The Eid Al Fitr holiday is a perfect time for shopping. People are looking for designer clothes, jewelry, holiday decoration, and gifts, but usually at this time of the year, retailers are also offering Eid deals. If you don’t want to pay for outrageously expensive items and services, you could use some tips on saving during your Eid Al Fitr shopping spree that will apply also to the upcoming Prime Day.
Every year, retailers get advantage of Eid last-minute shoppers who would pay anything to get their hands on a nice product they’ve liked or a great gift for their relatives. Usually, prices are higher in the last days of Ramadan, so if you haven’t done your shopping by now, you’d better get started. This year, Eid Al Fitr will fall on either July 28, or July 29, so these 10 last days are critical. Whether buying festive food, clothes, or gifts for the family, you can always choose between affordable and more expensive stores. So, instead of going directly to the nearest shopping mall, where you can find everything you need in one place, try to be smarter and take some time for planning.
The first thing to do is compiling a shopping list – think twice before putting each item in the list. Do you really need it? Is this really what you want to buy for the kids? Is its price reasonable or it will eat up your entire Eid budget? Of course, you need to list every little thing you will need for the holiday – from the extra sweets and candy to the new, festive clothing, and even your holiday trip, if you’ve planned one.
Next, don’t think you can do without a precise budget. Set up a budget, that won’t lead to overspending (and to overspend is what we all tend to do during holidays) and stick to it. Carry the shopping list everywhere you go – you never know where you can find something really exciting. However, try not to replace items with more expensive ones, or all your efforts until now would turn out pointless.
Try shopping online – web stores often have sales and promotions you can get advantage of. You can look for not only discounts, but also for various coupons and deals for in-store sopping. The huge advantage of online stores is that they give you the opportunity to research and compare prices. There are international retailers shipping to the UAE like Amazon but the delivery will take longer.
When you go to stores, always start with the retailer offering the lowest prices to ensure you aren’t buying overpriced groceries, clothes, or electronics. If you don’t like their merchandise, simply go to a more expensive store, where the quality is supposed to be better.
Of course, during Eid, there will be various holiday promotions in Dubai and across the UAE. For example, as part of Eid in Dubai, a special raffle promotion started on July 15. You will get a raffle coupon for spending AED 200 or more at participating malls during Ramadan and until July 30. These include Wafi Mall, Ibn Battuta, Al Ain Centre, Etihad mall, City Walk, Al Barsha Mall, and many others.
If you follow these several tips, you will be able to save at least a little bit and avoid the stressful last-minute shopping this Eid. Instead, you can concentrate on the last days of Ramadan, spend more time with the family and be more productive at work.
