consider the best on the market. With the power of the Internet at your fingertips, there's no reason not to do your due diligence before making major buys.
It's also a great idea to find out the true recommended retail price of a product, which can most accurately be ascertained through the manufacturer. Some retailers have been known to mislead customers about the original price of a product to make their deal seem even more gaudy.
Be wary of tax deductions
Many shoppers use EOFY sales as an opportunity to snap up a saving on work-related products to claim on their impending tax return. It's a solid strategy, especially when compared to buying a product in October and hoping you remember to claim it when tax time rolls around.
Just remember to do your research, and ensure what you're buying can be legally claimed as a tax deduction. There's nothing worse than plunking down thousands of dollars on a shiny new product only to find it isn't actually tax-deductible. You can read the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)'s guidelines for tax deductions here.
The ATO cites 3 "golden rules":
- You must have spent the money yourself and weren't reimbursed.
- The expenses must directly relate to earning your income.
- You must have a record to prove it (usually a receipt).
For EOFY shoppers, the rule that expenses must directly relate to your income is probably the most important. Read up on as much available ATO documentation as you can before you get shopping.
Read the fine print
Refund and return policies, shipping fees, warranty – it's all super important stuff. This is especially crucial to keep in mind if you find yourself browsing websites you don't usually frequent. Don't assume it will have the same policies and fees you'd expect to find on your favourite sites.
Shipping fees are especially important to keep an eye out for, as they may make a major dent in the savings you think you're enjoying. If you find yourself making a major purchase in the category of electronics or household appliances, you should strongly consider getting a warranty. Once again, make sure to carefully read the policy so you know exactly what you're signing up for.
Know your limit
We don't mean to be the fun police, we know a reasonable bit of retail therapy never hurt anybody. But we're currently living in turbulent economic times, and it doesn't look like things are going to be miraculously fixed anytime soon.
There's no doubt that copping the latest electronic gadget is a much more enticing prospect than keeping your budget balanced. But with a rising cost of living and a possible global recession looming, it isn't a good time to get caught up in a sales event and deck out your house with the coolest new toys for the sake of it.
So before you get spending, sit down with your household and determine how much money you can afford to spend on EOFY sales, and what kind of items are worth buying. Once you've done that, you can freely shop away.
EOFY early-bird sales
Now that you've studied up on how to navigate the wonderful world of EOFY sales, here are a few of our favourites for you to have a look at.
Appliances Online
Head over to Appliances Online to get TVs, barbeques and whitegoods as low as half price.
Shop now
Jack London
Grab some of the most high-class fashion around for up to 70% off at Jack London.
Shop now
Want even more savings? Head over to Sales Finder or check out today's top daily deals.
