NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Diana Clement: 10 reasons to avoid the shops tomorrow

Diana Clement
By Diana Clement
Your Money and careers writer for the NZ Herald·NZ Herald·
24 Dec, 2022 05:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

The “savings” we’re primed to expect on Boxing Day, will just be repeated at later dates. Photo / Andrew Warner

The “savings” we’re primed to expect on Boxing Day, will just be repeated at later dates. Photo / Andrew Warner

There is no need to rush out shopping tomorrow.

The “savings” we’re primed to expect on Boxing Day, will just be repeated at later dates. What’s more, you deserve some more time out from the daily grind, and running the gauntlet of crowds isn’t that. Here are 10 reasons to avoid the mall tomorrow:

Read More

  • Diana Clement: The 12 financial tasks of Christmas ...
  • Diana Clement: This Christmas gift is the GOAT - NZ ...
  • Diana Clement: You are not obliged to spend for Christmas ...
  1. You’ve got a lot of food to eat up. Most people overbuy food at Christmas. We panic when the shops are going to be closed for one day. If you were at the supermarket yesterday, you’ll know exactly what I’m referring to. New Zealanders waste $1520 of food every year. Most of us will have sufficient food left after today, to eat like a king tomorrow. Even if you have an eclectic range of foods left over, Google them and you’ll find a recipe. Go back to my Covid-19 Pantry Project article for some ideas.
  2. Have another day of enjoying friends and family and connecting with the community. Even if you live alone, pick the phone and call someone you haven’t spoken to for a long time. A friend of mine did this every day of the first lockdown in 2020. What a great way to keep your connections alive.
  3. Be mindful, smell the roses, and go for a walk. How often do you get to just enjoy the neighbourhood, locals parks or local beaches? Walking around the neighbourhood is good for your mind, body and wallet.
  4. Prevention is better than recycling. If you’re concerned about your impact on the planet, and you should be, then buying less is a great place to start. That starts with “prevent”, says Rachel Brown, chief executive at the Sustainable Business Network. Prevent purchasing new in the first place. Avoiding Boxing Day sales can help with that.
  5. Reflect on what you need and what you want. One of the most basic tenets of good budgeting is understanding the difference between needs and wants. How often do you hear people say: “I need [this thing]”? Needs are really only food, housing, education and work. That means basics, not justifying non-essential spending under these headings. That’s not to say that people shouldn’t make special purchases of non-essential items. They just need to be classified as wants, not needs. Diverting some of those ‘want’ purchases into debt reduction or savings adds up fast.
  6. Shopping is stressful. Sure some people get a buzz out of buying stuff, although the high is short-lived, and finding a car park isn’t pleasant. Others get stressed at the thought of going to a mall. Admittedly, it’s the mall environment that is the stressor. Staring at a screen trying to get bargains that may not even be the best price of the year seems to be poor use of time on an public holiday.
  7. It’s probably cheaper in January. At least there are multiple sales throughout the year. If it’s a branded item available via multiple retailers and etailers, then checkout Priceme.co.nz and Pricespy.co.nz. As well as comparing prices currently, they have price histories, which shows how cheap the item in question may have gone. I own a Breville Barista Express BES870, bought for $150 less than full price. The full list price seems to be $798. Last Boxing Day through to January 3, the lowest price on PriceSpy sat at $678. It dropped again in April to $549. The price was $649 in the Black Friday sales this year. Even if it’s back to $649, or $678 tomorrow, you’ll no doubt have a few days to pick it up after then. Don’t let FOMO (fear of missing out) force you to the mall.
  8. You don’t need that stuff anyway. This goes back to needs versus wants. The majority of stuff we buy we don’t need. That includes all the food that will be bought on Boxing Day that is heading for the waste bin if not eaten.
  9. The money is better off in your bank account. Every dollar you don’t spend is a dollar off your debt or a dollar more of savings. It snowballs.
  10. You don’t want to catch Covid. This isn’t a financial reason. But after two years of pandemic, who wants to squish into a mall with thousands of other people who might make you sick? Don’t waste those hard-earned holiday days laid up in bed.

Start your day in the know

Get the latest headlines straight to your inbox.
Please email me competitions, offers and other updates. You can stop these at any time.
By signing up for this newsletter, you agree to NZME’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from New Zealand

OpinionUpdated

NZ Herald comments: The stories open for discussion today

03 Jul 08:59 PM
Premium
New ZealandUpdated

'Heartbeat of the lake': Iconic paddleboat set for comeback

03 Jul 08:58 PM
New Zealand

Pedestrian seriously injured in crash near Feilding

03 Jul 08:58 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
NZ's most photographed hotel up for sale
Property

NZ's most photographed hotel up for sale

03 Jul 08:15 PM
Flood-ravaged Nelson, Marlborough in the firing line again, Auckland to see storms
New Zealand

Flood-ravaged Nelson, Marlborough in the firing line again, Auckland to see storms

03 Jul 08:13 PM
Claims councillor breached code of conduct by saying Napier had 'ignored its core infrastructure' projects
Hawkes Bay Today

Claims councillor breached code of conduct by saying Napier had 'ignored its core infrastructure' projects

03 Jul 08:11 PM
'There are always rumours': Verstappen refuses to be drawn on future
Formula 1

'There are always rumours': Verstappen refuses to be drawn on future

03 Jul 08:09 PM
Actor Michael Madsen dead at 67
Entertainment

Actor Michael Madsen dead at 67

03 Jul 08:05 PM

Latest from New Zealand

NZ Herald comments: The stories open for discussion today

NZ Herald comments: The stories open for discussion today

03 Jul 08:59 PM

Want to have your say on our stories? Here's how.

Premium
'Heartbeat of the lake': Iconic paddleboat set for comeback

'Heartbeat of the lake': Iconic paddleboat set for comeback

03 Jul 08:58 PM
Pedestrian seriously injured in crash near Feilding

Pedestrian seriously injured in crash near Feilding

03 Jul 08:58 PM
Nelson Tasman floods, blackout: Civil Defence Minister provides an update

Nelson Tasman floods, blackout: Civil Defence Minister provides an update

From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search