Just because it's a good deal doesn't mean you have to buy it.

When you are shopping sales and collecting coupons, it gets really tempting to take advantage of every good deal that comes along. Getting into the habit of buying up every sale item can get very costly though, and can defeat the purpose of shopping sales to stay on budget. Here are some tips I use to help me to keep my sale-spending in check:

1. Will I Use It?
   Not all sale items are useful, at least not to me. If it isn't a food that we'd normally eat, a product that we'd normally use, or a service that I know we need to take advantage of then I'm not going to buy it. I don't want to end up with a house full of stuff, so I do my best to pass on the impulse buys.
2. Will It Expire?
   If an item has a short shelf life, I try to decide if I think I will use it before the "Sell By" or expiration date. For example, milk goes on clearance at my grocery store pretty regularly but the sale milk is always only a day or two away from the expiration date. If I've got a dairy-heavy meal plan that week, it's a great deal. But if not, then it's literally pouring money down the drain.
3. Will It Go On Sale Again?
   Some items go on sale regularly. My store often has clothes, shoes, bakeware and dairy items on sale. Because of this, I know I don't have to grab the deals before they're gone because I know by the time I need to pick up a few things to restock, the sale will have come around again.