618 Hasn’t Started Yet But I’ve Already Figured Out How to Shop Smart

To be honest, I overpaid in every previous 618.

Not just financially—I either bought things in a heat of the moment that never got used, or got caught in merchant tricks that ultimately didn’t save me much. After last year’s 618 ended, I took stock and realized I still had more than half a box of skincare products I’d “thought I’d use” sitting in a corner gathering dust.

This year I’m smarter. I started researching how to shop strategically a month in advance. Su Xiaonuan’s philosophy on spending: saving money isn’t about being stingy, it’s about spending wisely.

Step one: build a “want to buy, but wait” list beforehand.

Don’t figure out what you need on 618 day itself. Two weeks ahead, list everything you want to buy, then ask yourself two questions: “Would I buy this without the discount?” and “Will I actually use this within a year?” Both yes means it goes on the list.

Step two: research regular prices.

Many people don’t know “how much it actually discounted” because they don’t know the regular price. Use price comparison tools or historical price trackers to check the price trend of items you want over the past three months. If it’s currently near its historical lowest, go for it. If it’s only a few yuan cheaper than usual, wait for Double Eleven.

Step three: calculate the final price clearly, don’t get dizzy by the stacking tricks.

Store discounts, coupons, member-only prices, livestream-exclusive red packets—these often stack to make the final price much lower than the “original price” shown on page, but the calculations are complex. My suggestion: add items to your cart in advance, and on 618 day the system will automatically calculate the optimal combination.

Most important point: don’t buy extra items just to use up a full-discount coupon. That’s the most common merchant trap.

Money is your own. It’s worth it when spent where it should be.