5 Smart Tips to Avoid Post-Election 'Retail Therapy'

The 2020 election has divided voters into two different sides, and it feels the strain after waiting for the result. Many will want to relieve their anxiety if 2016 is any indication of a little retail therapy.

The National Retail Federation asked shoppers during the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election, how the race affected their shopping habits. Almost 60% said they plan to buy something nice for themselves and spend an average of $140.

Treating yourself is not a problem after the nail-biting election over the battleground states. However, here are some tips on how to stress-shop without going too much, as per Yahoo:

1. Earn cash back on your groceries

Retail therapy is not just buying clothes and electronics. Some people do stress shopping at the grocery store and transition to stress eating when getting home. Make sure to earn cash-back on your purchases if you plan to ease your election anxiety at the supermarket.

There's a free application that could give you cash-back rewards by snapping a photo of your receipt. The app works virtually in any grocery store as well as many liquor stores, convenience stores, and big-box retailers.

If you buy groceries online these days, don't worry, you can also connect the app to your Amazon account or email to earn points on your digital receipts.

2. Get the best prices online

Amazon is an excellent platform for you to have retail therapy. You can get everything you need or want all in one place, and you will likely be qualified for free shipping. However, Amazon doesn't always have the lowest price for every product. A lot of shoppers end up overspending for the sake of convenience.

You can use a free browser extension if you want to save some money and the trouble of price checking. A free browser extension will automatically scan for better deals and coupon codes when you shop online.

3. Use gift cards

Whether you're doing your regular holiday shopping or treating yourself, it would be nice if you would cut down on your expenses through the use of gift cards. A rewards program is available to help you earn gift cards by doing the stuff you usually do on the internet, like answering surveys, watching videos, and even shopping online.

4. Don't let your balances build-up

A little retail therapy is alright, but overspending could send your credit card balances soaring. Make it sure to pay off as much of your credit card bill as you can once you got all the self-care shopping out of your system.

A low credit score would be more challenging for you to qualify for new credit cards in the future. It will also increase the amount of interest you need to pay on a mortgage or car loan.

5. Trade-in your debt

If your election retail therapy ends up aggravating a high credit card balance, you might need to consolidate your debt with a personal loan. A high ratio on multiple credit cards indicates that you are likely racking up high interest. You coins become debt free a lot sooner if you pay off your high-interest cards with a single low-interest loan. Besides, you will soon have one monthly payment only to worry about.

Election uncertainty takes a toll on online shopping

NY Post reported that the election day uncertainty put a crimp into online shopping. According to a study, this week, less money was used by the consumers on the web than experts anticipate.

As the holiday season cranks up, the toll on online shopping raised concerns that prolonged anxiety and confusion in the presidential election could hit retailers. From Sunday to Tuesday, online sales increased by 31% from a year ago to $6.5 billion during the three days. It is more than four percentage points less than the expected, as per Adobe Analytics, which tracks online spending.