Frugal Kiwi Mum: When sales don't save you money

For as long as I can remember, the long weekend has been noted by public holidays, chocolate eggs and Easter sales.

This year was no eggs-eption (get it?!?) with stores such as Briscoes, Farmers and JK Kids boasting up to 60 per cent off as part of their eggs-travagant (okay, I'll stop now) promotional Easter sales.

A key point for any keen bargain hunter to remember is that it's only a bargain if it's something you need. When you are chasing a deal for something that you don't truly need, you are not saving money - you're wasting money.

Shopping for things you don't need is never a deal.

A few years ago, a friend of mine mentioned polo neck shirts were on sale for $5.99. I promptly headed into town and bought the shirts. The problem? The ones that were priced at $5.99 were in colors that I didn't even like to wear. I never did wear those shirts. I just got caught up in chasing a good deal, which turned out to be a bad deal because I spent $11.98 for two items I never wore.

The best way to really save money is to shop the sales only for items that you need. Yes, being able to getting two pair of shoes as part of a 'buy one get one free' deal is a great. However, if you already have 10 pairs of shoes at home, you are just wasting money on something you don't really need.

As a culture, we are conditioned to find the best deals, but often we take it to the extreme. If you are saving money to buy something you don't need, you are only wasting your money. Instead, stop shopping the sales and save money by not spending it.